THIRUVALLA: Philipose Mar Chrysostom Mar Thoma Valiya Metropolitan, the emeritus Metropolitan of the Malankara Marthoma Syrian Church passed away at Kumbanad Fellowship Hospital on Wednesday. The 104 year old Metropolitan was the senior most metropolitan of any Christian denomination in the world and the country had honoured him with Padma Bhushan award in 2018.
Mar Chrysostom Valiya Matropolitan had celebrated his birthday on April 27 at a private medical college at Tiruvalla. He was admitted to the hospital following urinary infection and had tested Covid positive. However he later tested negative and was discharged from the hospital on Tuesday. He was shifted shifted to the Fellowship Mission hospital at Kumbanadu later. However, his health deteriorated around midnight and he breathed his last at 1.15 am.
The mortal remains of the metropolitan have been kept at Alexander Memorial Mar Thoma hall at 8 am on Wednesday for public homage. The funeral will be held at 3 pm on Thursday.
An outstanding personality with an inborn sense of humour, Mar Chrysostom had voluntarily retired from administrative responsibilities of the church on October 1, 2007.
He was born as the son of vicar general of Marthoma church K.E. Oommen Kassessa and Sosamma at, Karthikappally on Apri 27,l 1918. After obtaining BA Degree from Union Christian College, Aluva, Philip Oommen had involved in missionary work in Ankola, Karnataka. He completed Theological studies at United Theological College in Bangalore and was ordained as Deacon on January 1,1944.
Along with theological studies he fulfilled the duty of leading the Bangalore Parish. He later served as Vicar of Kottarakkara, Mylom, Pattamala, Manganam St. Peters and Thiruvananthapuram parishes.
He was ordained as Episcopa on May 23, 1953 with the name Philipose Mar Chrysostom Episcopa. He joined St. Augustine’s College, Canterbury, England to pursue further theological studies. On his return in 1954 he was given responsibility of Kottayam-Kunnamkulam Diocese. During this period he represented the Mar Thoma Church in the Evanston Conference of the World Council of Churches.
He served as the Diocesan Episcopa of Adoor- Kottarakkara. From 1975 once again he became missionary Bishop and was head of Thiruvananthapuram – Kollam, Adoor– Mavelikkara, Ranni – Nilackal and Chengannur – Thumpamon Dioceses thereafter.
He attended the second Vatican Council summoned by Pope John 23rd as Official observer of the Mar Thoma Church. The Mar Thoma Church had built houses for 1,500 homeless people on the occasion of the 90th birthday of Mar Chrysostom.
On his hundredth birthday, the Church constructed 100 homes for the homeless and also implemented a project for transgenders, to uphold and respect their identity.
Director Blessy had made 100 years of Mar Chrysostom, a documentary on the life and vision of the Metropolitan. The documentary received the Guinness Award in the category of longest documentary.