Vattaseril Geevarghese Mar Dionysius II

"Malankara Sabha Bhasuran"
The Great Luminary of Malankara Orthodox Church

Malankara Sabha Basooran Vattasseri Geevarghese Mar Dionysios was the architect of the independent status and freedom of the Malankara Church. Though he did not accept the status of Catholicos, he was the greatest Church dignitary that the Malankara church ever produced in its chequered history. He is known as "Sabaha Bhasuran" or the Illuminator of the Church. He led the Church as its chief pastor for many years, without sacrificing principles, and even faced situations where his very life was at risk. Mar Dionysius is mainly responsible for the establishment of the Catholicate in Malankara

Mar Dionysius VI was born at Mallappally Pauvothinkal family on 31st October 1858. His father was Vattaseril Joseph Joseph and mother Aleyamma. He had completed his preliminary education at Mallappally and High School education at C.M.S.High School, Kottayam.He was trained under Parumala Mar Gregorios Metropolitan initially at Vettikal Dayara and then to Parumala Seminary. . He entered the service of the Church at an early age. He lived in Vettikal Dayara and Parumala Seminary in order to learn under the desciplined training of Parumala Mar Gregorios Metropolitan, the history of the Church, Syriac and the articles of Faith. He became on 16 October 1879 full deacon and on 18 January 1880 received priesthood from Parumala Mar Gregorios . Thereafter he was appointed to teach deacons at Parumala Seminary. He served as the principal of M.D. Seminary and the Malpan and Principal of old Seminary. On 2 November 1903 Pulikottil Joseph Mar Dionysios ordained him as a Ramban at the Old Seminary. On 27 February 1908, when the Malankara Association met at the old Seminary, he was chosen as the successor to the Malankara Metropolitan. On 31 May 1908 at Jeruselam, His Holiness Patriarch Abdulla consecrated him as Metropolitan Geevarghese Mar Dionysios. He had taken position as Malankara Metropolitan on 12th July 1909 after the death of Pulikkotil Mar Divanasios. He was acting as assistant to Pulikkotil Joseph Mar Divanasios from 14th Feb.1908. The greatest achievement of the new Malankara Metropolitan, who was under great pressure from both the colonial powers and the Patriarch of Antioch, was the reinstallation of the Catholicate in Malankara on 15 September 1912. For the progress of the Church he started many spiritual organizations like Students Movements, Women's Samajam, Sleebadas Samajam etc. He translated the liturgy from syriac into Malayalam and published a book on the tenents of the Orthodox faith called "Mathopadhesha Saram". He brought courageously to the utmost for the sovereignty and growth of the Holy throne of the Catholicose and earned this appellation of 'Sabha Basooran' he augured the golden period in the history of church's fight for independence. From 1909 to 1934 he served as the Malankara Metropolitan. On 23 February 1934 he passed away. His mortal remains were interred in the Old Seminary Chapel at Kottayam. His death Anniversary is on 23rd February.

Vattasseril Geevarghese Mar Dionysius is popularly known as "Malankara Sabha Bhasuran" (The Great Luminary of Malankara Orthodox Church) which our Church has bestowed on him in recognition of his rich contribution to Malankara Orthodox Church. Vattasseril Thirumeni was a man of prayer, determination and dynamism. He was a saint who never stooped before falsehood. He bravely fought for the establishment of Catholicate to be the symbol of self-identity and independence of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church. The unique and historic contribution of Mar Dionysius is the establishment of Catholicate in Malankara in 1912 at Kottayam. He can be called as the architect of the Indian Orthodox Church and thus endeared himself as one of the greatest fathers of the Indian Orthodox Church.

The second great achievement of Mar Dionysius for which he shall be ever remembered is his leading and primary role in framing the constitution and a system of administration for the church. Mar Dionycius who was convinced that a systematic constitution and a system of administration was necessary for the church constituted a committee of experts to frame a constitution for the Church. He himself framed a draft for the said constitution. At a time when there were some divisions in the Church Mar Dionysius was ready to make any sacrifice on his part for the sake of peace in the Church. At the same time he was not ready to surrender the inborn freedom of the Church to anybody.

The unusual courage, rare vision, sincerity, and glittering personality of Mar Dionysius shall be well remembered by Malankara Church with gratitude, as long as the Church shall be.  He was Metropolitan of Malankara Church from 1909 to 1934.He entered the eternal life on 23rd February 1934, and the body was buried at Old Seminary, Kottayam. February 23rd is celebrated as his memorial day.

In a most holy and joyous atmosphere, the Holy Catholicos Baselios Marthoma Mathews II, supreme head of the Church,beatified Vattasseril Geevarghese Mar Divannios in the presence of a big gathering of heads of Churches, priests and devotees, the Holy Catholicos declared Vattasseril Geevarghese as the blessed on his 69th Remembrance Day on 24th February 2003. The four-hour long ceremonies, was led by the Catholicos of the East, Baselius Marthoma Mathews II. The ceremonies commenced with the Holy Qurbana at the chapel of the Old Seminary in Kottayam, where the mortal remains of the saint are interred. Thomas Mar Makarios, Philipose Mar Eusebius and a host of other Metropolitans and priests participated in the ceremonies.

The role played by Mar Dyonisius in ensuring the independence of the indigenous Church would be remembered by all in the coming days. He was totally committed to the Church and his reign would be recorded as the golden age of the Malankara Church, Mar Powathil said. He said the unity of the Church would depend on the will of God.

One more saint for Malankara Church

KOTTAYAM Feb. 24. The former Malankara Metropolitan and the key person in the reinstallation of the Catholicate in Malankara in 1912, the late Vattasseril Geevarghese Mar Dyonisius, was canonized as a saint of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church here today.

Mar Dyonisius is the second canonized saint of the Church, the first being Mar Gregorios of Parumala.

The four-hour long ceremonies, led by the Catholicose of the East, Baselius Marthoma Mathews II, supreme head of the Church, were the culmination of a process that started more than a decade ago. Studies into the life and work of Mar Dyonisius, first under the present Catholicos when he was the head of Kollam diocese and later under Poulose Mar Gregorios and Yacob Mar Irenius had found that Mar Dyonisius was a man without blemish. It was on the basis of these studies that he was canonized as a saint.

The ceremonies commenced with the Holy Qurbana at the chapel of the Old Seminary here, where the mortal remains of the saint are interred. Thomas Mar Makarios, Philipose Mar Eusebius and a host of other Metropolitans and priests participated in the ceremonies.

This was followed by a public meeting where the Catholicose presided. In his keynote address, the Archbishop of Changanassery, Joseph Powathil, said the role played by Mar Dyonisius in ensuring the independence of the indigenous Church would be remembered by all in the coming days. He was totally committed to the Church and his reign would be recorded as the golden age of the Malankara Church, Mar Powathil said. He said the unity of the Church would depend on the will of God.

He was consecrated as Metropolitan in 1908 and one year later took over as the Malankara Metropolitan on the death of Mar Pulikottil Dyonisius. The greatest achievement of the new Malankara Metropolitan, who was under great pressure from both the colonial powers and the Patriarch of Antioch, was the reinstallation of the Catholicate in Malankara in 1912. However, Mar Dyonisius continued as the Malankara Metropolitan and the power behind the throne. It was only after his death in 1934, after a reign of 25 years, that the Malankara Church decided to bring both the two key positions, ie., that of the Malankara Metropolitan and that of the Catholicose, in one single person.