Late Lamented His Grace Dr.Philipose Mar Theophilose Metropolitan
Dr. Philipose Mar Theophilose Metropolitan was born on 9 May 1911 as the sixth son of Korah and Mariamma of Kallupurakkal, Puthanangadi, Kottayam. He took his B.A degree from Cochin Maharaja’s College. He studied M.A in St.Augustine of Canterbury in England, T.H.M in Cardiff University, UK, and D.D from Harward University in Chicago, USA.
He became as a deacon in 1929, received from Vattasseril mar Dionysius Metropolitan and anointed as a priest in 1944 by His Holiness Baselios Geevarghese II, the Catholicos of the East.
On 24 August 1966, at Kolencherry His Holiness Baselios Ougen Catholicose consecrated Philipose Mar Theophilos as Metropolitan. Then he was appointed as the head of the Ankamali Diocese. Many new schools, orphanages, hospitals etc. were started by him. He laid stones for hospitals at Kothamangalam, Chalad, and Pothanicad. Self employment projects for poor and School for blind at Alwaye were some of his ambitious projects in Ankamali.
On 1979 February 1 he took over the charge of Mumbai Diocese too. He initially established his headquarters near St. Gregorios Church, Chembur in Mumbai before moving out in the year 1988 to the present headquarters at the Orthodox Church Centre, Vashi, Navi Mumbai. This Dicocese spread over the states of Maharashtra, Gujarat, Goa, a tail portain of Karnataka, Bahrain, Qatar and Suadi Arabia.
At the same year on October 5 he translated the Holy Relics of Blessed Alvares mar Julius Metropolitan from the secluded corner of St. Inez Cemetery to the St. Mary’s Orthodox Church, Ribander in Goa.
Philipose Mar Theophilos was known as the Ambassador of the Malankara Orthodox Church during his life time. He served as the Principal of the Orthodox Theological Seminary, Kottayam (Old Seminary). And he was the architect of the revamped Seminary.
The Metropolitan ministered among university students as the President of the Mar Gregorios Orthodox Christian Students Movement (MGOCSM).
Mar Theophilos was one of the one of the associated with the founding of the World Christian Council (WCC). He worked as Secretary of Faith and Order division and central committee member of the WCC. He was the first person from the rank and file of WCC to visit eastern orthodox churches, which bore fruit when those churches took WCC’s membership.
Theophilos was highly honored by Eastern Orthodox churches. He was the only one special invitee to attend the selection of His Holiness Peeman Patriarch of Russian Orthodox Church. He was given a grand honor when he was invited to attend the Republic day parade of Romania as chief guest along with Romanian President and Romanian Patriarch.
Philipose mar Theophilos passed away on 28 September 1997 and was laid to rest in Thrikunnath Seminary, Aluva in Kerala.
The memorial festival of 2007 was done in Mumbai under the leadership of His Grace Thomas mar Athanasios Metropolitan of Chengannur Diocese alongwith the Mumbai Diocesan Bishop Dr. Geevergese Mar Coorilose Metropolitan. There was held a four days diocesan convention too. Orthodox Church Missionary Brother Paul Ciniraj Mohamed conveyed the messages of the Gospel as the convention speaker.