Geevarghese Panicker

Geevarghese Panicker was born on 1 April 1924 at Karichal, Alappuzha as the eldest son to K. G. Thomas Panicker and Achiyamma Thomas Panicker (Kaithayil-Kallupara), also he was the eldest of seven children.

He is the grand Nephew of the Archbishop Geevarghese Mar Ivanios, the founder of Syro-Malankara Catholic Church and who is also known as the 'Newman of India'.

Geevarghese Panicker had his primary education at Vazhathattu Primary School, Karichal, Alappuzha. He completed his middle school at St. James English Middle School, Karuvatta, Alappuzha & completed his high school final under the guidance of Kainikkara Kumara Pillai at N.S.S. English High School, Karuvatta, Alappuzha.

After the school education he joined St. Aloysius Seminary, Trivandrum on his own volition under the guidance of Archbishop Geevarghese Mar Ivanios in 1940. He continued the philosophical and theological studies at Papal Seminary, Kandy, Ceylon.

He was ordained a priest on 24 August 1949 by Archbishop Geevarghese Mar Ivanios at Papal Seminary, Kandy, Ceylon.

He received his B.A. honours in English Literature from University of Travancore, Trivandrum. He took a doctorate in English Literature at Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C., United States in 1958.

Fr. Panicker started his teaching career as a lecturer at Mar Ivanios College, Trivandrum. He became the Vice Principal of Mar Ivanios college in 1959. And he served as the principal of Mar Ivanios College, Trivandrum from 1961 to 1979, which was noted as the 'Golden years of Mar Ivanios College' by the Late Education Minister of Kerala, C. H. Mohammed Koya .

He was the Rector and President of St. Joseph's Pontifical Seminary, Mangalapuzha, Aluva in 1979 - 1985. Then he became the Rector of St. Mary’s Malankara Major Seminary, Trivandrum. He was the Dean of Studies of St. Ephrem Ecumenical Research Institute, Kottayam, Kerala.

Fr. Panicker wrote a number of articles on theology and liturgy.

His main works are:

• An Historical Introduction to the Syriac Liturgy (1989)
• The Church in the Syriac Tradition (1990).[1]

In his later years he resided at St. Ephrem Ecumenical Research Institute, Kottayam, Kerala.

Rev. Dr. C. T. Geevarghese Panicker left for his heavenly abode on 28 December 2008 at Assisi Atonement Hospital, Perzhumpuzha, Kollam. His body was interred in St. George Syro-Malankara Catholic Church at Paranthal, Adoor. Major Archbishop of Syro-Malankara Catholic Church, Moran Mor Baselios Cardinal Cleemis Catholicos led the funeral service at Paranthal and he was buried near to his parents as per his request.

• Mar Ivanios College
• Malankara Seminary