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Indian Orthodox Bishop Thomas Mar Makarios passes away

A Bishop of the Indian Orthodox Church has passed away following a motor vehicle accident, reports Michael Ireland, chief correspondent, ASSIST News Service.

Dr. Thomas Mar Makarios (82,) was involved in a serious road traffic accident on January 5 on his way to Newcastle airport and was admitted in Newcastle General Hospital in critical condition.

According to Salem Voice Ministries News Service, Bishop Makarios was one of the senior bishops of Indian (Malankara) Orthodox Church, residing at Episcopal Diocesan House in Buffalo in New York, USA.

The immediate arrangements to bring the Bishop's body to India are still being made. Dr. Geeverghese Mar Coorilos, the bishop of Bombay Diocese will be arriving in Newcastle to make necessary arrangements.

The funeral will be held at the specially constructed enclosure at Catholicate palace, Devalokam, Kottayam. The funeral services will be led by Catholicose Baselios Marthoma Didymos I, Catholicose designate Paulose Mar Milithios and other bishops.

The funeral is expected to be delayed by a few days on account of the autopsy procedures provided for by British law. Since the bishop is a US citizen and the funeral is planned in India, complicated rules will attend it.

Bishop Dr. Thomas Mar Makarios was born on May 26, 1926, the son of Mr.Chacko and Mrs. Mariamma Kuttikandathil in Kerala. He entered into the priesthood as a deacon in February 23, 1951 and was ordained as a priest in 1952 by His Holiness Catholicos GeeVarghese Baselios II.

His death came on February 23, his 57th year of entering the priesthood. It was also the 74th memorial day of St. Geeverghese Dionysius of Vattasseril.

Thomas Mar Makarios was the first vicar of the Orthodox Church in New Delhi after his ordination.

He studied in various religious institutions in England, Germany, Switzerland and France, and has been in the U.S since 1963 and earning 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.

Mar Makarios returned back to India and worked as a professor of Church History at Orthodox Theological Seminary in India. Mar Makarios was consecrated as a Metropolitan by His Holiness Catholicos Ougen I in 1975. He was appointed as the first metropolitan of Diocese of Bombay and served for four years as bishop of Bombay.

In 1979 Mar Makarios was transferred as the metropolitan of the Diocese of America of the Indian Orthodox Church. Since 1985, he has been teaching religion at Alma College in Michigan. Although he was busy year-round as senior metropolitan of his church in western hemisphere, he set aside the time to visit Alma College.

Mar Makarios believed that he could help give students a deeper insight into the 'mysterious' insight of the Eastern Church. In recognition of Makarios' achievements and contributions to church and society, the college awarded him the degree of Doctor of Divinity Honorees Causa in 1990.

The American diocese was divided in 1992 as two dioceses under the names Diocese of America and Diocese of Canada, UK and Europe. Since then he ruled the diocese of Canada, UK and Europe as its bishop.

The family of Thomas Mar Makarios is noted for submitting themselves to the service of God through the Indian Orthodox Church. Rev K C Mathew Cor Episcopa is one of his brothers. Another brother, Lazarus Ramban is a monk. Sister Mary, one of his sisters is a nun.

Rev. Paul Ciniraj, the President of the Christian Ministers of the Churches (CMCI) and the Director of Salem Voice Ministries conveyed deep condolences for the demise of Bishop Thomas Mar Makarios.

[02/26/2008]

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