Pulikkottil Joseph Mar Dionysious II
Encyclopedia
Pulikkottil Joseph Mar Dionysious II , the Malankara Metropolitan, was born into the family of Pulikkottil(Kunnamkulam), a famous and important family in the annals of the history of Malankara church. He was a courageous, popular, spiritual leader, who guided his followers through one of the most difficult times in the history of Malankara Church. He dedicated his life to the church. Gifted by his integrity, and loyalty to the church he was even prepared to lay down his life for the church and its beliefs. At a time when modern mode of transportation could not even be dreamed of, he crossed the seas, passed through dangerous and unfamiliar terrain, with toil and travail, he went up to Antioch to get ordained as a bishop by the Patriarch of Antioch.
is a city and a municipality
in Thrissur district
in the India
n state
of Kerala
. It is
around 23 km from Thrissur
town and 10 km from Guruvayur
. The Arabians, Greeks
, and Persians
left their foot prints on this land years ago. The archaeologists unearthed a collection of old Roman coins which was buried around BC 123 and AD 117. These coins are exhibited at archaeological museum of Thrissur
.
It is believed that Saint Thomas the disciple of Jesus Christ arrived here and a Christian congregation was formed in the first century. Now majority of the population are Syrian Christians.
. Tharu Kurien, a member of this family was the nephew of Pulikkottil Joseph Mar Dionysious I (Mar Thoma X)
. Joseph (Pulikkottil Joseph Mar Dionysious II) was born as the son of Tharu Kurien and Thandamma, daughter of Paingamukku Kuthooru Geevarghese Kathanaar, on November 12, 1833.
In addition to theology and Syriac he learned Sanskrit and Hindustani at Kunnamkulam
.
On 29 April 1865 at Ameed, Patriarch Yakoob III elevated him to the rank of Ramban.On 30 April he was consecrated as Metropolitan Joseph Mar Dionysios.
Because Patriarch Yakoob III was not a bishop of Malankara church, Pulikkottil Joseph Ramban was given the episcopal title Pulikkottil Joseph Mar Dionysious. Moreover he was not seated on the Malankara throne (on which Mar Thoma I to Mar Thoma IX were seated at the time of their consecration) he did not get the title Mar Thoma. He was the fifth bishop in the Malankara Church to get this title Dionysius
During the eventful forty-four years between 1865 A.D to 1909 he adorned the Malankara Metropolitan's position with extraordinary skill. It was during that period that the Mulanthuruthy Synod, division of dioceses and the 'Holy Mooran Koodasha' took place. Through his unstinting effort, spiritual organizations like Sunday School and Students movement, and Church institutions like Parumala Seminary, Kunnamkulam Sehiyon Bungalow, Kottapuram Seminary and M.D. Seminary developed.
After the death of Mathews Mar Athanasius Metropolitan, Thomas Mar Athanasius
took charge as Metropolitan. Then Joseph Mar Dionysious II made a claim that he and the fellow trustees were the lawful owners of the Church and demanded the possession of the Seminary and control of the assets of the Church. Dionysius filed a case at Alappuzha
civil court on March 4, 1879 (O.S.No.439 of 1054). In the final verdict announced on July 12, 1889. Thomas Mar Athanasius Metropolitan lost all claims to the church properties. It mentioned that the consecration, the authority of Thomas Mar Athanasius
as Metropolitan and the properties of the individual parishes were not under the jurisdiction of the court. So litigations for individual churches began.
Kunnamkulam
KunnamkulamKunnamkulam
Kunnamkulam is a municipal town situated in the Thrissur District of Kerala in India, spread over an area of 6.96 km2. It is an old commercial town, with a history of more than 300 years, famous for its printing and book binding industry...
is a city and a municipality
Municipality
A municipality is essentially an urban administrative division having corporate status and usually powers of self-government. It can also be used to mean the governing body of a municipality. A municipality is a general-purpose administrative subdivision, as opposed to a special-purpose district...
in Thrissur district
Thrissur district
Thrissur is a revenue district of Kerala situated in the central part of that state. Spanning an area of about 3,032 km2, Thrissur district is home to over 10% of Kerala’s population. Thrissur district was formed on July 1, 1949, with the headquarters at Thrissur City. Thrissur is known as...
in the India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n state
States and territories of India
India is a federal union of states comprising twenty-eight states and seven union territories. The states and territories are further subdivided into districts and so on.-List of states and territories:...
of Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
. It is
around 23 km from Thrissur
Thrissur
This article is about the city in India. For the district, see Thrissur district. For the urban agglomeration area of Thrissur see Thrissur Metropolitan Area...
town and 10 km from Guruvayur
Guruvayur
Guruvayur is a municipal town in Thrissur District, of Kerala State in India. It houses the famous Guruvayur Sree Krishna Temple, the fourth biggest temple in India in terms of the number of devotees per day.-History:Guruvayur, according to the legends may be 5,000 years old as the Guruvayur...
