Baselios Mar Thoma Mathews II

His Holiness Moran Mar Baselios Marthoma Mathews II (January 30, 1915 - January 26, 2006) was the Supreme head of Indian Orthodox Church, which is also known as Malankara Orthodox Church. He was the 89th successor to the Holy Apostolic Throne of St. Thomas and Catholicos of the East and Malankara Metropolitan.

He was born at Perinad in Kollam district of Kerala, and had his religious training at Old Seminary Kottayam and also at Basil Dayara, Pathanamthitta. Later he joined Bishop's College, Calcutta for his B. D. Degree, and studied Theology at the General Theological Seminary, New York.

He was ordained as Deacon in 1938 then as Priest in 1941. It was during his stay at St. George Dayara Othara that Father Mathews made a mark as a devoted and an able priest of the Indian Orthodox Church. He was noted for his spiritual leadership and loving nature and could endear himself to everyone who came in contact with him, and called "Father Angel" at that time. His Holiness, Baselios Geevarghese II, took special interest in the activities of Father Mathews.

On May 15, 1953 he was ordained as a Bishop of the Indian Orthodox church at the age of thirty eight. As Metropolitan of the Diocese of Kollam, he was fully responsible for its growth and progress and the number of parishes almost doubled within a short period. Several monasteries and convents were started. A large number of educational institutions and hospitals were established. Several Colleges, Schools, Hospitals and...
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