St Thomas Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Church Congregation, Mumbai

H.H IGNATIUS APHREM II (OUR PATRIARCH)

The 123rd Patriarch of the See of Antioch & All the East adorning the Throne of St. Peter, the Chief of Apostles, and the Supreme Pontiff of the Universal Syrian Orthodox Church.Since St. Peter has assumed the leadership of the Church and had make use of Antioch as the capital to lead the Church, those who are ordained as Patriarchs by the church to succeed St. Peter are no doubt the successors and emissaries of St. Peter.The divine grace is handed down from Jesus to St. Peter, St. Peter to his successors the Metropolitans to Priests, and from Priests to the laity.

Thus, in the Syrian Orthodox Church the Patriarch represents the first and the foremost link in respect of the apostolic succession and divine priesthood. The universal Syrian Orthodox Church perceives its strength and Unity in His Holiness the Patriarch, the supreme head of the Church. As the Successor of the St. Peter, His Holiness is the embodiment and symbol of unity of the universal Syrian Orthodox Church. This embodiment signifies two types of representative characters. Firstly, as the successor of St. Peter, the patriarch represents him. As St. Peter is the chief shepherd and supreme head, the Patriarch by virtue of his position upholds the unity of the Universal Syrian Orthodox Church. Since the Patriarch’s ordination and coronation are deemed to be through the grace of the Holy Ghost and by the will of God, the first representative character is bestowed from above and is divine. So the Patriarch as the high priest the Universal Church, represents Jesus Christ when he celebrates the Holy Eucharist. Secondly the Patriarch as the chief Shepherd of the Church, is the emissary of the entire body of believers. The church is not only an invisible spiritual fellowship but is also a historical reality. So, all the attributes of the Church like one, Holy, Chatholic and Apostolic must also become a historical reality. And the Patriarchs who are ordained from time to time and represent the universal Syrian Church as the Supreme heads, make the unity of the Church a reality.

His Beatitude Aboon Mor Baselios Joseph (OUR CATHOLICOSE)

Joseph "Jose" was born in Perumpilly, Kerala as the youngest of four children to Srambikkal Pallithitta Geevarghese and Saramma. Joseph had his primary education at Perumpilly Primary School and his high school education from Mulanthuruthy High School. On 25 March 1974, at the age of 13, Joseph was ordained a deacon by Mor Gregorios Geevarghese of Perumpally at Mor Ignatius Dayro, Manjinikkara. He later served as the secretary to Mor Gregorios for several years.

He pursued pre-degree and undergraduate studies at Maharaja's College, Ernakulam, before joining Mor Julius Seminary, Perumpally, for theological studies. On 25 March 1984, Joseph was ordained a priest at Marthoman Church, Mulanthuruthy, by Mor Baselios Paulose II. He went on to earn a master's degree in philosophy from Trinity College, Dublin, and pursued further theological studies in the United States, where he also served as the vicar of multiple churches. He was ordained as Dayroyo by Ignatius Zakka I Iwas in Damascus on 15 January 1994. On 16 January 1994, Fr. Joseph Ramban was consecrated as Mor Gregorios Joseph, the Metropolitan of the Kochi Diocese, by H.H. Ignatius Zakka I Iwas, the Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, at Damascus. He formally assumed the office after the Sunthroniso (enthronement) ceremony at Kyomtha Cathedral, Thiruvankulam, on 23 January 1994. Mor Gregorios Joseph served as the President of the Malankara Jacobite Syrian Sunday School Association (MJSSA) from 1996 to 2002. He was also instrumental in initiating several orphanages and educational projects. In 2019, he was elected as the Metropolitan Trustee of the Jacobite Syrian Christian Association, following the resignation of Catholicos Baselios Thomas I from administrative duties. In 2023, Patriarch H.H. Ignatius Aphrem II bestowed upon him the title of Malankara Metropolitan. He also served as Catholicos Assistant to Baselios Thomas I until his passing in 2024. Following the passing away of Aboon Mor Baselios Thomas I, Mor Gregorios Joseph was unanimously elected as the Catholicos of India. He was elevated as Catholicos of India by H. H. Moran Mor Ignatius Aphrem II on 25 March 2025, at St. Mary's Cathedral, Atchaneh, Lebanon with the name Baselios Joseph. He was enthroned on 30 March 2025, at Mar Athanasius Cathedral, Puthencruz.

H.G. KURIAKOSE MOR EUSEBIUS (OUR ASST. METROPOLITAN)

H.G. Kuriakose Mor Eusebius was born on 8th September 1970 in the Chaelakatukoodi family in Angamali Diocese. He was baptized by name Kuriakose at the St. Mary's Jacobite Syrian Orthodox church in Pazhathottam which was his mother parish. After attaining his Bachelors degree in Sociology from the Mar Athanasius College of Arts and Science, Kothamangalam, he entered priesthood.

In 1992, he was ordained deacon by H.G. Mor Severios Abraham. He then served as the secretary to late lamented Catholicos Baselios Paulose II of blessed memory for a few years. Later Deacon Kuriakose joined the Malankara Syrian Orthodox Seminary in Mulanthuruthy and attained a diploma from there. Thereafter he passed the B.D. exams from the Bishops college in Calcutta. During his days in Calcutta he had the opportunity to serve with Mother Theresa. In 2000 Deacon Kuriakose was ordained Kassisso by H.G. Mor Thimotheos Thomas and was appointed as the Vicar of St. Mary's Church in Pune. He also served as the Assistant vicar of Byculla Church, Mumbai.

In 2006 the general council of Thrissur diocese elected Fr. Kuriakose George as their bishop- designate. On 3rd July 2006, on St. Thomas day, he was raised to order of Metropolitan by the spiritual head of the Malankara Jacobite Syrian Church His Beatitude the Catholicos Aboon Mor Baselios Thomas I at the St. Thomas church in North Paravur. With the Episcopal consecration, the new Metropolitan adopted the name EUSEBIUS.