. The Arabians, Greeks
Greeks
The Greeks, also known as the Hellenes , are a nation and ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighboring regions. They also form a significant diaspora, with Greek communities established around the world....
, and Persians
Persian people
The Persian people are part of the Iranian peoples who speak the modern Persian language and closely akin Iranian dialects and languages. The origin of the ethnic Iranian/Persian peoples are traced to the Ancient Iranian peoples, who were part of the ancient Indo-Iranians and themselves part of...
left their foot prints on this land years ago. The archaeologists unearthed a collection of old Roman coins which was buried around BC 123 and AD 117. These coins are exhibited at archaeological museum of Thrissur
Thrissur
This article is about the city in India. For the district, see Thrissur district. For the urban agglomeration area of Thrissur see Thrissur Metropolitan Area...
.
It is believed that Saint Thomas the disciple of Jesus Christ arrived here and a Christian congregation was formed in the first century. Now majority of the population are Syrian Christians.
His family
Pulikkottil is an ancient family which moved from Aarthattu and settled in KunnamkulamKunnamkulam
Kunnamkulam is a municipal town situated in the Thrissur District of Kerala in India, spread over an area of 6.96 km2. It is an old commercial town, with a history of more than 300 years, famous for its printing and book binding industry...
. Tharu Kurien, a member of this family was the nephew of Pulikkottil Joseph Mar Dionysious I (Mar Thoma X)
Pulikkottil Joseph Mar Dionysious I (Mar Thoma X)
-See also:* Indian Orthodox Church*Jacobite Syrian Church* Mar Thoma Church* Syrian Malabar Nasrani* Saint Thomas Christians* Christianity in India* List of Catholicoi of the East and Malankara Metropolitans* List of Syrian Malabar Nasranis* Mar Thoma VII...
. Joseph (Pulikkottil Joseph Mar Dionysious II) was born as the son of Tharu Kurien and Thandamma, daughter of Paingamukku Kuthooru Geevarghese Kathanaar, on November 12, 1833.
In addition to theology and Syriac he learned Sanskrit and Hindustani at Kunnamkulam
Kunnamkulam
Kunnamkulam is a municipal town situated in the Thrissur District of Kerala in India, spread over an area of 6.96 km2. It is an old commercial town, with a history of more than 300 years, famous for its printing and book binding industry...
.
Ordination
He received the deaconship from Cheppad Mar Dionysius on 6 October 1846 and on 18 August 1853 he was ordained as a priest by Metropolitan Yuyakim Mar Kurilos at Challiserry church.On 29 April 1865 at Ameed, Patriarch Yakoob III elevated him to the rank of Ramban.On 30 April he was consecrated as Metropolitan Joseph Mar Dionysios.
Because Patriarch Yakoob III was not a bishop of Malankara church, Pulikkottil Joseph Ramban was given the episcopal title Pulikkottil Joseph Mar Dionysious. Moreover he was not seated on the Malankara throne (on which Mar Thoma I to Mar Thoma IX were seated at the time of their consecration) he did not get the title Mar Thoma. He was the fifth bishop in the Malankara Church to get this title Dionysius
During the eventful forty-four years between 1865 A.D to 1909 he adorned the Malankara Metropolitan's position with extraordinary skill. It was during that period that the Mulanthuruthy Synod, division of dioceses and the 'Holy Mooran Koodasha' took place. Through his unstinting effort, spiritual organizations like Sunday School and Students movement, and Church institutions like Parumala Seminary, Kunnamkulam Sehiyon Bungalow, Kottapuram Seminary and M.D. Seminary developed.
