A Short History
The historic event of the reunion of His Grace Archbishop Geevarghese Mar Ivanios with the Catholic Church took place on 20 September 1930. Archbishop Mar Ivanios and Mar Theophilos along with Fr. John Kuzhinapurath OIC, Deacon Alexander OIC and Mr. Chacko Kilileth, members of the Malankara Orthodox Church, made their profession of faith on the very same day and entered into full communion with the Catholic Church before His Excellency Aloysius Maria Benziger OCD, Bishop of the Diocese of Quilon (Kollam), who was specially delegated by the Holy See.
His Grace Mar Ivanios initiated the work of the re-union movement under the guidence of the Holy See, especialy in the light of the Apostolic Decree Magnum Nobis of His Holiness Pope Pius XI. His Grace made his visit to Rome in1932 and His Holiness Pope Pius XI invested him with the Sacred Pallium. The Holy Father, Pope Pius XI through the Apostolic Constitution Christo Pastorum Principi of 11 June 1932, established the Syro-Malankara Hierarchy and erected the Archieparchy of Trivandrum as the Metropolitan See with the suffragan Eparchy of Tiruvalla. The territorial boundary of the Archieparchy of Trivandrum was established from Kanyakumari, the southernmost part of India to the north up to river Pampa, to the Western Ghats in the east and to the Arabian Sea in the west.
The Metropolitan Eparchy of Trivandrum, with its head quarters in Trivandrum, was inaugurated on 11 May 1933 and His Grace Mar Ivanios was enthroned as its first Metropolitan-Archbishop at the provisional Cathedral, dedicated to the Mother of God, at Palayam, Trivandrum. Having made the Profession of faith before the august assembly of the Bishops, priests and laymen and amidst the acclamations of ‘Oxios’ (a customary hymn for the occasion) Archbishop Mar Ivanios was enthroned as the Metropolitan Archbishop of Trivandrum and the Hierarchical Head of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church. The Apostolic Constitution was executed by His Excellency Aloysius Maria Benziger,the Bishop of Quilon. On the following day His Grace Mar Ivanios celebrated the solemn Qurbono in the same Pro-Cathedral, concelebrated by Bishop Jacob Mar Theophilos, the Bishop of Tiruvalla. His Grace Mar Augustine Kandathil, the Archbishop of Ernakulam, His Grace Mar James Kalassery, the Archbishop of Changanassery, His Excellency Mar Alexander Choolaparambil, the Bishop of Kottayam, Rt. Rev. Joseph Pulikottil Remban and Rt. Rev. Philipose Cheppad Remban were present on the occasion.
As part of the evangelising ministry of the southern regions of Thiru-kochi including parts now bordering Tamil Nadu, Archbishop Mar Ivanios himself initiated evangelisation ministry at Marthandom. Later, with the blessings of Archbishop Mar Ivanios, Rt. Rev. Msgr. Joseph Kuzhinjalil founded the missionary congregation of the Daughters of Mary in 1938 at Marthandom in Kanyakumari District. Through the great zeal of these missionaries, the mission of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church spread to the southern regions of Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
Mar Ivanios worked relentlessly for the building up of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church. Through his travels abroad (Rome and other European countries, America and Australia) he spread the message of ecclesial communion and the awareness of the mission of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church in the Universal Church. After a period of 22 years of strenuous hectic task of organizing and administering the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church he fell ill for more than a year. Archbishop Mar Ivanios ordained Benedict Mar Gregorios as his Auxiliary and as the Titular Bishop of Anterdos on 29 January 1953. After a period of heroic leadership for the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church, and for the Metropolitan Eparchy of Trivandrum, Archbishop Mar Ivanios was called to eternal rest on 15 July 1953 and was entombed at St.Mary’s Cathedral.
Upon the demise of His Grace Mar Ivanios, His Excellency Benedict Mar Gregorios was appointed the Apostolic Administrator of the Metropolitan Eparchy of Trivandrum by the Holy See. On 27 January 1955, His Holiness Pope Pius XII appointed him the Metropolitan Archbishop of Trivandrum thereby also as the Head of the Syro- Malankara Catholic Church. Under the spiritual leadership, pastoral guidance and social commitment of Archbishop Benedict Mar Gregorios, the Church began to flourish in its various dimensions throughout the States in South India, North America and other European Countries.
The Syro-Malankara Catholic Church was making rapid growth. Most Rev. Paulos Mar Philoxenos, the Metropolitan of the Malabar Independent Church, reunited with the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church on 28 August 1977 and was appointed Episcopal Vicar of the Metropolitan Eparchy of Trivandrum.
