Joseph Mar Thoma

Joseph Mar Thoma XXI (27 June 1931 - 18 October 2020) was the 21st Mar Thoma Metropolitan and the church’s primate.

Palakunnathu family
Joseph Mar Thoma XXI came from an ecclesiastical family.

In the seventeenth century, a member of the Panamkuzhy house of Kuruvalingadu, Kuruvilla, came and settled in Kozhencherry on the banks of the Pampa river in Kerala. Later, he and his three sons moved across the river to Maramon and his grandson Mathen moved to a nearby house at Palakunnathu.

Mathen’s daughter married into the Mallapally Pavoothikunnel family and had five sons; one of them, Sanyasi Achen, was a celibate priest. A number of Malankara Church, and Malankara Marthoma Syrian Church leaders were also born in this family.

As was the custom, the youngest son Mathew lived at the Palakunnathu family house and married Pandanattu Mullasseril Mariamma. Mathew and Mariamma’s eldest son was the father of Mar Thoma XIII. Their second son was Abraham Malpan (born 1796), a leader of reformation in the Malankara church. Abraham Malpan and his wife Aleyamma were the parents of Thomas Mar Athanasius Metropolitan (Mar Thoma XIV) and Titus I Mar Thoma Metropolitan (Mar Thoma XV). Joseph Mar Thoma (Mar Thoma XXI) and his uncle Titus II Mar Thoma were born into this family.

Early life
P.T. Joseph was born on 27 June 1931, as the son of P. T. Lukose of Maramon Palakunnathu Kadon House and Mariamma, of Nedumpriyattu, Maramon Puthoor House.

After his education at Maramon and Kozhencherry, he joined Union Christian College, Aluva where he played for the college basketball team.

Ordination
Joseph had intended to take up an academic career, but when he was called to take up theological studies, he accepted it and in 1954, he joined the United Theological College, Bangalore, Karnataka, India, where he obtained a Bachelor of Divinity degree.

He was ordained as deacon of the Mar Thoma Church on 29 June 1957, and kasseessa (priest) on 18 October 1957. He then went on to study at the Protestant Episcopal Seminary in Virginia, USA. From there, he went to Canterbury and Oxford in England and obtained Master of Divinity (M.Div.) and Master of Sacred Theology (STM) degrees. He was later awarded an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree by the Virginia Seminary, where he studied.

Consecration
Realizing the need for more bishops for the Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian Church, the Church Mandalam (representative assembly) in 1974, decided to consecrate two more bishops. The Rev. P.T. Joseph was one of those who were selected. He was ordained as Ramban on 11 January 1975.

Episcopa
On 8 February 1975, Juhanon Mar Thoma, Metropolitan, assisted by the other bishops of the church ordained the Rev. P.T. Joseph and gave him the episcopal title of Joseph Mar Irenaeus. Rev. V.T. Koshy, Easow Mar Timotheos, was also ordained on the same day.

Suffragan metropolitan
On March 15, 1999, he was designated as suffragan metropolitan when Philipose Mar Chrysostom, the suffragan metropolitan, was designated as the officiating metropolitan.

Malankara throne
After the swearing-in of 1653 it became necessary to appoint a bishop. For this purpose, a special chair was made and Mar Thoma I was enthroned as the first bishop of Malankara Church. This throne is in the possession of the Mar Thoma Church and is kept at Tiruvalla. It has been used in the installation of every Mar Thoma metropolitan to this day so that the continuity of the bishopric of Mar Thoma is ensured. This was the throne used for the consecration of Mar Thoma XXI, Joseph Mar Thoma Metropolitan.

Enthronement
Joseph Mar Irenaeus was installed as Mar Thoma XXI Metropolitan on 2 October 2007 when the 20th Mar Thoma, Philipose Mar Chrysostom expressed his desire to transfer responsibilities of the church to his successor due to old age and deteriorating health. He continued as 'Valiya Metropolitan' or Metropolitan Emeritus.



Contributions
He was the President of the National Council of Churches in India, Senior President of CCA, and the chairman of CASA.

He served as Vicar of Ranni, Kozhikode, Kundara, Madras and Thiruvananthapuram Parishes. He also served as travelling secretary of the Mar Thoma Evangelistic Association for several years.

His activities included sanctions of building many socio-spiritual centers with monuments, including Tharangam Mission Action Centre, which can also be used as the secondary venue for diocese activities that were previously held adjacent to the spacious building near the Bishop House.

He introduced music and new styles of worship to target the younger generation (via the DSMC studio, blogs, and camps).

Joseph Mar Thoma advocated protecting the environment. He has warned that atrocities to nature are suicidal and has urged people to take remedial measures by adopting responsible green conservatism. He also personally campaigned for the protection of Pampa River on whose bed the Maramon Convention is hosted.

He started the Navajeevan organisation for the children in the streets of Mumbai. He lifted the ban on woman during the night time at the Maramon convention. He also invited members of the transgender community to deliver talks at the convention.

On his 80th birthday in 2011, the Church inaugurated 'Snehakaram', a project for critically ill patients with cancer, kidney and heart disorders.

Death
Joseph Mar Thoma died on 18 October 2020 at 2:38 AM as a result of pancreatic cancer.