Metropolitan Geevarghese Mar Osthathios Passed Away in Lord
Indian Orthodox Church
16/2/2012
Official Website of the Metropolitan
Mar Osthathios Special Web Portal
India/KERALA: The Legendary Metropolitan of the Indian Orthodox Church Geevarghese mar Osthatios passed away this evening. The metropolitan was 93 years of age and was hospitalized due to bad health for the past couple of weeks. He was the Diocesan Metropolitan of Niranam for several years and was retied in the year 2005.
Mar Osthatios is a world famous theologian, profound writer, orator, and owner of a very versatile personality.He has made vital contributions in developing the missionary activities of the Indian Orthodox Church. He has initiated large number of missionary and charitable institutions The Metropolitan have been decorated with several prestigious awards and one of the major titles was ‘Sabharathnam’.
Contributions
Dr. Geevarghese Mar Osthathios Metropolitan (92) of the Indian Orthodox Church is widely known in India and abroad as a prophet of social justice and as a propagator of the universal religion of love. His passion for justice, equality, sharing and love is grounded on the Christian doctrine of Holy Trinity.
He has given a new approach to the Christian Theology based on the Indian Philosophy and introduced the theory of “Atraita” to complement the theory of Advaita. He is the President of the Malankara Orthodox Church Mission Board since 1979. He taught in the Old Seminary for over 50 years.
He has written about 56 books of which 13 are in English. He has participated in so many national and international conferences as a leader, preacher and a resource person.
He is the founder of Mission Training Centre, Mavelikara which gives training to lay missionaries of love and evangelism. He also started more than 40 humanitarian institutions, movements and projects all over India for poor people, HIV positive patients and their children, cancer patients, leprosy patients and their children and orphans, old age homes for men and women,Sick Aid Foundation, House Building Aid Foundation, Self Education and Employment Loan Fund, Save a Heart Foundation, Karunya Guidance Centre, Visrantibhavan, etc.
He is also a poet who has written more than 50 songs. The spiritual and revolutionary ideas in the songs, of course will inspire the mind of the faithful urging them to repent and dedicate themselves fully to the Triune God.
Biography
Ordained as a Deacon on 9 AUGUST 1947, as priest on 10 May 1956. Elected by the Malankara Syrian Christian Association as a Metropolitan on 2 Oct 1974. Professed as Ramban on 2 Oct 1974. On 15 Feb 1975 consecrated as Metropolitan. Took office as the Metropolitan of Niranam diocese on 1 April 1976. When H.G. Dr. Yuhanon Mar Chrysostomos Metropolitan took over the charge as the Metropolitan of Niranam diocese on 3 Jan 2007 His Grace was declared as the Senior Metropolitan of the diocese. Served as the president of Sleebadasa Samuham and the Kerala Council of Churches and was the member of Faith and Order Commission of the World Council of Churches.
He is the Senior faculty member of the Orthodox Theological Seminary, Kottayam., President of the Mission Board of the Church and the Director of St. Paul’s Mission Training Centre, Mavelikara. He is the founder of a good number of charitable programmes, mission centers and institutions which include Marriage Assistance Foundation, Sick Aid Foundation, Save A Heart Foundation, House Building Aid Fund, Mission Training Centre, M.G.D Ashram & Balabhavan Karunagiri, St Pauls Asram Puthuppady, Haripad Mission Centre, Yacharam St.Gregorios Balagram, Bethanya Bhavan, St.George Balikagram Pune etc… He is a world famous theologian, profound writer, orator, and owner of a very versatile personality.
