KOTTAYAM: Mathews Mar Severios Metropolitan is set to be the next Catholicos of the East and the supreme head of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church. The Metropolitan was nominated unanimously for the top post in the episcopal synod held at the church headquarters in Devalokam, Kottayam, on Thursday. The synod consists of all 24 metropolitans of the church that nominated Severios as the next Catholicos. Once the Malankara association meeting is held in Parumala on October 14 and ratifies the synod decision, Severios will be formally ordained as the Catholicos.
An official announcement on synod’s decision is expected to be made by the church after a meeting of the church managing committee on Friday. Severios (72) will be succeeding Baselios Marthoma Paulose II, who passed away in July this year. Severios, who hails from Vazhoor in Kottayam district, is presently the Metropolitan of the Kandanad West diocese. He is also the former secretary of the episcopal synod.
Severios took his BD degree from Serampore University and did his higher studies in Theology at Theological Academy, Leningrad, Russia. Thereupon he joined Oriental Institute, Rome, and took his MTh and PhD from there.
He is a well-known teacher and a faculty member of the Orthodox Seminary in Kottayam. A philanthropist, he works relentlessly for uplifting the poor, especially women. He has started many ventures to help provide employment opportunities to women from the economically backward classes.
