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.Thomas Mor Alexandrios (OUR METROPOLITAN)

H.G. Thomas Mor Alexandrios, formerly Fr. Thomas Abraham Neriyanthara was born in Panampady, Kottayam, Kerala in 1971 as son of Fr. N. M. Abraham and Mrs. Elizabeth Abraham. He was baptized at St. Mary's Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Church Panampady, Kottayam his home parish.

After his graduation, he joined the Presbyterian Theological Seminary, Dehradun for his Theological studies. He completed his B.Th. (Bachelor of Theology) Post which he completed Master of Divinity from Beracah Bible College & Seminary, Thiruvallur. He also holds a diploma in Philosophy from Mor Aphrem Seminary, Vadavathoor, Kottayam, Kerala Thomas Abraham Neriyanthara was ordained as a deacon on 15 March 1997, by H.G. Joseph Mor Gregorios and as a priest on 15 May 2004, by H.G. Thomas Mor Themotheos. After his ordination as priest, he served as vicar in St. Peter's J.S.O Church, Chicago, USA and St. Mary's JSO Church, Vellore, Tamil Nadu. He was elevated to the position of Metropolitan (Bishop) as H.G. Thomas Mor Alexandrios on 2 January 2012 at the Puthencuriz St. Athanasious Cathedral by H.B. Baselios Thomas I Bava. He is also the founder and director of Santhwana Guidance & Counselling Centre at Vellore, Tamil Nadu.