Baselios Thoma Didymos I

Baselios Marthoma Didymos I (born 29 October 1920) was enthroned Catholicos of the East & Malankara Metropolitan (Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church) on October 31, 2005. Didymos was consecrated as Bishop on August 24, 1966 and has been serving as Metropolitan of the Malabar Diocese of the church. He is the seventh Catholicos since the Catholicate of the East was relocated to India and 111th in the lineage of Catholicose of the East in the Apostolic throne of St. Thomas. He is also the 19th Malankara Metropolitan of the Church.
==Early life and education==
Didymos is the son of Ittyavira Thomas of Chiramel-Mulamootil House in Nedumbram near Thiruvalla and Sosamma of Chiramel House in Mavelikara. He joined the Tabor Dayara in Pathanapuram in 1939 where he completed his high school education. He passed his Intermediate from C.M.S College, Kottayam in 1945, his B.A from National College, Tiruchirapalli in 1951, his B.T from Maston Training College, Chennai in 1954, and his M.A from Christ Church College, Kanpur in 1961.
He completed his training for priesthood under the guidance of Thoma Mar Dionysius and Baselios Augen, Catholicos of the East. Geevarghese II Catholicos of the East awarded him the order of Korooyo on 11 March 1942, full deaconship on 22 May 1947 and priesthood on 25 January 1950. 
He started his service to the Church as a monk when he was a teenager. He was called to the monastic life by the late Metropolitan Mar Dionysius of Niranam.
==Career==
He served as headmaster of Ponnayya High School, Thiruchirapalli and St. Stephen's High School, Pathanapuram, as Professor of English in St. Stephens College Pathanapuram, and as President of the Orthodox Youth Movement.
On 16 May 1965, Moran Mar Baselios Ougen I made him Ramban. The Malankara Syrian Christian Association elected him to the office of Metropolitan in 1965.
The church had a tradition of selecting bishops from the monastic ranks. On 24 August 1966 at Kolencherry, Baselios Ougen Bava consecrated him as Metropolitan Thomas Mar Timotheos.
He became the Metropolitan of Malabar Diocese on 11 November 1966. He continues to serve as the General Superior of Mount Tabor Dayara and Convent in Pathanapuram. On 10 September 1992, the Malankara Association, which met at Parumala, elected him as successor-designate to the Malankara Metropolitan and Catholicos of the East. He was the first Catholicos to preside over an official church secretariat, which administers to the affairs of the church. He has encouraged unity in worship and discipline in all parishes. He visited the church's diaspora, tending to his flock in other regions.Apostolic visits 
== References ==
Didymos I, Baselios Mar Thoma
Category:Syriac Christianity
Category:Living people
Category:Christianity in India
Category:1920 births
 
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