PATHANAMTHITTA: In a solemn ceremony marked by rituals and prayers, Mor Samuel Theophilus was on Saturday consecrated as the new metropolitan of the Believers Eastern Church at St Thomas Cathedral at Tiruvalla. He succeeds Moran Mor Athanasius Yohan I Metropolitan (formerly K P Yohannan), who passed away in America last month.
The ceremony, which began at 8am, followed a hierarchical divine liturgy. Delhi archbishop John Mor Irenaeus declared the metropolitan’s new name -- His Holiness Moran Mor Samuel Theophilus Metropolitan -- by ecclesiastical tradition.
The bishops, clergy and congregation then proclaimed ‘axios’, which in Greek means he is worthy, three times, declaring their acceptance of and gratitude for the new metropolitan.
The new metropolitan then addressed the gathering, thanking them for the trust placed in him and requested for continued prayers so that he would be able to lead the Church in obedience to God and the vision of his predecessor.
Mor Theophilus was born on August 27, 1959 to a Syrian Christian family in Keekozhoor, Ranni. After having served for many years as a missionary, he enrolled for theological studies, earning both Bachelor of Theology and Bachelor of Divinity degrees from Serampore College, West Bengal.
Later, he joined the Federated Faculty for Research in Religion and Culture programme and completed his master’s in theology in 1992. He served as the founding principal of St Ignatius Theological Seminary (formerly Gospel for Asia Theological Seminary) for 10 years from 1993.
During natural disasters like the Chennai floods of 2015 and 2021, and the Covid pandemic, he organised teams of volunteers from his archdiocese to serve the affected.