Gregorios Geevarghese
Encyclopedia
Saint Geevarghese Mar Gregorios or Parumala Thirumeni (15 June 1848 -2 November 1902) of Parumala
was a Syrian Orthodox religious leader and later canonized by Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church He is the first Saint of Oriental orthodox Churches in India. He is popularly known as Parumala Thirumeni (Bishop of Parumala) or Kochu Thirumeni.
, Kerala
. His parents, Kochu Mathai and Mariam, had three sons and two daughters. After the birth of the fifth child, Ipeora, Mariam died. Geevarghese was educated by Malpan (teacher) Geevarghese of Chathuruthy, Kochi, and was ordained as a deacon
on 14 September 1858 at the age of ten by Palakkunnathu Mar Athanasius and was reordained in 1864 at Karingachira St.George Jacobite Church .
and Deacon Geevarghese was the only one who stayed and took care of him, while all others were sent home. On the eighth day, Malpan died and Geevarghese became ill. During this time, he had a vision of St. Mary descending to console him and exhorting him to dedicate the rest of his life to the Lord. Very soon, the deacon recovered. At the age of 18 in 1865, he was ordained as a priest. Joseph Mor Dionysios raised him to the order of monks (Ramban) in 1872. The Patriarch of Antioch HH. Moran Mor Ignatius Peter IV
consecrated four metropolitans at Paravoor Jacobite Church, Kerala in 10 December 1876. The youngest among them was Geevarghese Ramban who was named Mor Gregorios. Because of his age everybody called him "Kochu Thirumeni" (Young Bishop). Mor Gregorios served as Secretary and translator of H.H. Patriarch Ignatius Peter IV
and witnessed the historic Mulanthuruthy Synod resolution of 1876 signed between Syrian Orthodox Church in India and Holy throne of Antioch and All the East. Mor Gregorios was appointed the bishop of Niranam
, Kerala
. He started a monastery at Parumala
, Kerala
.
, he would let the deacons go to bed at 9pm, but he would still be praying until midnight. On Wednesdays and Fridays and Lenten days, he would fast till evening besides observing his own special fasts. In his own words "Prayer brings truth, religious faith, honesty and respect among the people."
Parumala Thirumeni did not let all the responsibilities of teaching, administration, and scholarly pursuits detract him from his true calling, to serve fellow human beings. When a smallpox epidemic (a near fatal disease at the time) struck Thumpamon
and surrounding areas, Thirumeni personally visited every home that had been affected, over protests from many loved ones, to pray for and comfort the sick regardless of their caste or creed. His faith and his actions garnered him a lot of support not only from within the Malankara Church but the entire Indian community.
Parumala
Parumala is a small village and island on the Pampa River in Pathanamthitta district in Kerala, India.Parumala is renowned for the presence of the Tomb of St. Gregorios , the Greatest Saint of India belonging to the Indian Orthodox Church and Syriac Orthodox Church, so it is a pilgrimage site...
was a Syrian Orthodox religious leader and later canonized by Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church He is the first Saint of Oriental orthodox Churches in India. He is popularly known as Parumala Thirumeni (Bishop of Parumala) or Kochu Thirumeni.
Early life
Geevarghese was born into the Chathuruthy family in MulanthuruthyMulanthuruthy
Mulanthuruthy, also spelt Mulamthuruthy, is a small town in Ernakulam District of Kerala. It is about 21 km south-east of Ernakulam and 8 km east of Tripunithura....
, Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
. His parents, Kochu Mathai and Mariam, had three sons and two daughters. After the birth of the fifth child, Ipeora, Mariam died. Geevarghese was educated by Malpan (teacher) Geevarghese of Chathuruthy, Kochi, and was ordained as a deacon
Deacon
Deacon is a ministry in the Christian Church that is generally associated with service of some kind, but which varies among theological and denominational traditions...
on 14 September 1858 at the age of ten by Palakkunnathu Mar Athanasius and was reordained in 1864 at Karingachira St.George Jacobite Church .
