KOTTAYAM: Zacharias Mar Polycarpos, 51, metropolitan of Jacobite Church, passed away in Kottayam on Tuesday after suffering a heart attack. He was the former metropolitan of the Malabar diocese and Akhila Malankara president of Martha-Mariam Samajam. He had been undergoing treatment for heart ailments for quite some time. The mortal remains were kept at St Mary’s Hospital at Manarcadu here, where he breathed his last, before being taken to Manarcadu St Mary’s Jacobite Syrian Cathedral.
Later in the evening, the body was taken to his parish church — St Mary’s Jacobite Syrian Sonoro Church (Puthenpally) at Kurichi. The final funeral rites will be held at 3pm on Wednesday. As a mark of respect to the departed metropolitan, the bells at all Jacobite churches will toll and fly black flags.
All educational institutions run by the Church will remain closed on Wednesday. However, examinations scheduled earlier will be held without change. He was a member of the Kochillathu family at Kurichi.