The historic event of the reunion of His Grace Archbishop Geevarghese Mar Ivanios with the Catholic Church took place on 20 September 1930. Archbishop Mar Ivanios and Mar Theophilos along with Fr. John Kuzhinapurath OIC, Deacon Alexander OIC and Mr. Chacko Kilileth, members of the Malankara Orthodox Church, made their profession of faith on the very same day and entered into full communion with the Catholic Church before His Excellency Aloysius Maria Benziger OCD, Bishop of the Diocese of Quilon (Kollam), who was specially delegated by the Holy See.
His Grace Mar Ivanios initiated the work of the re-union movement under the guidence of the Holy See, especialy in the light of the Apostolic Decree Magnum Nobis of His Holiness Pope Pius XI. His Grace made his visit to Rome in1932 and His Holiness Pope Pius XI invested him with the Sacred Pallium. The Holy Father, Pope Pius XI through the Apostolic Constitution Christo Pastorum Principi of 11 June 1932, established the Syro-Malankara Hierarchy and erected the Archieparchy of Trivandrum as the Metropolitan See with the suffragan Eparchy of Tiruvalla. The territorial boundary of the Archieparchy of Trivandrum was established from Kanyakumari, the southernmost part of India to the north up to river Pampa, to the Western Ghats in the east and to the Arabian Sea in the west.
The Metropolitan Eparchy of Trivandrum, with its head quarters in Trivandrum, was inaugurated on 11 May 1933 and His Grace Mar Ivanios was enthroned as its first Metropolitan-Archbishop at the provisional Cathedral, dedicated to the Mother of God, at Palayam, Trivandrum. Having made the Profession of faith before the august assembly of the Bishops, priests and laymen and amidst the acclamations of ‘Oxios’ (a customary hymn for the occasion) Archbishop Mar Ivanios was enthroned as the Metropolitan Archbishop of Trivandrum and the Hierarchical Head of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church. The Apostolic Constitution was executed by His Excellency Aloysius Maria Benziger,the Bishop of Quilon. On the following day His Grace Mar Ivanios celebrated the solemn Qurbono in the same Pro-Cathedral, concelebrated by Bishop Jacob Mar Theophilos, the Bishop of Tiruvalla. His Grace Mar Augustine Kandathil, the Archbishop of Ernakulam, His Grace Mar James Kalassery, the Archbishop of Changanassery, His Excellency Mar Alexander Choolaparambil, the Bishop of Kottayam, Rt. Rev. Joseph Pulikottil Remban and Rt. Rev. Philipose Cheppad Remban were present on the occasion.
As part of the evangelising ministry of the southern regions of Thiru-kochi including parts now bordering Tamil Nadu, Archbishop Mar Ivanios himself initiated evangelisation ministry at Marthandom. Later, with the blessings of Archbishop Mar Ivanios, Rt. Rev. Msgr. Joseph Kuzhinjalil founded the missionary congregation of the Daughters of Mary in 1938 at Marthandom in Kanyakumari District. Through the great zeal of these missionaries, the mission of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church spread to the southern regions of Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
Mar Ivanios worked relentlessly for the building up of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church. Through his travels abroad (Rome and other European countries, America and Australia) he spread the message of ecclesial communion and the awareness of the mission of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church in the Universal Church. After a period of 22 years of strenuous hectic task of organizing and administering the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church he fell ill for more than a year. Archbishop Mar Ivanios ordained Benedict Mar Gregorios as his Auxiliary and as the Titular Bishop of Anterdos on 29 January 1953. After a period of heroic leadership for the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church, and for the Metropolitan Eparchy of Trivandrum, Archbishop Mar Ivanios was called to eternal rest on 15 July 1953 and was entombed at St.Mary’s Cathedral.
Upon the demise of His Grace Mar Ivanios, His Excellency Benedict Mar Gregorios was appointed the Apostolic Administrator of the Metropolitan Eparchy of Trivandrum by the Holy See. On 27 January 1955, His Holiness Pope Pius XII appointed him the Metropolitan Archbishop of Trivandrum thereby also as the Head of the Syro- Malankara Catholic Church. Under the spiritual leadership, pastoral guidance and social commitment of Archbishop Benedict Mar Gregorios, the Church began to flourish in its various dimensions throughout the States in South India, North America and other European Countries.
The Syro-Malankara Catholic Church was making rapid growth. Most Rev. Paulos Mar Philoxenos, the Metropolitan of the Malabar Independent Church, reunited with the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church on 28 August 1977 and was appointed Episcopal Vicar of the Metropolitan Eparchy of Trivandrum.