Ordination
Malpan became seriously ill with smallpoxSmallpox
Smallpox was an infectious disease unique to humans, caused by either of two virus variants, Variola major and Variola minor. The disease is also known by the Latin names Variola or Variola vera, which is a derivative of the Latin varius, meaning "spotted", or varus, meaning "pimple"...
and Deacon Geevarghese was the only one who stayed and took care of him, while all others were sent home. On the eighth day, Malpan died and Geevarghese became ill. During this time, he had a vision of St. Mary descending to console him and exhorting him to dedicate the rest of his life to the Lord. Very soon, the deacon recovered. At the age of 18 in 1865, he was ordained as a priest. Joseph Mor Dionysios raised him to the order of monks (Ramban) in 1872. The Patriarch of Antioch HH. Moran Mor Ignatius Peter IV
Ignatius Peter IV
Moran Mor Ignatius Peter IV or Ignatius Pathros IV , was the 116th Syriac Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch and the head of the Syriac Orthodox Church...
consecrated four metropolitans at Paravoor Jacobite Church, Kerala in 10 December 1876. The youngest among them was Geevarghese Ramban who was named Mor Gregorios. Because of his age everybody called him "Kochu Thirumeni" (Young Bishop). Mor Gregorios served as Secretary and translator of H.H. Patriarch Ignatius Peter IV
Ignatius Peter IV
Moran Mor Ignatius Peter IV or Ignatius Pathros IV , was the 116th Syriac Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch and the head of the Syriac Orthodox Church...
and witnessed the historic Mulanthuruthy Synod resolution of 1876 signed between Syrian Orthodox Church in India and Holy throne of Antioch and All the East. Mor Gregorios was appointed the bishop of Niranam
Niranam
Niranam is a village in central Travancore region in Kerala, India. It was a port in ancient Kerala, on the confluence of the Manimala and Achankovil River. It is almost from Tiruvalla in Pathanamthitta District of Kerala...
, Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
. He started a monastery at Parumala
Parumala
Parumala is a small village and island on the Pampa River in Pathanamthitta district in Kerala, India.Parumala is renowned for the presence of the Tomb of St. Gregorios , the Greatest Saint of India belonging to the Indian Orthodox Church and Syriac Orthodox Church, so it is a pilgrimage site...
, Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
.
Lifestyle
At Parumala Syrian Seminary he led an ascetic life. He woke up at four in the morning and prayed till 5am. He taught deacons till 7am followed by prayer and a light breakfast. From 9am till 11am he taught deacons again. From 11am to noon he took care of administrative matters and again went to pray at noon, followed by lunch. He rested till 1:30pm and taught till 4pm with a brief prayer in between. From 4pm to 5:30pm he was busy with his administrative duties. After evening prayers and supper, he taught the Bible to the deacons. After the complineCompline
Compline is the final church service of the day in the Christian tradition of canonical hours. The English word Compline is derived from the Latin completorium, as Compline is the completion of the working day. The word was first used in this sense about the beginning of the 6th century by St...
, he would let the deacons go to bed at 9pm, but he would still be praying until midnight. On Wednesdays and Fridays and Lenten days, he would fast till evening besides observing his own special fasts. In his own words "Prayer brings truth, religious faith, honesty and respect among the people."
Parumala Thirumeni did not let all the responsibilities of teaching, administration, and scholarly pursuits detract him from his true calling, to serve fellow human beings. When a smallpox epidemic (a near fatal disease at the time) struck Thumpamon
Thumpamon
Thumpamon is a village in Pathanamthitta District, Kerala, India. One of the greatest attractions of this village is the Achenkovil River, which is renowned for its natural sceneries along the riverbank. The income in this locality mainly depends on Non-Resident Indians and crops like rubber,...
and surrounding areas, Thirumeni personally visited every home that had been affected, over protests from many loved ones, to pray for and comfort the sick regardless of their caste or creed. His faith and his actions garnered him a lot of support not only from within the Malankara Church but the entire Indian community.
Death
St. Gregorios became sick when he returned from Veeyapuram Church after blessing a marriage. Even from the beginning of his illness he knew that he was in his last days. He died on 2 November 1902 at midnight aged 54. He was later proclaimed as a saint first by Indian Orthodox Church and later by H.H Patriarch of Syrian Orthodox church( Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Church). His tomb and birth place are also centres of pilgrimage.See also
- Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church
- Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Church
- Karingachira ChurchKaringachira ChurchA Syrian Orthodox Church built in 722 AD near Hill Palace, Thripunitura. The church is named after Saint George. The Katthanar of Karingachira was considered the representative of the Nasarani community of the erstwhile Cochin State....