PUTHENCRUZ : Thousands of devotees and members of the clergy gathered at the Mor Athanasius Cathedral, in Puthencruz, to bid farewell to Aboon Mor Baselios Thomas I, a revered leader whose passing leaves a void that the Malankara Jacobite Syrian Church will find difficult to bridge. His social and political influence, forged through decades of navigating the church’s crises, has inspired countless. The church’s growth and resilience are testament to his remarkable leadership.
As mourners from across the state converged to pay their last respects to their beloved ‘Bava’, many reflected on his transformative impact. His visionary guidance helped the church overcome numerous challenges, earning him a special place in their hearts.
For the faithful, Mor Baselious Thomas I is an irreplaceable leader. No one can replace our beloved Catholicos, said Jacob, from Idukki. “Our community will never have a leader like him again. He was socially and politically significant. The crisis our community went through when he was a priest and then the Catholicos helped in his growth. Moreover, his interventions and qualities helped the Church flourish,” he said, recounting an incident when the government stepped in right away when the Catholicos chose to go on strike over the church dispute.”
“He was skilled at handling crises and had a strong relationship with politicians and leaders of other communities. It helped solve several issues,” Jacob emphasised.
People from the length and breadth of the state arrived at the headquarters of the Jacobite Church on Saturday to pay their tributes. “I shared a personal connection with Bava and attended the meetings he held with religious and political representatives.
He was a leader who fought for the Jacobite community and advocated for the resolution of conflicts with the Orthodox faction. However, despite multiple attempts, it did not happen,” said Kunju, who travelled from Kottayam for the funeral.
The Catholicos was laid to rest at the Puthencruz church that he himself had built and established. “This church was built under his guidance a few decades ago. Now, he is laid to rest here. It was his wish.
This church and the educational and other institutions in the area were his contributions,” said Yohanan, a local, as he watched the ceremony on a closed-circuit TV screen.
He credited Bava with having contributed to the development of the area. “There is none in the area who does not have a personal connection with the Catholicos. He was a kind leader,” Yohanan added. There were only a few priests and a Catholicos when he took charge as the Metropolitan. He took the initiative to build Jacobite Church into a strong community.