Mar Dionasios Joseph II
Courtesy to Old Seminary, Kottayam
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Mar Dionasios Joseph II was
born on 12 November 1833,in Pulikotil family at Kunnamkulam. In AD
1863, the Church chose him as the Metropolitan of Malankara. In
accordance with the decision Patriarch of Anthioc Mar Yakub II ordained
him as Bishop in 1865. Through out his life he fought against the anti - Orthodox actvities of foriegn missionaries in the name of reformation and in the end he emerged victorious. The present Orthodox church in India owes much to him for protecting the faith of our fathers. |
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With Mor Gregorius Geevarghese Chathuruthy of Parumala and
Mor Athanasius Paulos Kadavil of Aluva, Mor Dionysius engaged himself in the
task of rejuvenating the church. He brought about much needed structure to the
administration of the Church and started theological seminaries. In 1870, he
started a Syriac printing press, Saint Thomas, at Cochin, for publishing Syriac
prayer books. At around the same time he started a Church magazine 'Kerala
Pathaka' in Malayalam, which was later merged with another news magazine, 'Paschimathara'.
Unfortunately this Church magazine was discontinued due to financial problems.
But again in January 1892, another monthly, 'Edavaka Patrika' started
publication from Kottayam Marthoma Press.During his tenure as Malankara
Metropolitan, a large gathering of Roman Catholics from Goa, joined the Suryani
Church. Fr. Alvarez, a member of this group, was later consecrated as
Metropolitan Mor Yulios by Mor Dionysius in 1889. Due to the influence of
Metropolitan Mor Yulius, another group of Roman Catholics from Ceylon and
America too joined the Suryani Church. Their leader Fr. Rene Villate was
ordained as Metropolitan Mor Timotheos in 1892.
He also started a new Seminary at Kottayam (M.D Seminary) along with an English
medium school. He had great care for the comming generations and this made him
start new schools through out Kerala.
After serving the Church through turbulent days for more than half a century,
Mor Dionysius died at the age of 76 on July 11, 1909 and was entombed at the Old
Seminary Church, Kottayam.
May his prayers be with us.
