Catholicos Baselios Thomas I, head of the Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Church, passes away

The head of the Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Church, Catholicos Baselios Thomas I, passed away on Thursday. He was 95. Baselios Thomas I had been undergoing treatment for age-related ailments for a long time. He passed away at approximately 5:30 PM on at Aster Medcity in Kochi.

Thomas was born on July 22, 1929 in the Cheruvillil family of Vadayampady, Puthencruz (Ernakulam), to Mathai and Kunjamma. Despite being born into an aristocratic family, his early life was marked by hardship. Frequent bouts of illness during childhood affected his education and well-being. His mother often took him to the nearby Malecuriz Dayro, where the relics of Patriarch St. Ignatius Elias-III and Saint Gregorios Geevarghese (Parumala Thirumeni) were interred.

One night, as his mother prayed with him on her lap, she experienced a vision that inspired her to dedicate him to the service of the church. Remarkably, within days, his health improved, leading many to believe that God was guiding and shaping his future.

Journey to priesthood
Thomas' priestly formation occurred under the guidance of Mar Philoxenos Paulose, the late Catholicos Mar Baselios Paulose-II. He was ordained as 'Korooyo' in 1952 and 'Shamshono' at Kadamattam Church in 1957. In August 1958, he was ordained 'Kassisso' (full priest) by Mar Yulius Elias at the Majanikkara Dayro.

In 1959, he became the vicar of St. Peter's Church in Puthencruz. His ministry took him to various churches in Vellathooval, Keezhumuri, Fort Cochin, Valamboor, Calcutta, and Thrissur. From 1967 to 1974, he served as the organising secretary of the Kolenchery Medical Mission Hospital. He was also the chief organiser of the North Indian mission in Bhilai during the 1970s and served as secretary of the Pourasthaya Suvishesha Samajam in 1974. He became well-known as a revivalist preacher and an excellent organiser.

Elevation to episcopate
In January 1974, Thomas was elected to the episcopate by the Malankara Jacobite Syrian Christian Association at the Karingachira St. George Church. He was consecrated Metropolitan with the title ‘Mar Dionysius’ by H.H. Mar Ignatius Ya`qub-III on February 24, 1974 in Damascus, Syria. He was entrusted with the charge of the Angamaly diocese, the largest of all the Syrian Orthodox dioceses, which boasts a membership of over half a million.

Impact and contributions
His tireless efforts during his tenure helped revive the confidence of not only the faithful in the diocese but also the entire Malankara Church. He worked closely with Metropolitans Mar Gregorios Geevarghese (late) and Mar Koorilos Kuriakose (late) to support the late Catholicos Aboon Mar Baselios Paulose-II, who was then the Chief of the Malankara Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Church. As Metropolitan of Angamaly, he initiated numerous welfare programs and reorganised diocesan administration. Under his patronage, the Mar Baselios Medical Mission Hospital at Kothamangalam was established in 1978.