Metropolitan Yuhanon Mar Meletius – 25 Years in the Vineyard of the Lord

December 2015- January 2016- The Indian Orthodox Malankara Church – Diocese of Thrissur 

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In the Words of Metropolitan Meletius Yuhanon:

“On  December 24th 1990, I conducted my first ever Holy Qurbana as a Metropolitan. I was consecrated as the metropolitan of Thrissur diocese that was formed in 1982. The Church was divided then as Patriarch and Catholicos factions. Both claimed that they were the original Church. But on June 20th of 1995, the Supreme Court of India on its final verdict on the matter said both are part of the same Church and have to get back together on the basis of the 1934 constitution and with a new Managing Committee that shall be elected for the purpose of administering the community. I accepted the verdict and on 2002 with the Malankara Association held at Parumala, after several questions of clarification on the verdict, the Church was officially united and I became the first ever metropolitan of Thrissur diocese of the united Malankara Church. Today I stand before God after 25 years of my consecration as a humble servant glorifying and thanking Him for all the wonderful blessings He has showered upon for me and making me what I am today.

I was doing my graduate program at Lutheran School of Theology in Chicago, USA, when the diocese of Thrissur elected me to the office. I had to fly to Mumbai to meet my parents who came over from Kerala as it was not possible for me to come to Kerala before I went to Damascus, and receive blessings from them before I receive the consecration. I arrived in Damascus on 22nd of December and was made a monk (Rabban) by His Holiness the Patriarch the same evening. On 23rd morning during the Holy Qurbana conducted by His Holiness Ignatius Zakka I, Patriarch of Antioch, I was consecrated a Metropolitan accepting the decision of the Malankara Synod of the Patriarch faction. Their Graces Barnaba Mar Meletius Metropolitan of Homs, Yuhanon Mor Gregorios Metropolitan of Aleppo (the one abducted two years back) and Paulose Mor Ivanior Episcopo of Damascus assisted the Patriarch. I arrived in Bombay and conducted Holy Qurbana at St. Peter’s Church, Malad on 24th evening. That was the day of the birth of a new child, the Son of God, and that was the birth day of a new servant of God, me as a servant in the vineyard of our Lord. I arrived in Kochi on 26th morning and the charge of the diocese was handed over to me by His Grace Thomas Mar Osthatheos Metropolitan of Kochi diocese who was in charge of Thrissur diocese temporarily.

There will be a very brief session of interaction with my priests and people from the diocese after the Holy Qurbana conducted at the Aramana Chapel on 26th morning, to mark the day.”

OFFICIAL BIOGRAPHY 

His Grace was born at Elakkaranadu, a typical village in the Ernakulam District of Kerala, to a social worker Mr Markose and Mrs Saramma, Murimakkil. He had his primary education from the Government School at Maneed. After his schooling, His Grace studied at St Peter’s College, Kolencherry, and passed out with his bachelors in Malayalam.

Coming to the theological studies, he did his BD and MTh degrees from the United Theological College, Bangalore. Thereupon, he took ThM and PhD qualify (old testament theology) from Lutheran School of Theology, Chicago. His Grace has submitted his PhD paper to Dharmaram Vidyashektram, Bangalore. Meanwhile, he studied syriac at St Aphrem’s Seminary, Damascus.

Mar Meletius got into the services of Our Lord being ordained a deacon in 1973 by His Grace Paulose Mar Phelexinos, the then metropolitan of Kandanad Diocese. He was ordained a priest in 1986 by His Beatitude Catholicos Baselios Paulose II. HH Patriarc Ignatius Zakka I, ordained him as Ramban on 22 December 1990 and as Bishop on 23 December 1990 in Damascus. Since then, he is serving the Trissur Diocese as its Metropolitan.

As a priest, he was teaching at MSOT Seminary, Udaigiri. He was also serving as the vicar of St Mary’s Church, Valampur, for about four years.  His Grace is also served as the president of Orthodox Christian Youth Movement.

A scholar, His Grace is a visiting professor to the Orthodox seminaries at Nagpur and Kottayam. An accomplished writer, Mar Meletius has few books—Verukal Thedi, Manavikathayude Kazhchapadukal, Swatantravum Swayam Paryapthathayum—to his credit.

This widely travelled Bishop has also published numerous articles in different publications.Visit the new website of H.G.Mar Meletius Metropolitan:  www.yuhanonmeletius.org

Address: Gedseemon, Mannuthy, Thrissur, Kerala, India. Phone: 91 487 2371039 Email: yuhanonmilitos@hotmail.com /mormilitos@gmail.com

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