Dublin, Republic of Ireland
| Wednesday, February 22, 2012
His Grace Dr. Thomas Mar Makarios
H.G. Mathews Mar Thimothios
Blessed Memory His Grace Dr. Thomas Mar Makarios, Senior Metropolitan of America and Metropolitan of Canada and Europe, a native of Kerala, India, was born on May 26, 1926, the son of Mr. Chacko and Mrs. Mariamma Kuttikandathil. After attending schools and colleges, he completed theological studies at the Orthodox Theological Seminary at Kottayam. He was ordained a priest in 1952 by His Holiness Catholicos Geevarghese Baselios II. He came to New Delhi, the capital city of India, and organized congregations in North Indian cities. He became the first vicar of Orthodox Church in New Delhi.
It was during the time of the litigation of the Church that His Grace Dr. Thomas Mar Makarios showed his ingenuity as leader and scholar in Church History. He helped the lawyers of the church understand the history, traditions and Canons of the Church. This was instrumental in seeking an historic verdict by the Supreme Court of India in favor of the Church in 1958. His Grace Dr. Thomas Mar Makarios has studied in various religious institutions in England, Germany, Switzerland and France. He has been in the U.S since 1963 and earned a Bachelor of Divinity degree from Nashota House in Wisconsin, a Master's of Sacred Theology from Virginia Theological Seminary, and a Doctorate in Theology from Union Theological Seminary in Richmond. He returned back to India and worked as a professor of Church History at Orthodox Theological Seminary in India. In 1975, His Grace Dr. Thomas Mar Makarios was consecrated as a Metropolitan by His Holiness Catholicos Augen I. In the same year The Catholicos appointed His Grace Dr. Thomas Mar Makarios the first metropolitan of Diocese of Bombay.
In 1979 His Grace Dr. Thomas Mar Makarios was installed as the first metropolitan of the Diocese of America of Indian Orthodox Church. Since 1985, His Grace Dr. Thomas Mar Makarios has been teaching religion at Alma College in Michigan. Amidst his stewardship as a Senior Metropolitan of the church in western hemisphere, he sets aside the time to come to his deeply loved family at Alma College. He believed that he can help give students a deeper insight into the `mysterious' insight of the Eastern.
In recognition of His Grace Dr. Thomas Mar Makarios' achievements and contributions to church and society, the college awarded him the degree of Doctor of Divinity Honorees Causa in 1990.
The American diocese was divided in 1992 as two dioceses by name Diocese of America and Diocese of Canada, UK and Europe. Since then he was ruling the diocese of Canada, UK and Europe as its bishop.
His Grace was the first Indian Orthodox bishop to visit the Rep. of Ireland. During His Grace's Pastrol visit in Dec 2006, the St. Thomas Indian Orthodox Congregation in Dublin was declared as an independent Parish of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church. His Grace had taken all efforts to visit the Church Digniteries & Ecumenical leaders. Having established strong relationship with H.E Dr. John Neil, The Arch Bishop of, Dublin & Glendough, our Parish was provided with a permanent place of worship at the very heart of the Dubin city centre.
It was His Grace's vision to establish our own orthodox centre in Ireland and his first contribution and blessings had became a reality in 3 years time under the patronage of his succesor Dr. Mathews Mar Thimotios and we now own Orthodox Centre in Ireland.
His Grace's Contribution to the growth of our parish could not be limited in words. .....