Geevarghese Ivanios

Archbishop Geevarghese Mar Ivanios, OIC (September 21, 1882 – July 15, 1953), born Geevarghese Panickeruveetil, was a Christian bishop and the founder of the Bethany Ashram order of monks.

Childhood

Panicker Veettil was a traditional Syrian Christian Family in Mavelikkara, Alappuzha District, Kerala, India. A male child was born in this family on September 21, 1882 to Thomas Panicker and Annamma Panicker. The child was named Geevarghese. During his childhood he has shown an extra inclination for a fervent spiritual life. On his way to and way back from the school he used to pay visit to Puthenkavu Church (Mavelikkara). Geevarghese had his early education in protestant and government schools. From 1897 he started his high school education in M. D. Seminary High School, Kottayam. In 1899 he had completed his matriculation education before which he received minor orders (of clerical life) on September 20, 1898.

Zealous Deacon

Seeing his zeal in spirituality and fervor for the church, Pulikkottil Mar Dionysius decided to ordain him a deacon. He was ordained deacon on January 9, 1900. Geevarghese Semmasan (Deacon) continued his studies in CMS College, Kottayam and he took bachelor's degree in Economics and Indian History from Madras Christian College. And in 1907 he took Master's Degree (MA) with distinction from the same college. On his return from Madras he was appointed principal of his Alma Mater, M.D.Seminary High School. During this time he took initiative in various schemes for the renewal of the Malankara Church. He organized basic church communities, commenced Bible conventions and instilled in the minds of the people of God a fervor for sacramental life. Because of this he was popularly entitled "Koodasa Semmasan" (Deacon of Sacraments).

Priestly Life

He was ordained to the priesthood as P.T. Geevarghese on Sept. 15th 1908 by Vattasseril Mar Dionysius. He was a priest with a vision. Fr. P.T. Geevarghese was popularly known as M A Achan, as he was the first priest having MA degree in Malankara. Because of his contribution to the feild of education he proved himself an exceptionally capable educationalist. By this time he became a prominent leader in the socio-cultural and religious realms. He became a famous orator. The religious context in the Malankara Church at this time was that of spiritual deterioration and degeneration. The lust for power was creeping in to the church from every corner. Fr. Geevarghese was deeply grieved about this pathetic situation, and it aroused in him a strong quest for renewal of the Malankara Church. At the same time he took initiative to empower the Malankara Church with hierarchical autonomy. He became instrumental to erect catholicate for the Malankara Church on September 5, 1912. He was ordained a bishop of the Malankara Syriac Orthodox Church by Catholicos Beselios Geevarghese I.

Mar Ivanios and most of his order united with the Roman Catholic Church in 1930, establishing the Eastern Catholic sui iuris Syro-Malankara Catholic Church in India. In 1932, Mar Ivanios was named the Archbishop of Trivandrum and received the pallium from Pope Pius XI, becoming the first metropolitan of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church. Because of his theological-pastoral insights and his attempts at reunion of the Malankara Church with the Pope of Rome, Mar Ivanios is often nicknamed the "Newman of the East". Archbishop Mar Ivanios passed away on July 15, 1953.

Mar Ivanios College was founded at Bethany Hills outside Trivandrum in 1949: it was affiliated to the University of Travancore, which became part of the University of Kerala.

Archbishop Mar Ivanios was declared Servant of God (Daivadasan) on 14 July 2007, the day prior to the 54th anniversary of his death. The proclamation was read by Catholicos and Major Archbishop Moran Mor Baselios Cleemis at St. Mary's Malankara Syrian Catholic Cathedral in Trivandrum, India. He is the first member of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church to be so designated. His cause for canonization continues.

Sources

• "His Grace Most Rev. Geevarghese Mar Ivanios O.I.C."; Bethany Ashram website, retrieved January 10, 2006
• "Archbishop Ivanios (Giovanni) Giorgio Tommaso Panickerveetil"; Catholic-Hierarchy.org; retrieved January 10, 2006
• Fr. Thomas Inchakkalody, Archbishop Mar Ivanios (2 Vols.), Kottayam, 2006.

External links

• Syro-Malankara Catholic Church
• Syro-Malankara Catholic Church - alternative site built by Malankarites