Geevarghese Mar Dionysius of Vattasseril - Life in The Church

Life in The Church

Maran studied at the Orthodox Theological Seminary (Old Seminary or Pazhaya Seminary), Kottayam for four years. Geevarghese soon became a great Syriac scholar under the careful tutelage of Mar Gregorios Geevarghese of Parumala, who taught him at Seminary. In 1879 Thirumeni was ordained as a full deacon and in 1880 he was ordained as a priest by Gregorios. By 1880, Maran had become an authority in the Syriac, Church History, Faith and Doctrine, the Church Fathers, and Theology. In recognition of his expertise in Syriac and theology he was designated as Malankara Malpan.

He spent his spare time reading, studying, and thinking which translated to his many writings, such as Doctrines of the Church. He also used his scholarship to edit and publish the order of Church worship to be used by the laity as an aid for participation in worship. He was appointed as Principal of M. D. Seminary, Kottayam. In 1903, he was blessed as a Ramban (monk). He also served as the Manager of Parumala Seminary. In 1908 he was consecrated as Geevarghese Mar Dionysius Metropolitan and served as the Assistant Malankara Metropolitan. The next year he became the Malankara Metropolitan and served and led the Church in that capacity until his death in 1934 when he and the Church triumphed in establishing the official constitution of the Malankara Orthodox Church.