Major Archiepiscopal Eparchy of Trivandrum

The historic event of the reunion of His Grace Geevarghese Mar Ivanios with the Catholic Church took place on 20 September 1930. In 1932, His Grace Mar Ivanios made his visit to Rome and His Holiness Pope Pius XI invested him with the Sacred Pallium. By the Apostolic Constitution, “Christo Pastorum Principi” (11 June 1932) the Holy Father Pope Pius XI established the Syro-Malankara Catholic Hierarchy comprising the Metropolitan Eparchy of Trivandrum and the Eparchy of Tiruvalla.

On 11 March 1933 Archbishop Mar Ivanios dedicated his provisional Cathedral at Palayam, Trivandrum to the Mother of God and celebrated the solemn Holy Qurbana in the Cathedral on the following day concelebrated by Bishop Jacob Mar Theophilos, the Bishop of Tiruvalla, Rt. Rev. Joseph Pulikottil and Rt. Rev. Philipose Cheppad, Mar Augustine Kandathil, the Archbishop of Ernakulam were present on the occasion. The Apostolic Constitution was executed by Rt. Rev. Maria Benziger, the special deputee of the Holy See.


Archbishop Mar Ivanios having made the Profession of Faith before the august assembly of the Bishops, priests and laymen and amidst the acclamations of ‘Oxios’ (a customary hymn for the occasion) was enthroned as the Metropolitan Archbishop of Trivandrum and the Hierarchical head of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church.

The pioneer of the Re-union movement in Kerala, His Grace Archbishop Mar Ivanios, passed away on 15 of July 1953. A few months before his death, on 29January 1953 he has consecrated Rt. Rev. Benedict Mar Gregorios as his Auxiliary Bishop and as the Titular Bishop of Anterdos.
Upon the demise of His Grace Mar Ivanios, His Excellency Mar Gregorios was made the Apostolic Administrator of the Metropolitan Eparchy of Trivandrum. And on 27 January 1955, His Holiness Pope Pius XII appointed him the Metropolitan Archbishop of Trivandrum.
His Excellency Rt. Rev. Lawrence Mar Ephraem was appointed Auxiliary to the Metropolitan Archbishop of Trivandrum and Titular Bishop of Barkuso on 6 November 1980 and was consecrated on 27 December 1980 at Kottayam during the Golden Jubilee celebration of the Reunion Movement.

His Holiness Pope John Paul II blessed this diocese with his historic visit to St. Mary’s Cathedral, Pattom, Trivandrum, on 8 February 1986.

His Eminence Cardinal Lourdusamy, the Prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches, visited the Metropolitan Eparchy of Trivandrum on 19 August 1987.

His Grace Most Rev. Benedict Mar Gregorios was called for his eternal reward on 10 October 1994 after 41 years of his devoted service. His Excellency Rt. Rev. Lawrence Mar Ephraem, the Proto-Syncellus, was elected the Administrator of the Metropolitan Eparchy of Trivandrum.

His Grace Most Rev. Cyril Mar Baselios was appointed Metropolitan Archbishop of Trivandrum and it was announced in public on 29 November 1995. The enthronement of His Grace took place on 14 December 1995 at St. Mary’s Cathedral, Pattom, Trivandrum. As the Metropolitan Archbishop of Trivandrum, His Grace received Sacred Pallium from the Holy Father Pope John Paul II on 9 January 1996 in Vatican.

His Eminence Achille Cardinal Silvestrini, Prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches, visited the Metropolitan Eparchy of Trivandrum, on 12, & 13 of February 1996.

His Eminence Josef Cardinal Tomko, prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples visited the Archbishop’s House on 2 November 1996.

On the request of His Grace Most Rev. Cyril Mar Baselios, Metropolitan Archbishop of Trivandrum, by an Apostolic Bull dated 16 December 1996 His Holiness Pope John Paul II created the Eparchy of Marthandom having bifurcated the Metropolitan Eparchy of Trivandrum, and appointed Most Rev. Lawrence Mar Ephraem as its first Bishop.

