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Catholicos Didymus I Falls Asleep in Christ
With faith in Christ, and in hope of the resurrection, we announce the
falling asleep of our beloved Father in Christ, His Holiness Moran Mar
Baselios Marthoma Didymus I, the former Catholicos of the East. His
Holiness passed away with His Holiness Catholicos Paulose II, and his
close aides at bedside on Monday, May 26 at 7:30PM (IST), at Parumala
Hospital.
His Holiness will be entombed at the Monastery of Mount Tabor, in
Pathanupuram, as he had previously instructed. This is the same
monastery His Holiness joined during his teenage years. The specially
prepared tomb of Vailya Bava Thirumeni, is in close proximity to the
tomb of His Holiness' spiritual father, His Grace Thoma Mar Dionysius,
Metropolitan of Blessed Memory.
His Holiness was consecrated to the Holy Episcopacy on August 24, 1966
as Metropolitan Thomas Mar Thimithios, by His Holiness Catholicos
Augen I. He became the first Metropolitan of Malabar Diocese after his
consecration, and faithfully shepherded this Diocese for more than
thirty years.
In September 1992, the Malankara Association elected His Grace to be
the Catholicos-Designate.
On October 31, 2005 His Beatitude was enthroned as Catholicos of the
East & Malankara Metropolitan, as Didymus I, becoming the 7th
Catholicos of the East after its relocation to India, and the 19th
Malankara Metropolitan, upon the Apostolic Throne of St. Thomas.
Under His Holiness' prayerful reign, His Holiness consecrated 14
Metropolitans of the Malankara Church, and also consecrated Holy
Chrism. As the leader of the ancient Oriental Orthodox Church founded
by St. Thomas the Apostle, His Holiness offered a fraternal visit to
His Holiness Pope Shenouda III of Blessed Memory, in Egypt.
Furthermore, His Holiness hosted the spiritual shepherds of our sister
Oriental Churches, during their fraternal visit to the Malankara
Church - His Holiness Abune Paulos of Blessed Memory, Patriarch of the
Ethiopian Orthodox Church (2007), His Holiness Catholicos Karekin II,
Supreme Patriarch & Catholicos of all Armenians (2008), and His
Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Holy See of Cilicia of the Armenian
Apostolic Church (2010).
During His Holiness' Apostolic Visit to the United States of America
in 2006, His Holiness met with His Beatitude Metropolitan Herman, the
then Primate of the Orthodox Church in America (OCA).
His Holiness' prayerful vision abdicated from the Office of the
Catholicos of the East, and presided over the Rite of Enthronement of
his successor, the current Catholicos, His Holiness Moran Mar Baselios
Marthoma Paulose II, on November 1, 2010, at Parumala Church.
The Church remained in prayer vigil as Her faithful children received
word, His Holiness' health was declining, as His Holiness was admitted
in Parumala Hospital. On Monday, May 26 at 7:30PM (IST), Catholicos
Didymus I, fell asleep in the Lord.
Upon hearing of the falling asleep of His Holiness Didymus I, His
Grace Zachariah Mar Nicholovos, Metropolitan issued a memo to clergy
and faithful of the Diocese, requesting for prayers to be offered in
all our parishes.
The Malankara Church has not lost great father, rather we have gained
a great intercessor before the Throne of Christ our God. His Holiness'
example of prayer, fasting, and humility offer us a wonderful legacy
of holiness we all should follow.
May the memory of our Vailya Bava Thirumeni, His Holiness Moran Mar
Baselios Marthoma Didymus I, be eternal!
May his prayers for us, be like sweet smelling incense before the
Throne of the great High Priest - our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!
Go in peace Holy Father, and forever pray unto God for us!
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In Memory
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