List of Ordinations, by His Grace Mathews Mor Athanasius, extracted from the Syriac Manuscript of Ordinations at the Monastery of Kurkmo, Mardin, Turkey

His Grace Mathews Mor Athanasius, the Metropolitan of Malankara Church (1852-1877), was the first Indian to be consecrated as Metropolitan by a Patriarch of the Apostolic Throne of Antioch. Mor Athanasius, as a Deacon, started his journey from Kochi, Kerala in 1840 at the age of 22. After about six months, he reached Bagdad and later the Monastery of Kurkmo (Deyrulzafaran) in Mardin, Turkey, the Headquarters of the Patriarch of Antioch.

Deacon Mathews met Moran Mor Ignatius Elias II, the Patriarch of Antioch at the Monastery of Kurkmo. Impressed by his qualities and personality, the Patriarch re-ordained him first as Deacon and then ordained as Priest. Later he was consecrated as Metropolitan with the name Mor Athanasius, for the Malankara Church, in the year of 1842 (Malayalam Era Kumbham 2nd, 1017). He was then given the temporary charge as the Metropolitan of the Diocese of Mosul.

Later he returned to Kochi in 1843 March/April. On his return, he brought along with him the Sthathicon issued to him by Moran Mor Ignatius Patriarch, Elias II, Holy Muron from Antioch, several Liturgical books, Orders of ordination, etc. One of the Ordination books contains a list of ordinations performed at the Monastery of Kurkmo, by the Patriarchs and Metropolitans during the period from 1761 to 1838. The book also contains a list of the ordinations conducted by Mor Athanasius in Malankara after his enthronement as Malankara Metropolitan in 1852.

The subject Manuscript is preserved in the Archives of the official residence (Poolathin) of the Supreme Head of Mar Thoma Syrian Church of Malabar, HG Dr. Theodosius Mar Thoma Metropolitan, at Thiruvalla, Kerala, India.

The following is the English translation of the Syriac hand-written text found in the Book of Ordination brought by HG Mathews Mor Athanasius Metropolitan from Mardin (Translated from Syriac into English by George Thomas Edamuriyil, Kottayam).

Please click here to read the details of each ordination