Final Days
In 1988, before a visit to the parishes in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Thirumeni met with Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi who shared a common interest in the development of rural India. Thirumeni was greeted at Port Blair on 26 March 1988 by the Mar Thoma Church parish priest, Rev. C. Joseph, and a large group of parish members. It was the holy week and so Thirumeni had a very busy schedule. The church started its mission work in the islands in 1965 and had grown to 350 families (1500 members) with two priests and three evangelists at the time of Thirumeni's visit.
Thirumeni visited and conducted services for all of the Mar Thoma congregations in the islands, including holy communion at the Church of North India cathedral. On 2 April 1988, All India Radio in Port Blair broadcasted his Easter message. The following week (10 April), Thirumeni was the chief guest of Parish Day celebrations. On 11 April, after conducting a marriage in the Port Blair church, Thirumeni suffered a heart attack at the airport while awaiting his return flight to the mainland. He was immediately taken to J. B. Panth Hospital in Port Blair, where he died at 3:20pm.
Read more about this topic: Easow Mar Timotheos Episcopa
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