{1}  Ordination as a Sub-Deacon

Rev.Fr.Geevarghese Malpan on being very impressed on the qualities of  his nephew, wished to ordain him a priest.  The young boy's dedication and spirituality and also the special ability to sing Syriac hymns, was already known to his family members and naturally his father agreed to the Malpan's request. 

At the age of 10, on 26th September 1857 (Kanni 14, M.E.1033), the day of 'SLEEBA Perunnal' (Feast of Holy Cross), Palakunnath Mathews Mar Athanasius ordained the young Geevarghese as 'KOOROYO' (sub-deacon), at the famous Karingachira St.George Jacobite Syrian Church.

(In some other books it is mentioned that Palakunnath Methran, who was on a visit to Kothamangalam during the 'Dhukrono' of Maphriyono Mor Baselios Yeldho Bava, has ordained Geevarghese as 'KOOROYO' at the Kothamangalam MarThoma Church (CheriaPally) - Ref: Biography of Parumala Thirumeni published in 1903, Page 5)

Stone laid in memory of the ordination of Parumala Bawa as Sub-Deacon at the Karingachira church

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{2}   Demise of Geevarghese Malpan  &  young Deacon's illness

Deacon Geevarghese together with some others, stayed with his uncle Fr.Geevarghese Malpan and continued the theological studies.  He was there for about seven years.  Naturally, it helped him to have closer contacts with other scholars of the Church.  In those days there were no Syriac printing-houses and so all the books were to be hand written. During his stay at the Malpan's house Deacon Geevarghese had copied many of the Syriac prayer books.  

Click below images for the enlarged view of the century old Syriac manuscripts

A Century old,   Syriac Manuscript

One of the  earliest  Syriac books printed in  1877

In 1863, his uncle Malpan Geevarghese Kassisso, who also was his teacher, had an attack of small-pox, a killer disease of those times.  On knowing the seriousness of the infectious disease, the Malpan requested all his students to return to their houses, but Deacon Geevarghese was reluctant to leave him in that condition; he remained with him and nursed his teacher with utmost care.   However the Malpan died on the 8th day (23rd Dec) of his illness.

Due to his closeness with the patient, our young Deacon too was infected with a dangerous variety of small-pox.   His elder sister Mariam came there to nurse Geevarghese.   In those days it was very rare for a person to recover from an attack of small-pox.   All the time, he was praying to God.  Then one day in his dream, he had a feeling that St.Mary had appeared before him and asked him to devote the rest of his life for God.   He was cured very soon following this revelation.  The miraculous recovery strengthened his belief in St.Mary, since then he decided to completely dedicate his life for the Church just as St.Mary the mother of God requested him in his vision.

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{3}   Continuation of Theological Studies

After his recovery from the dreaded disease, Deacon Geevarghese continued the theological education under Pampakuda Konatt Geevarghese Malpan, the well known Syriac scholar.   A large collection of theological literature in the Konatt Malpan's library, helped the Deacon much.   There he came into close touch with Syriac books and this helped him to have a good knowledge of Canonical laws and the Church History.   During his studies with the Konatt Malpan, our young Deacon was staying at his sister's house at 'Nedumpampakuda'.

Meanwhile the new  western Protestant theological teachings by the missionaries were creating problems in the Malankara Syrian Church from the beginning of the 19th century.   Palakkunath Mathews Mor Athanasius, who was ordained as the Metropolitan of the Church in the year 1843 by producing a false record before the Patriarch of Antioch Mor Ignatius Elias II,  gradually changed his stand and favoured the European missionaries.   For creating confusion and thereby to take control of  the local Church,  Palakunnath Mathews Mor Athanasius publicly supported the Antiochean Patriarchate and its Holy faith.   Most of the laymen were not aware of this tactics.  To enquire into this and to take necessary actions, then Patriarch of Antioch and all the East, H.H. Ignatius Ya`qub II, send  YUYAKIM MOR KURILLOS,  the bishop of  "TURABDIN"  to India in 1846.   Though the Patriarchal delegate had to face continuous problems from the British as well as the Palakunnath Metropolitan, he lead the Church with extra-ordinary courage.  By 1863, Palakunnath bishop's intention become clearer to the Malankara Syrian community.   The local Church on the advice of the Patriarch, decided to ordain a native as a Metropolitan.  Thus Rev.Fr.Joseph Pulikottil of Kunnamkulam went to Mardin, the then Cathedral Monastery of the Patriarch of Antioch and was ordained as Mor Dionysius Joseph on 9th May 1865.   On his return, Joseph Mor Dionysius together with Yuyakim Mor Kurillos reorganized the Church to counter the claims of the 'reformist' movement. 

