Priest Trustee

The position of Priest Trustee in the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church is of paramount importance in the administration of the Church, together with the Malankara Metropolitan and the lay trustee. The priest trustee is a priest of order Kasheesha or Cor-Episcopa.

Origin

The system of governing the assets of the Malankara Church by the Community of Trustees was brought about by the historic Cochin Panchayath Verdict of 4 April 1840 (also known as Cochin Award).[1] The verdict insists that the three trustees who constitute the Community Trustees should be elected to those positions. In accordance with this, the first priest trustee was elected in 1869 and the Church Constitution of 1934 gives the definitive account on the election, term, duties and scope of the priest trustee.

Authority of the Priest Trustee

The priest trustee is, by default, a member of the Malankara Association Managing Committee[2] as well as the Working Committee[3] of the Association Managing Committee. As per section C in chapter IV of the 1934 constitution, the three trustees are entrusted with the trusteeship for the Vattipanam (Trust Fund) and the Kottayam Syrian Seminary and the income which have accrued or shall be accruing therefrom.

Election

Section C in chapter IV of the 1934 constitution goes on, giving the regulations for the election to the position of the associate trustees. Clause 93 states: The Association shall elect the Associate Trustees. The term of office of the Associate Trustees shall be co-terminus as that of the period of election of the Association members. The office of the associate trustee will continue until another trustee was elected and assumed office. The Association may remove them and appoint others without assigning any reason.[4]

List of Priest Trustees

  • Rev. Chacko Chandypillai, Thazhath

In the Association meeting held at Kottayam Old Seminary on October 21, 1869, presided by Malankara Metropolitan Palakkunnath Mathews Mar Athanasius, Rev. Thazhath Chacko Chandypillai was elected as the first priest trustee.[5]

  • Rev. Kora Yohannan Malpan, Konat

During the Association meeting held from September 11 to 13, 1886 at Kottayam Old Seminary which was presided by Malankara Metropolitan Mar Dionysius V, Rev. Konat Kora Yohannan was elected as the priest trustee.[6]

  • Rev. Kora Mathen Malpan, Konat

From November 21 to 23, 1895, a meeting of the Association convened at the Old Seminary chaired by Mar Dionysius V during which Rev. Konat Kora Mathen Malpan was elected as the priest trustee. He had been given the honorary title of Malankara Malpan in 1890. Later, during the dispute over the authority of the Patriarch of Antioch over Malankara, Rev. Konat Kora Mathen Malpan was a staunch supporter of the Patriarch, opposing the Malankara Metropolitan Mar Dionyius VI. This led to the deposition of Rev. Konat Kora Mathen Malpan from trusteeship in 1911.

  • Rev. Mani Paulose, Palappallil

Following the removal of Rev. Konat Kora Mathen Malpan from trusteeship, the Association meeting held on September 7, 1911 at Kottayam M. D. Seminary elected Rev. Palappallil Mani Paulose as the priest trustee. He was the longest serving Priest Trustee in the history of the Malankara Church. As a solution to the threats faced by the Catholicos H. H. Baselius Paulose I in the administration of Kandanad diocese from the dissident faction, Rev. Mani Paulose played a central role in inviting the Catholicos to shift the Holy See to Pampakuda on April 16, 1913, from where the Catholicos reigned until his demise on May 2, 1913. H. H. Paulose I was interred in Pampakuda Cheriyapally. As Priest Trustee, Rev. Mani Paulose served to that capacity for 44 years until his demise in 1955. He passed away on December 25, 1955 and was interred at Pampakkuda Cheriyapally, the same Church where H. H. Paulose I is buried.

  • Rev. Yakob, Manalil

The Association meeting held at Puthencavu St. Mary's Church on December 26, 1958, presided by Catholicos of the East and Malankara Metropolitan H. H. Baselios Geevarghese II elected Rev. Manalil Yakob as the priest trustee. Rev. Yakob who had served as secretary to Malankara Metropolitan Vattasseril Mar Dionyius VI during 1925-1934 thus became fortunate to receive the interest of Vattipanam (Trust Fund) before and after becoming the priest trustee. In order to establish a particular duration for the term of priest trustees, he set a glowing example by resigning in 1965. In spite of being elected to the order of Metropolitan, he rejected the honor. From 1939, he served as a member of Malankara Association Managing Committee for almost five and a half decades until his demise in 1993. Rev. Manalil Yakob died on January 17, 1993 and was laid to rest at Mar Yuhanon Church, Manthuruthel.

