# Xavier Koodopuzha

Dayaraya Xavier Koodapuzha Ramban Professor Emeritus of Paurastya Vidhya Peedam was born on 28 February 1934 in Chenapady, Kanjirappally. His parents are Joseph Chacko and Annamma Koodapuzha. After completing his primary schooling, he did his tertiary studies at the St. Berchmans College in Changanacherry. He joined Parel St. Thomas Seminary in the year 1951 and did priestly studies at the Propaganda Fide College in Rome. He received a doctorate in theology and a master's degree in philosophy from the Urban University in Rome and master's degrees in Oriental sciences and Oriental canon law from the Pontifical Oriental Institute in Rome. He is a church historian and a scholar. He is a notable contributor to the Catholic Church.
He currently leads a monastic life in Mar Thoma Sleeha Dehra.

## Positions

He has served as the
* Asst Parish Priest: St Mary's Cathedral, Changanacherry
* Parish Priest: St Dominic's Cathedral, Kanjirapally
* Manager: St Dominic's College and H S School, Kanjirapally
* Principal of Missionary Orientation Centre, Manganam
* Vice President, Paurastya Vidyapitham, Vadavathoor
* Dean of Studies St Thomas Apost. Seminary, Vadavathoor
* President of Eastern Theological Association of India
* Manager of St Dominic's College, Kanjirapally
* Secretary & Treasurer of Peerumedu Development Society

## Founder of

* Missionary Orientation Centre at Kottayam
* Oriental Institute of India Publications (OIRSI) and was its Director from the beginning in 1977 up to 1999.
* Mar Thoma Sleeha Monastery for Men at Nallathanny, the first of its kind in the Syro-Malabar Church.

## Other contributions

* Founder and Managing Editor: Liturgical Monthly "Dukrana"
* Founder and Section Editor of Christian Orient
* Section Editor of Christian Orient and Jeevadhara.
* Priest Advisor of CRI (Women) Conference of the Religious of India, Kottayam Reg.
Unit
* Member of the Roman International Commission of dialogue between the Roman Catholic Church and the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Churches in India
* Member of the Roman International Commission of dialogue between the Roman Catholic Church and the Malankara Syrian Jacobite Churches in India

## Professor at Paurastya Vidyapitham for 35 years

He has been Professor of Theology, Oriental Sciences, History and Ecclesiology at the Pontifical Oriental Institute, Kottayam

## Visiting Professor

At the theological Faculties of Poona (JDV), Delhi (Vidyajyoti), Bangalore (Redemptorists) and Alwaye (St Joseph's Pont. Institute).
He has been a Catholic delegate of the two Roman Ecumenical Commissions for Dialogue with the Orthodox Churches in India. He has published seventeen books in English and Malayalam and has received for Awards for his outstanding contribution in the field of History and Theology.

## Papers at the International Conferences

* International Conference of Canonists Boston USA
* International Conference of Catholic and Orthodox Churches, Vienna, Austria
* International Conference at Chicago, USA

## Some of his most Famous Works Published

* Faith and Communion of the Indian Church of Thomas Christians
* Oriental Churches: An Introduction
* Christianity in India
* Communion of Churches (ed)
* Eastern Theological Reflections (ed)
* Papers and Joint Statements of the Joint International Commission for Dialogue Between the Catholic Church and the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church (ed)
* Canonical Sources of the Syro-Malabar Churches, Placid J. Podipara, (ed)
* Oriental Churches: Theological Dimensions (ed.)
* Ecclesial Identity of the Thomas Christians (Joint ed)
* Indian Church History (Malayalam)
* History of the Catholic Church (Malayalam)
* Sabhavijnaniyam (Malayalam)

## Winner of Awards

* AKCC AWARD for the best book on History of the Church
* CANA AWARD for the best book on the History of Christianity in India
* MARTHOMA PURASKARAM for the contribution for the promotion of the heritage of the St Thomas Christians
* ARANCHERRY AWARD for the contribution in the study of the traditions of the St. Thomas Christians