H.G. Abraham Mar Stephanos is the Metropolitan of the Diocese of UK-Europe and Africa of the Malankara (Indian) Orthodox Syrian Church. H.G. has taken charge of our diocese from 3rd November 2022.
His Grace completed his primary education from Seventh Day Adventist School, Pathanamthitta (1974-78), and Marthoma High School (1978-84), following which he completed Pre-Degree course (1984-86) as well as degree in Mathematics (1986-89) from Catholicate College, Pathanamthitta . He joined Kottayam Old Seminary (1995-99) and completed BD as well as GST . He also completed M.Th (2000-02) from FFRRC, and MA in Late Antiquity and Byzantine Studies from Kings College, London. He was ordained sub-deaconship (1998) by H.G. Kuriakose Mar Clemis Metropolitan at Mar Basil Dayara, Pathanamthitta. Further, he was ordained deaconship (1999) by L.L. H.H. Baselios Mar Thoma Mathews II Catholicos at St. Thomas chapel in Old Seminary, Kottayam , and priesthood on 8th April 2000 by H.G. Kuriakose Mar Clemis Metropolitan at St. George Orthodox Church, Mylapra . He was chosen as Metropolitan in the Malankara Syrian Christian Association held at Kolencherry on 25th February 2022 . He received the status of Ramban at the Parumala Seminary on 2nd June 2022. He was ordained as Metropolitan by the name‘Mar Stephanos’ by H.H. Baselios MarThoma Mathews III Catholicos at St. Mary’s Cathedral, Pazhanji on 28th July 2022 .
H.G. Dr Mathews Mar Thimothios was the Metropolitan of the Diocese of UK-Europe and Africa of the Malankara (Indian) Orthodox Syrian Church from May 2009 to November 2022 . He was entrusted as a Metropolitan in May 2009, following the demise of the LL Thomas Mar Makarios of the erstwhile Diocese of Canada, UK and Europe.Mar Thimothios began his theological education at the Orthodox Theological Seminary, Kottayam where he completed his Graduate in Sacred Theology (GST) and Bachelor in Divinity (BD) (Senate of Serampore) degree. He pursued a Masters in Theology (M.Th.) in Old Testament at the Federated Faculty of Research in Religion and Cultural Studies (FFRRC) under the Senate of Serampore. His Grace has also attained a Licentiate in Sacred Scripture from the Pontifical Institute in Rome and a Diploma in Biblical Archeology from the Pontifical Bible Institute in Jerusalem. He attained a Doctoral Degree in Old Testament from the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas, Rome in the year 2001.His Grace is currently visiting professor at the Kottayam Orthodox Theological Seminary in the department of Biblical Studies. His principal area of teaching is the Old Testament. He is a well-versed scholar in Italian, French, German, Aramaic and Hebrew.
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Metropolitan His Grace Dr Thomas Mar Makarios, a native of Kerala, India, was born on May 26, 1926, to Mr Chacko & Mrs Mariamma Kuttikandathil. After attending schools and colleges, he decided to join for theological studies at the Orthodox Theological Seminary in Kottayam.He has also studied in various religious institutions in England, Germany, Switzerland and France. He has been in the U.S since 1963 and earned a Bachelor of Divinity degree from Nashota House in Wisconsin, a Master’s of Sacred Theology from Virginia Theological Seminary, and a Doctorate in Theology from Union Theological Seminary in Richmond.In 1952, he was ordained as a Priest by His Holiness Catholicos Geevarghese Baselios I. Afterwards he came to India’s capital of New Delhi and later he became the first Vicar of the Indian Orthodox Church in New Delhi. In 1975, Fr. Thomas was consecrated as Metropolitan Thomas Mar Makarios by His Holiness Catholicos Augen I. In that same year, the Catholicos appointed Metropolitan Mar Makarios as the first Metropolitan of the Bombay Diocese. Later in 1979, His Grace Mar Makarios was enthroned as the first Metropolitan of the American Diocese of the Indian Orthodox Church. Since 1985, Metropolitan has been teaching religion classes at Alma College in Michigan. In 1990, Alma College conferred Metropolitan with the degree of Doctor of Divinity Honorees Causa.His Grace Dr Thomas Mar Makarios passed away on the 23rd of February 2008 as a result of a tragic car accident in early January 2008 during his archpastoral visit to the United Kingdom.
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