Metropolitan Joseph Mar Thoma passes away

Kottayam: The supreme head of Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian Church Joseph Mar Thoma metropolitan passed away around 2.40am in a private hospital in Thiruvalla near here on Sunday. He was 89. He was under treatment at the hospital for the last few days after cancer of his pancrease worsened. He was the metropolitan of the Mar Thoma Church for the last 13 years.
Funeral will be held with state honours in the special cemetery at St Thomas Mar Thoma Church at the church headquarters in Thiruvalla at 3pm on Monday.
Joseph Mar Thoma succeed Philipose Mar Chrysosytom as metropolitan of the church after Mar Chrysosytom decided to quit the post on health grounds. He was consecrated as the supreme head of the Church on October 2, 2007. He paved way for many revolutionary changes in the church and also spent his life for the marginalized like the sick, poor, needy, differently-abled, transgender, etc.
On the metropolitan’s 80th birthday, the church inaugurated ‘Snehakaram’ project for the critically ill, cancer\kidney and heart patients irrespective of caste and creed. He started Navajeevan organization for taking care of the children in the red light streets of Mumbai. He had lifted the ban on women during night time at the famous Maramon convention. He had invited members of transgender community to deliver talks at the convention.
Pratyasa Bhavan and Jyothis, homes for differently-abled in Pathanapuram and Mavelikkara, was started by him. He also undertook an initiative for a project of 100 houses for flood victims.
He was born on June 27, 1931, as son of Puthoor Mariamma and Lukochen, who was the son of Palakunnath Kadon Thomachen, elder brother of Titus II, Mar Thoma metropolitan. The childhood was formulated in the context of a very noble tradition. After school education at St Thomas High School, Kozhencherry, he graduated from Union Christian College, Aluva.
Having dedicated himself to serving the Church he passed Bachelor of Divinity degree from United Theological College, Bangalore. He was ordained deacon on June 29, 1957 and kasessa on October 18, 1957.
He served as vicar of Ranni, Kozhikode, Kundara, Madras and Thiruvananthapuram parishes. As the Church deputed him, he served as the travelling secretary of the Mar Thoma Evangelistic Association for a few years during a crisis in the organization. He got Master of Divinity and Master of Sacred Theology degrees after higher education in Virginia Seminary, Oxford and St Augustine College, Canterbury.
In recognition of the distinguished leadership in various fields, the Virginia Seminary of America honoured him with a doctorate. Moreover, a second doctorate was bestowed on him by Serampore University on February 10, 2007, taking into account his activities in the Church and society. A third doctorate to honour him was awarded to him by SHIATS (Sam Higginbottom Institute of Agriculture, Technology and Sciences) Deemed University (formerly Allahabad Agriculture University) in recognition of his total contribution in the social field.
Governor Arif Mohammed Khan in his condolence message said that he was deeply aggrieved by the demise of the metropolitan. “His service to humanity, especially to the marginalized, will ever be remembered,” he said. Chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan in his condolence message termed the life of the metropolitan as a “great one” “fighting fearlessly against social evils.”