A Look At The Exemplary Records Of Catholicos-Mooppan Marthoma Paulose II

OCP News Service – 12/07/21

Malankara-Kerala-India: With no doubt, one may state that Catholicos-Mooppan & Malankara Metropolitan Marthoma Paulose II  was a man of exemplary records. A man of simplicity, Catholicos-Mooppan Marthoma Paulose II has left a great legacy of mercy, vision and hard work.

A glimpse of the outstanding activities from the Episcopal Ministry of Marthoma Paulose II of Malankara: 

• Marthoma Paulose II became the first Catholici to be called ‘Malankara Mooppan’,  the long lost and forgotten title of the head of Malankara Nasranis.
• Marthoma Paulose II might be one of the few Christian leaders who enjoyed a modest life. He never maintained a personal account.
• He donated 95 per cent of the money personally received (donations and from well-wishers) for charity or social welfare projects.
• He became the first Primate of the Malankara Nasranis to visit the Russian Orthodox Church after four decades.
• The first Primate of the Malankara Church to receive an official greeting from the Office of the US President.
• Made a historic visit to the UK in 2013 to celebrate 80 years of Malankara Church in Britain.
• Attended the 500th anniversary of the Reformation in Europe and was the chief speaker at the Christian conference.
• Took part in the celebrations of the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide in Yerevan and Beirut.
• Became the first Catholici of Malankara to take part in the Synod of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church as well as to address the Synod members. 
• The first Catholici of Malankara to be received by the President of Germany.
• The first Catholici of Malankara to be received by the President of Ethiopia.
• The first Catholici of Malankara to attend the consecration of the Coptic Pope of Alexandria.
• The first Catholici of Malankara to become a co-celebrant in the consecration ceremony of the Ethiopian Patriarch.
• The first Catholici of Malankara to visit St. Cyril and Methodius Institute of Post-Graduate Studies of the Department of External Affairs of the Moscow Patriarchate.
• The first Catholici of Malankara to receive the head of the Orthodox Church in America in India. 
• The first Catholici of Malankara to take part in the blessing of the Holy Myrrh at the Greater House of Cilicia of the Armenian Orthodox Church in Lebanon. 
• The first Catholici of Malankara to be received by President Serzhik Azati Sargsyan of Armenia. 
• The first Catholici of Malankara to host His Holiness Dalai Lama in Kerala. 
• The first Catholici of Malankara to visit the House of Representatives of the Australian Parliament and met Peter Hendy, the then Liberal member and politician. 
• Met former the late Abdul Kalam, former President of India in 2012.
• Met Pope Francis of Rome in the Vatican in 2012.
• Met Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum – the Vice-President & Prime Minister of United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Dubai in 2014.
• Initiated bilateral dialogue committee between the Malankara Church and with Ethiopian and Russian Orthodox Churches.
• Awarded the Order of St. Thomas to Patriarch Abune Mathias of Ethiopia.
• The first Primate of the Malankara Church to meet the Patriarch of Antioch since the reign of Catholicos Augen I. The previous meeting was in the 1970s. 
• The Primate assumed meticulous care in keeping charity and social outreach as a prime focus of the Malankara Church.
• He was the first Catholici of the Malankara Church to take part in the conference of the heads of the Oriental Orthodox Church held in Yerevan in 2015.
• Meeting with Pranab Mukherjee, the former President of India on the occasion of the release of the commemorative postage stamp on the bicentennial of Kerala’s Orthodox Theological Seminary. 
• Meeting with PM  Narendra Modi in 2015. 
• Spoke at the 3rd International Dharma-Dhamma Conference in Indore.
• Declared late Metropolitan-Archbishop Alvares Julius and late Fr. R. Z. Noronha as regional Saints for the Brahmavar Western Rite Orthodox Church and consecrated the new Brahmavar Cathedral.
• He has authored five books in the Malayalam language.
• He was the first Catholici of Malankara to receive a delegation from Orthodoxy Cognate PAGE, the world’s only independent Pan-Orthodox Christian Society (organization).

‘The Demise of Catholicos-Mooppan Marthoma Paulose II Marks the End of An Era’ – OCP Spokesperson

The late Catholicos holds a Master of Arts degree in Sociology, a GST degree from Orthodox Theological Seminary and a bachelor’s degree from Serampore University.

Meanwhile, Indian President Ram Nath Kovind,  Vice-President Venkaiah Naidu, PM Narendra Modi, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, Catholicos Aram I of Cilicia and many other dignitaries have expressed their condolences on the demise of the Primate of the Malankara Church.

Source:
OCP News Service