Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church
Bishopric
Kollam Diocese
Location
TerritoryKollam
HeadquartersBishop's House, Cross Jn., Kollam - 691 001
Information
First holderDionysious V
RiteMalankara Rite
Established1876, by Ignatius Peter IV
DioceseKollam Diocese
Current leadership
Parent churchMalankara Orthodox Syrian Church
BishopH.G Zachariah Mar Anthonios
Website
https://mosc.in/dioceses/diocese-of-kollam

The Kollam Orthodox Diocese, one of the 30 dioceses of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church, was created after the Mulanthuruthy Synod in 1876. H.G. Dr. Joseph Mar Dionysius is the Metropolitan of the diocese, whose head office is in Bishop's House, Cross Junction, Kadappakada, Kollam, Kerala, India.

History

Painting of a bishop
Chathuruthiyil Geevarghese Mar Gregorios of Parumala
Outdoor photo of a smiling Mathews II
Mathews II

Kollam is an ancient commercial center and seaport. According to tradition, Thomas the Apostle arrived in the city and founded a church which is now underwater. Kollam is one of the seven dioceses created after the Mulanthuruthi Syrian Christian Association (synod) of 1876, led by Patriarch of Antioch Ignatius Peter IV; the other dioceses are Kottayam, Kandanadu, Angamali, Niranam, Thumpamon, and Kochi. Originally, there were over 30 churches in the diocese.[1] Dionysious V was its first metropolitan bishop. He was succeeded by Geevarghese Gregorios of Parumala, who also led the Niranam diocese.[1] Vattasserril Geevarghese, Geevarghese II (when the diocese's head office was in the Kundara seminary), Alexios Mar Thevodosios of Bethany (who became metropolitan in 1938),[1] Mathews I, and Mathews II followed.[1]

Mathews I moved the diocese's head office from Kottappuram Seminary in Kottarakkara to Cross Junction, near Kadappakada, where the bishop's house (aramana) and St. Thomas Orthodox Syrian Cathedral were built.[1] Mathews II was appointed assistant metropolitan in 1985, and became metropolitan in 1991; the following year, there were 130 parishes and 13 churches.[1] After his death, Didymos I became the diocese's eighth metropolitan. The Thiruvananthapuram Orthodox Diocese was created from the Kollam diocese in 1979, and the Adoor Kadampanad and Kottarakkara Punalur Orthodox Dioceses were created from the Thiruvananthapuram diocese in 2010.

Diocesan Metropolitans

List of Diocesan Metropolitans
From Until Metropolitan Notes
1876 Unknown Pulikkottil Joseph Mar Dionysious II also known as Dionysious V First Metropolitan of the diocese (ruled as Malankara Metropolitan ) [2]
Unknown 1902 Chathuruthiyil Geevarghese Mar Gregorios [3] Second Metropolitan of the diocese
1902 1909 Pulikkottil Joseph Mar Dionysious II also known as Dionysious V [2] Ruled Again as the Malankara Metropolitan
1909 1912 Geevarghese Mar Dionysius of Vattasseril Third Metropolitan of the diocese [4]
1912 1934 Kallasseril Geevarghese Mar Gregorious and as Baselios Geevarghese 2 Fourth Metropolitan of the diocese [5] as mar Gregorios (1912-1929) as Catholicos (1929-1934)
1934 1941 Baselios Geevarghese 2 As Malankara Metropolitan
1938 1941 Mattackal Alexios Mar Theodosios Episcopa Assistant Metropolitan
1941 1965 MattackalAlexios Mar Theodosios Fifth Metropolitan of the diocese [6]
1953 1960 Mathews Mar Coorilos Episcopa Assistant Metropolitan [7]
1966 1991 Mathews Mar Coorilos(Later Baselios Marthoma Mathews 2 ) As assistant metropolitan (1960-1966)Sixth Metropolitan of the diocese [8]
1985 1991 Mathews Mar Epiphanios Episcopa Assistant metropolitan
1991 2009 Mathews Mar Epiphanios Seventh Metropolitan of the diocese [9]
1991 2009 Zachariah Mar Anthonios Episcopa Assistant Metropolitan [10]
2009 Present Zachariah Mar Anthonios Eighth Metropolitan of the diocese

Major churches

Two bearded holy men, holding staffs
Mar Sabor and Mar Proth. According to tradition, they arrived in Kollam in 823.

