KOCHI: Suffragan Metropolitan Geevarghese Mar Athanasius of the Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian Church (MTSC) passed away on Wednesday morning. The 74-year-old breathed his last at PVS Memorial Hospital in Kochi where he was admitted for treatment of liver and kidney-related ailments.
“With a painful heart and deep grief, this is to announce Geevarghese Mar Athanasius Suffragan Metropolitan is taken to eternal rest at 4.40 am in PVS Hospital,” K G Joseph, secretary, Malankara MTSC announced on Wednesday morning.
Spokesperson of PVS hospital told Express the Metropolitan was admitted there on April 8. “After his condition deteriorated on Tuesday, he was put on the ventilator. The Metropolitan was suffering from kidney-related ailment for the past several years,” the spokesperson said.
The Metropolitan's body was kept at the Mar Thoma Church in Elamkulam here for public homage in the morning. It was then shifted to the headquarters of the Malankara MTSC at Tiruvalla.
“The mortal remains of the Suffragan Metropolitan will be kept at the headquarters for the public to pay homage. The funeral will be held at the headquarters on Friday. A meeting of the Mar Thoma Church council was held on Wednesday evening in which discussions regarding the funeral ceremony were held,” a statement from the Mar Thoma Church headquarters said.
Geevarghese Mar Athanasius was the son of late C I Idicula and late Achiyamma of Nedumpram in Pathanamthitta. He completed his high school education from TMT High School, Neerattupuram, and graduated from the Mar Thoma College in Tiruvalla. After joining the seminary, he completed the BD degree from Leonard Theological College, Jabalpur.
Ordained Deacon and Kassessa in 1969, he was consecrated as Ramban in 1989. He became an Episcopa, taking the name of Geevarghese Mar Athanasius, the same year. In charge of various organisations and projects of the church, he was installed as Suffragan Metropolitan on October 2, 2015.