Baselios Mar Thoma Mathews I

Baselios Mar Thoma Mathews I

Moran Mar Baselios Mar Thoma Mathews I (27 March 1907 - 8 November 1996) was the Supreme head of the Indian Orthodox Church, which is also known as Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church. He was the 88th successor to the Holy Apostolic Throne of St. Thomas and Catholicos of the East and Malankara Metropolitan.

The Catholicos was the youngest son of Vattakunnel Kurien Kathanar and Pulickaparampil Mariamma in Kottayam. His father Vattakunnel Kurien Kathanar was Vicar of St. Mary’s Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Church at Manarcad. In his early days, the Catholicos was called V.K. Mathew and nicknamed Kuttachen. Mathew had his school education at M.D. Seminary High School, and Collegiate education in C.M.S. College, Kottayam and Maharaja’s College Ernakulam. After obtaining B.A. Degree in Chemistry, Mathews opted for the ministry of God and joined the Bishop’s College, Calcutta for B.D. course. In 1936, Mathew took B.D. and later in 1942 joined the teaching staff of the Theological Seminary, Kottayam.