After the death of Mathews Mar Athanasius Metropolitan, Thomas Mar Athanasius
Thomas Mar Athanasius
Thomas Mar Athanasius Mar Thoma XIV was the Metropolitan of the Malankara church. Mar Athanasiu's period was a turbulent one in the history of this Church. There was a litigation that took ten years to settle. After the final verdict, the Church passed through a period of transition. Malankara...
took charge as Metropolitan. Then Joseph Mar Dionysious II made a claim that he and the fellow trustees were the lawful owners of the Church and demanded the possession of the Seminary and control of the assets of the Church. Dionysius filed a case at Alappuzha
Alappuzha
Alappuzha , also known as Alleppey, is a town in Alappuzha District of Kerala state of southern India. As per 2001 census Alleppey is the sixth largest city in Kerala with an urban population of 177,029. Alleppey is situated to the south of Kochi and north of Trivandrum...
civil court on March 4, 1879 (O.S.No.439 of 1054). In the final verdict announced on July 12, 1889. Thomas Mar Athanasius Metropolitan lost all claims to the church properties. It mentioned that the consecration, the authority of Thomas Mar Athanasius
Thomas Mar Athanasius
Thomas Mar Athanasius Mar Thoma XIV was the Metropolitan of the Malankara church. Mar Athanasiu's period was a turbulent one in the history of this Church. There was a litigation that took ten years to settle. After the final verdict, the Church passed through a period of transition. Malankara...
as Metropolitan and the properties of the individual parishes were not under the jurisdiction of the court. So litigations for individual churches began.
Last days
Kunnamkulam Pulikkottil Joseph Dionysious II died on 11 July 1909. His mortal remains were interred in the northern side of the chapel in Pazhaya Seminary. His Death Anniversary is on 12 July.Succession
See also
- Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church
- Jacobite Syrian Christian ChurchJacobite Syrian Christian ChurchThe Jacobite Syrian Christian Church is part of the Syriac Orthodox Church, located in Kerala, India. It recognizes the Syriac Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch, currently Ignatius Zakka I Iwas, as its supreme head. It functions as a largely autonomous archdiocese within the church, under the authority...
- List of Catholicoi of the East and Malankara Metropolitans
- Pulikkottil Joseph Mar Dionysious I (Mar Thoma X)Pulikkottil Joseph Mar Dionysious I (Mar Thoma X)-See also:* Indian Orthodox Church*Jacobite Syrian Church* Mar Thoma Church* Syrian Malabar Nasrani* Saint Thomas Christians* Christianity in India* List of Catholicoi of the East and Malankara Metropolitans* List of Syrian Malabar Nasranis* Mar Thoma VII...
For further reading
- Cherian, Dr. C.V. Orthodox Christianity in India. Academic Publishers, College Road, Kottayam. 2003.
- Rev. Dr. Joseph Cheeran, Adv. P.C. Mathew Pulikottil, K.V. Mammen. Indian Orthodox Church History and Culture. Kottackal publications, KottayamKottayamKottayam is a city in the Indian state of Kerala, spread over an area of 55.40 km2. It is the administrative capital of the Kottayam district. Kottayam Kottayam (Malayalam: കോട്ടയം) is a city in the Indian state of Kerala, spread over an area of 55.40 km2. It is the administrative...
.2002 - N.M. Mathew. Malankara Marthoma Sabha Charitram, (History of the Marthoma Church), Volume II. 2007.
- P.V.Mathew. Keralathile Nazranikal, (malayalam) Vol 3. ErnakulamErnakulamErnakulam refers to the downtown area or the western part of the mainland of Kochi city in Kerala, India. The city is the most urban part of Kochi and has lent its name to the Ernakulam district. Ernakulam is called the commercial capital of the state of Kerala and is a main nerve of business in...
. 1995. - M.P. Varkey Malankara Edavakuday Mar Mar Dionysious Metropolitan.(Malayalam) Pub. Malayala ManoramaMalayala ManoramaMalayala Manorama is a daily news paper, in Malayalam language, published in the state of Kerala, India. It was first published as a weekly on 14 March 1890, and currently has a readership of over 16 million . The Malayalam word "manorama" roughly translates to "entertainer"...
. 1901
External links
- http://www.syrianchurch.org/PulikottilII/Pulikottil.htm - Biography of Pulikottil Thirumeni
- http://www.indianchristianity.org/orthodox/former_catholicos1.html
- * http://www.aolplaza.com/mosc/MENUhtms/Orphanages.htm
- http://www.syrianchurch.org/PulikottilII/Pulikkottil.htm - Detailed biography of Pulikottil Thirumeni