  • Very Rev. T. S. Abraham Cor-Episcopa, Thengumthottathil

After the resignation of Rev. Manalil Yakob kathanar, the Malankara Association meeting which convened at Kottayam M. D. Seminary presided by Catholicos of the East and Malankara Metropolitan H. H. Baselios Augen I elected Thengumthottathil Very Rev. T. S. Abraham Cor-Episcopa as the priest trustee. He remained stalwart at the side of the Malankara Metropolitan and played a major role in leading the Church safely through a period of several litigations. He died on October 30, 1984.

  • Rev. Abraham Malpan, Konat

On December 28, 1982, the Malankara Association meeting held at M. G. M. School, Thiruvalla presided by Catholicos of the East and Malankara Metropolitan H. H. Baselios MarThoma Mathews I elected Rev. Konat Abraham Malpan as the priest trustee. Born to Rev. Konat Mathen Chor-episcopa on 30 March 1908, he was a disciple of H. H. Baselios Augen I. The title of Malankara Malpan was bestowed on him by H. H. Baselios Geevarghese II on 3 July 1963. He had also served as the president of Pampakuda Panchayath (village council) for a long time. Rev. Abraham Malpan died on 2 March 1987, and was laid to rest at St. John's Valiyapally, Pampakuda.

  • Rev. Mathai Nooranal

The first competitive election to the position of priest trustee was carried out during the Association meeting held at Kottayam M. D. Seminary, presided by H. H. Baselios MarThoma Mathews I. Rev. Mathai Nooranal emerged as the winner in the third round and assumed the office of priest trustee. He served magnificently to this capacity until his demise on 29 November 2002 and his mortal remains were interred at St. Mary's Church, Sultan Bathery.

  • Rev. Dr. O. Thomas

On 10 June 2004, the Association meeting held at Parumala Seminary presided by Catholicos of the East and Malankara Metropolitan H. H. Baselios MarThoma Mathews II elected Rev. Dr. O. Thomas[7] as the priest trustee. He served in that capacity till 2007. Rev. O. Thomas is a noted writer and theologian who has also served as a professor at the Old Seminary since 1981. In 2015, he was appointed as the Principal of the Old Seminary by H. H. Baselios MarThoma Paulos II.

  • Rev. Dr. Johns Abraham, Konat

Rev. Dr. Johns Abraham, Konat[8] served as the priest trustee for two terms (2007-2017). He was re-elected for a second term by the meeting of Malankara Association held at Pathanamthitta[9] on March 7, 2012, presided by Catholicos of the East and Malankara Metropolitan H. H. Baselios Mar Thoma Paulose II. An authority on Church Canons, Liturgy and Syriac language, Rev. Johns Abraham Konat also serves as a professor at the Old Seminary.

  • Rev. Dr. M. O. John

Incumbent (2017 - present)

See also

References

  1. ↑ Kurien, Fr. Dr. Jacob (December 2013). "മലങ്കര ഓർത്തഡോക്സ് സഭാ ഭരണഘടന: ഒരു ലഘു വിചിന്തനം" [The Malankara Orthodox Church Constitution: a modest analysis] (PDF). പുരോഹിതൻ (in Malayalam). Kottayam, Kerala: Fr. Wilson Mathew M. K.
  2. ↑ http://malankaraorthodoxchurch.in/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=32&Itemid=267
  3. ↑ http://malankaraorthodoxchurch.in/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=33&Itemid=268
  4. ↑ THE CONSTITUTION OF THE MALANKARA ORTHODOX SYRIAN CHURCH (PDF). p. 11.
  5. ↑ http://oldphotos.marthoman.tv/?p=534
  6. ↑ http://www.orthodoxherald.com/2010/01/01/malankara-syrian-christian-association-history/
  7. ↑ http://www.ots.edu.in/942/10134//faculty-profile/fr--dr--o--thomas
  8. ↑ http://www.ots.edu.in/942/1062//faculty-profile/fr--johns-abraham-konat
  9. ↑ http://marthoman.tv/association_2012/march_7_2012-pta_association.htm
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