The new extension building of the Archbishop’s House ‘Thirusannidhi’ was blessed by His Grace Most Rev. Cyril Mar Baselios on 11& 12 March 1998.

His Excellency Rt. Rev. Joshua Mar Ignathios was appointed Auxiliary to the Metropolitan Archbishop of Trivandrum and the titular Bishop of Nigizubitanam on 15 April 1998. His consecration took place on 29 June 1998 at Mar Ivanios College Stadium, Trivandrum.

His Excellency Rt. Rev. Paulos Mar Philoxenos, Episcopal Vicar of the Metropolitan Eparchy of Trivandrum passed away on 3 November 1998.

His Excellency Rt. Rev. Dr. Isaac Mar Cleemis was appointed Apostolic Visitor for North America & Europe and Auxiliary to the Metropolitan Archbishop of Trivandrum as the titular Bishop of Chayal on 18 June 2001. His consecration took place on 15 August 2001 at St.Mary’s Malankara Catholic Church, Thirumoolapuram, Tiruvalla. Later, he was appointed bishop of the eparchy of Tiruvalla on 4 September, 2003.

His Excellency Rt. Rev. Dr. Joseph Mar Thomas was appointed Apostolic Visitor for North America and Europe, Auxilary Bishop to the Archbishop His Grace Most Rev. Dr. Cyril Mar Baselios of the Archdiocese of Trivandrum and Titular bishop of Silcilibbensis on 8 of February, 2005. His consecration held on 19 February, 2005 at the Metropolitan church, Pattom, Trivandrum.

His holiness Pope John Paul II promoted and declared the Syro Malankara Catholic Church to the canonical status of Major Archiepiscopal Church on 10 February 2005 and the Metropolitan Archbishop Most Rev. Cyril Mar Baselios was appointed as its First Major Archbishop – Catholicos on the same date. The enthronement of the Major Archbishop-Catholicos as the Father and Head of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church was on 14 May 2005.

In view of the decision of the Holy Episcopal Synod of the Malankara Catholic Church the new Eparchy of Mavelikara was erected on 1st January 2007 as per the decree (Prot. No. 1/2007) of His Beatitude Moran Mor Cyril Baselios Catholicos, the Major Archbishop-Catholicos of the Malankara Catholic Church, bifurcating the Major Archdiocese of Trivandrum. His Excellency Most Rev. Joshua Mar Ignathios, the Auxiliary Bishop of Trivandrum was transferred and appointed as the first bishop of the Eparchy of Mavelikara as per the decree (Prot. No. 2/2007) of His Beatitude Moran Mor Cyril Baselios Catholicos, the Major Archbishop-Catholicos of the Malankara Catholic Church. The inauguration of the new Eparchy of Mavelikara and the installation of His Excellency Joshua Mar Ignathios as its first Bishop took place on 16 February 2007 in Mavelikara.

On Thursday 18 January 2007 His Beatitude Moran Mor Cyril Baselios, the first Major Archbishop-Catholicos of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church passed away. On the same day itself, in consultation with the members of the Holy Episcopal Synod of the Malankara Catholic Church, His Excellency Most Rev. Geevarghese Mar Divannasios, the Bishop of the Eparchy of Bathery assumed office as the Synodal Administrator of the Church and the Administrator of the Major Archdiocese of Trivandrum.

Thereafter, all the Bishops of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church, the members of the Synod, assembled for the Synod of Election. On Saturday, 10 February 2007 at 4.30 p.m., the Synodal Administrator of the Malankara Catholic Church announced the unanimous election of His Grace Most Rev. Isaac Mar Cleemis Thottunkal, the then Metropolitan Archbishop of Tiruvalla as the new Major Archbishop-Catholicos. He also announced that the new Catholicos will be known as BASELIOS CLEEMIS. This election was confirmed by the Holy See by letter No. 13.695/07. The installation of His Beatitude Moran Mor Baselios Cleemis as the Major Archbishop-Catholicos took place on 5 March 2007 at St. Mary’s Cathedral, Trivandrum.