His Holiness Moran Mar Baselios Geevarghese I

His Holiness Moran Mar Baselios Geevarghese IDiocese of Kottayam Central


His Holiness Moran Mar Baselios Geevarghese I

Ordained to the Holy Priesthood on August 16, 1896
Consecrated as Metropolitan in February 1913
Served as Metropolitan of the Kottayam & Angamaly Dioceses from 1913 to 1925
Enthroned as Catholicos of the East on April 30, 1925
Fell Asleep in the Lord on December 17, 1928

His Holiness Catholicos Geevarghese I was born in 1870 as the second son of Karuchira Paulose. He was ordained as 'Korooyo' or Reader on June 13, 1885, and then as Deacon in 1892. On August 16, 1896 as he was ordained to the holy priest and a week later, tonsured as a monk (Ramban) by Metropolitan Paulose Mar Athanasios (Kadavil).

He served as Manager in Thrikunnath Seminary, Aluva from 1908 to 1910. On February 1913, he was consecrated as Metropolitan, with the name Geevarghese Mar Philoxenos. He faithfully shepherded two vasts Dioceses of the Church - Kottayam and Angamaly Diocese, while making Vallikattu Dayara his administrative headquarters.

On April 30, 1925, at Saint Mary’s Church in Niranam, the Holy Synod enthroned him as the Catholicos of the East. He was known for his ascetic life, which he gained spiritual strength in shepherding the Malankara Church. He fell asleep in the Lord on December 17, 1928, and was laid to rest at Vallikattu Dayara.