Benedict Gregorios

Archbishop Benedict Gregorios (1 February 1916 – 10 October 1994) was the second Metropolitan Archbishop of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church.[1]

Aboon

Benedict Gregorios
Archbishop of Trivandrum
ChurchSyro-Malankara Catholic Church
SeeTrivandrum, India
Appointed27 January 1955
Term ended10 October 1994
PredecessorGeevarghese Ivanios
SuccessorCyril Baselios
Orders
Ordination24 August 1940
Consecration29 January 1953
by Archbishop Geevarghese Ivanios
Personal details
Birth nameVarghese Thangalathil
Born(1916-02-01)1 February 1916
Kalloopara, Travancore, British Raj
Died10 October 1994(1994-10-10) (aged 78)
Trivandrum, Kerala
Previous postSt. Aloysius Seminary, Trivandrum

Life

Gregorios or "Thangalathil Thirumeni" was born and raised in the Malankara Orthodox Church in Kalloopara, present day Pathanamthitta district. He was baptised by the name Varghese. As a teenage boy Varghese came closer to the ideal of Bethany Ashram. He was attracted by the personality of Geevarghese Ivanios and later became a member of Bethany Ashram and adopted the name Benedict. He studied Philosophy and Theology at Papal Seminary, Kandy, Sri Lanka. He was ordained a religious priest of Bethany Ashram by then Bishop of Kandy H.E. Bernad Reinjo O.C.B in 1944. As a dynamic young priest he taught Syriac for some time in St. Aloysius Seminary, Trivandrum. He was sent for higher studies in Economics to St. Joseph's College, Trichy (1946–1949). He became the first principal of Mar Ivanios College.

He was consecrated as bishop on January 29, 1953, by the hands of Archbishop Ivanios, and he received the name Benedict Mar Gregorios. After the death of Ivanios, Gregorios became the second metropolitan archbishop of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church in 1955. Parish communities were formed in Syro-Malankara Catholic Church during this period. Gregorios paved the way to establish Mar Theophilos Training College, Trivandrum and Mar Gregorios College of Arts and Science, Chennai. After 41 years of episcopal ministry, Gregorios died on 10 October 1994. His body was entombed in St. Mary's Cathedral, Pattom, Trivandrum.

St. John's College, Anchal, a first grade arts and science college in Kollam district was established by Gregorios. St. John's College Anchal became the nerve centre of the total development of a remote rural village into a fast developing township.

References
  1. "Archbishop Benedict Varghese Gregorios Thangalathil". Catholic Diocese of Bathery. Retrieved 15 February 2013.

Sources

Thomas Inchaykkalodi, Archbishop Mar Ivanios, Vol. 1, Bethany Publications, Kottayam, 2006.

Catholic Church titles
Preceded by
Geevarghese Ivanios		 Metropolitan Archbishop of Trivandrum
1955–1994		 Succeeded by
Cyril Baselios
as Major Archbishop of Trivandrum
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