The diocese has 64 parishes. The Kadeesha Syrian Church in Port Kollam, the tomb of Mar Abo in Thevalakkara, St. Mary's Orthodox Syrian Church in West Kallada, and St. Thomas Orthodox Syrian Church in Kundara are its oldest religious buildings. Kundara Seminary, the Nedumpaikulam St. George Orthodox Syrian Church, and the Nallila Bethel St. George Orthodox Syrian Church are other churches.

Parishes

  1. Ananthamon Sehion St. George Orthodox Church
  2. Ambalanirap St. George Orthodox Church
  3. Chowallor St. George Orthodox Church
  4. St. Mary's Orthodox Church, Chittumala
  5. Edavattom St. George Orthodox Church
  6. Edakulangara Mar Gregorios Orthodox Church
  7. Erathukulakkada Mar Gregorios Orthodox Church
  8. Kadamanthadom Mar Gregorios Orthodox Church
  9. Karimthottuva St. Mary's Orthodox Church
  10. St. Mary's Orthodox Church, West Kallada
  11. St. George Orthodox Church, East Kallada
  12. St. George Orthodox Church, Kareepra
  13. St. George Orthodox Church, Puthoor
  14. Kunathoor St. George Orthodox Church
  15. Kulakkada St.George Orthodox Church
  16. Kadeeshtha Orthodox Church, Kundara
  17. St. Thomas Orthodox Church, Kundara
  18. St. George Orthodox Church, Kaithacode
  19. St. Elijah Orthodox Church, Koduvila
  20. Kollam Kadeesha Orthodox Church
  21. St. Thomas Orthodox Cathedral, Kollam
  22. Mar Semavoon Desthuni Orthodox Church, Manjakala
  23. St. Mary's Salem Orthodox Church, Manappally
  24. St. George Orthodox Church, Maruthoorbhagam
  25. Mar Thevodoros Orthodox Church, Madhavasseri
  26. St. Peter and Paul Orthodox Church, Maranadu
  27. Mar Barsauma Orthodox Church, Maranadu
  28. St. Stephen's Orthodox Church, Mukhathala
  29. St.George Orthodox Church, Mukhathala
  30. St. Mary's Orthodox Church, Muthupilakkadu
  31. St. George Orthodox Church, Muthupilakkadu
  32. St. Mary's Orthodox Church, Mynagapally
  33. St. George Orthodox Church, Nallila
  34. St. Gabriel Orthodox Church, Nallila
  35. St. George Orthodox Church, Nadutheri
  36. St. Mary's Orthodox Church, Nedumbaikulam
  37. St. George Orthodox Church, Nedumbaikulam
  38. St. Thomas Orthodox Church, Pattazhy
  39. St. George Orthodox Church, Pattazhy
  40. St. Mary's Orthodox Church, Pattazhy
  41. Mar Gregorios Orthodox Church, Pattazhy
  42. St. Stephen's Orthodox Church, Pandithitta
  43. St. Thomas Orthodox Church, Perinadu
  44. Mar Kuriakose Orthodox Church, Perayam
  45. St. John the Baptist Orthodox Church, Perumpuzha
  46. St. George Orthodox Church, Puthoor
  47. Mar Baselios Gregorios Orthodox Church, Poruvazhy
  48. St. Thomas Orthodox Church, Sooranad
  49. St. Mary's Orthodox Church, Sooranad
  50. St. Thomas Orthodox Valiyapally, Thazhava
  51. St. Mary's Orthodox Church, Thalavoor
  52. Marthamariam Orthodox Church, Thamarakkudy
  53. Marthamariam Orthodox Church, Thevalakara
  54. St. George Orthodox Church, Thevalappuram
  55. St. George Orthodox Church, Kundara Kuzhimathikadu
  56. St. Mary's Orthodox Church, Perinad
  57. St. Thomas Orthodox puthenpally , Thrippilazhikom
  58. St. Thomas Orthodox sehion church, Thrippilazhikom

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Malankara Orthodox Church Encyclopedia (Malayalam) (1993 ed.). Orthodox Theological Seminary, Kottayam. pp. 268–269.
  2. 1 2 "Dionysious V". malankaraorthodoxchurch.in.
  3. "Geevarghese Mar Gregorious". mosc.in.
  4. "Geevarghese Mar Dionysius of Vattasseril". malankaraorthodoxchurch.in.
  5. "Geevarghese Mar Gregorious". mosc.in.
  6. "Alexious Mar Thevedosius". malankaraorthodoxchurch.in.
  7. "Mathews Mar Coorilos". mosc.in.
  8. "Baselios Mar Thoma Mathews I". mosc.in.
  9. "Mathews Mar Epiphanios". mosc.in.
  10. "Zachariah Mar Anthonios". mosc.in.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.