The Patriarchal delegate Yuyakim Mor Kurillos who had the additional responsibility as Malankara Metropolitan, had to travel through out the region from the day of his arrival in Malankara, for creating proper awareness among the faithful.  Once during his visit to Konatt Malpan, Mor Kurillos Yuyakim came to know about the young Syriac scholar, Deacon Geevarghese of Chathuruthy.   Mor Kurillos enquired about the young Deacon's desire to accompany him.   Dn. Geevarghese by then had already decided to lead a Monastic life in spite of his fathers request to get married. {In the Suryani Church, a clergy is allowed to marry only before his ordination as a Full-deacon, or else he has to remain unmarried}.  Further he was very enthusiastic in learning Syriac and theology more.   So the deacon immediately accepted the offer of Yuyakim Mor Kurillos, to be his disciple.  

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{4}  Ordination as Full Priest

Within no time Dn. Geevarghese became a pet of the Patriarchal delegate.  Like his previous teachers, Mor Kurillos too was very impressed of him.   The Patriarchal delegate used to describe that one day this young boy will rise to obtain a high esteem in the Church. From Mor Kurillos Bava, the young Geevarghese came to know more about the history of the saintly fathers of the Syrian Church and its great traditions & faith; this increased his enthusiasm in the Holy Church. When Geevarghese came to know on the importance, of proper Priesthood and the "Laying of hands", he voluntarily accepted the offer for re-ordination from the first stage of priesthood since he earlier obtained the priestly order (in 1857) from Palakunnath Mathews Mar Athanasius, who was by then excommunicated from the Syriac Orthodox Church for his 'protestant' inclination which was against the basic faith of the Holy Church.

(Though in 1846 itself, the supreme head of the Syrian Church His Holiness the Patriarch, under advice from the local Church has excommunicated Mathews Mar Athanasius, there was a great uncertainty among faithful as he could manipulate the facts with the support of the then ruling British and Travancore Governments. So Palakunnath Methran continued his authority over the Syrian Christians and administered the Church for a while. It was during this period of great confusion, as the proper message of excommunication could not be passed, many attained priesthood from the deposed Metropolitan which was against the canonical teachings of the Syriac Church.)

In October 1864, the Reesh-Episcopa of Malankara, Yuyakim Mor Kurillos, re-ordained Geevarghese as 'KOOROYO' (Sub-Deacon) and later elevated him to the order of  'SHAMSHONO' (Full-Deacon)  in October - November 1864.  A year later in November - December (1865; M.E.1041), Deacon Geevarghese was ordained 'KASSISSO' (full Priest) and later 'COREPISCOPA'.  {In few other records the year of these ordinations are mentioned as M.E.1040 ie; 1864}

The young Corepiscopa continued to be with the Patriarchal delegate Mor Kurillos Yuyakim as his secretary for some more period. His close association with the Syrian Metropolitan helped him a great in mastering Syriac, the liturgical language of our Syrian Orthodox Church. He was always very keen in propagating the rich tradition of the Syriac language which he passed down to the younger generations. Many of of them too had become well known Syriac scholars. 

(Syriac is the most important branch of the Aramaic dialect that was used at the time of Jesus Christ. It was the spoken language of Our Lord and his disciples, and is the liturgical language of the Syrian Orthodox Church of Antioch.  At present two forms of Syriac alphabet exists, one is 'Serto' / 'Peshito' (west) Syriac used by the Syrian Orthodox Church and another is 'Chaldean' (east) Syriac used by the Nestorian Church. Both these forms of Aramaic languages are now rarely used by the common man, only a few people residing at some villages of Turkey, Syria, Iraq and Diaspora continue to use this. Its now more a liturgical, classical and academic language. To study more about this ancient language, click the links - 1 2 3 4 5 )

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