42-588: Pullikottil Dionysius I - 10th Malankara Metropolitan Pulikkottil Joseph Dionysious II - 14th Malankara Metropolitan Vattasseril Dionysius VI - 15th Malankara Metropolitan The Orthodox Theological Seminary also known as Old Seminary (Pazhaya Seminary) and M. D. Orthodox Seminary is a seminary of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church . It was founded in 1815 priest-monk Pulikkottil Joseph Ittoop Ramban (later Mar Dionysius II ) with help from Colonel John Munro to serve
84-600: A constitutional monarchy under the Bagrationi dynasty (which the Russian Empire had dispossessed of the Georgian crown early in the 19th century). The call coincided with rising confrontation between the government of President Mikheil Saakashvili and the opposition, many members of which welcomed the patriarch's proposal. Ilia II favored the ancient house of Prince David Bagration of Mukhrani and initiated
126-532: A family that already has at least two children, as long as the new child was to be born after his announcement. He conducts mass baptism ceremonies four times a year. The patriarch's initiative contributed to a national baby boom, as being baptized by the Patriarch is a considerable honour among adherents of the Georgian Orthodox Church . Ilia II has more than 47,000 godchildren. Ilia II
168-518: A marriage between this genealogically senior royal line and the Gruzinsky branch. He later personally baptized the offspring of this union, Prince Giorgi Bagration Mukhrani , his godson, styling him "Prince of Georgia" in a ceremony including the whole Synod. In June 2018 he gave an official blessing and performed the wedding ceremony for Prince Juan de Bagration-Mukhrani and Kristine Dzidziguri at Svetitskhoveli Cathedral . In November 2024,
210-588: A pastoral visit, bringing food and aid, to the Russian-occupied central Georgian city of Gori and the surrounding villages which were at the verge of humanitarian catastrophe. He also helped retrieve the bodies of deceased Georgian soldiers and civilians. Ilia II also blessed the September 1, 2008 "Stop Russia" demonstrations, in which tens of thousands organized human chains across Georgia. In December 2008, Ilia II visited Moscow to participate in
252-547: A printing press at Kottayam . He also began to translate the Bible into Malayalam . At the age of 74, and only nine months as Metropolitan, Pulikottil Joseph Mar Dionysius died on 24 November 1816. He was entombed at Kottayam Orthodox Pazhaya Seminary (Old Seminary). As Dionysius had not named a successor, the fate of the Malankara Church was threatened. However, Geevarghese Mar Philexenos (Kidangan) (1811–29) of
294-889: A productive theologian and church historian, he was conferred an Honorary Doctorate of Theology from St. Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary in New York (1986), the Academy of Sciences in Crete (1997) and the St. Tikhon's Orthodox Theological Seminary in Pennsylvania (1998). Ilia II is an Honorary Academician of the Georgian Academy of Sciences (2003) and Hon. Fellow of the American School of Genealogy, Heraldry and Documentary Sciences. In February 2008, his grace
336-535: The Kazbegi district of Georgia. His father, Giorgi Shiolashvili, was from the village Sno, and his mother, Natalia Kobaidze, from the village Sioni. The Shiolashvili were an influential clan in the highlands of Khevi . Irakli Ghudushauri graduated from the Moscow Theological Seminary and was ordained, under the name of Ilia, a hierodeacon in 1957 and hieromonk in 1959. He graduated from
378-811: The Malabar Independent Syrian Church stepped in to take over the duties of the Malankara Metropolitan and served as the Acting Malankara Metropolitan until ordaining a successor to Mar Dionysius II. Mar Philexenos ordained Mar Dionysius III in 1817. The memorial feast of Mar Dionysius II is celebrated on 24 November. In recognition of his contributions to the Church, the Episcopal Synod of Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church conferred
420-602: The Malankara Syrian Church and to invite CMS missionaries to teach theology. At that time deacons were ordained as priests without an organized theological education. After the arrival of CMS missionaries, theological education was organized for the priests. John Munro , the British Resident in the Kingdom of Travancore offered his unreserved support for the initiative and upon his insistence
462-751: The Moscow Theological Academy in 1960 and returned to Georgia, where he was assigned to the Batumi Cathedral Church as a priest. In 1961, he was promoted to hegumen and later to archimandrite . On 26 August 1963, he was chosen to be the bishop of Batumi and Shemokmedi and appointed a patriarchal vicar. From 1963 to 1972, he was also the first rector of the Mtskheta Theological Seminary—the only clerical school in Georgia at that time. In 1967, Ilia
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#1732772310959504-598: The Orthodox Theological Seminary (Old Seminary) His nephew Tharu Kurien's son Joseph was later ordained as Metropolitan by the Patriarch of Antioch and became Malankara Metropolitan. He was also given the same episcopal title Joseph Mar Dionysious (Mar Dionysius V) (1833–1909) and was known as Pulikkottil Mar Dionysious II. Joseph Ittoop was born on 15 January 1742 in Pulikkottil an ancient family which moved from Arthat to Kunnamkulam . He
546-655: The Seminary . The government of Travancore provided tax free land and the foundation stone was laid in February 1813. The work went on very fast and classes began in March 1815. Qualified teachers to teach various subjects were also appointed. They were Maramon Palakunnathu Abraham Malpan (Syriac), Konattu Varghese Malpan (Syriac), Kozhikode Kunjan Assan (Sanskrit), Poet Laureate Chekottu Kuruvilla Assan (Malayalam) and from Kochi Mose Esarphathi (Hebrew & Greek) were
588-583: The 1990s, he called the rival parties to find a peaceful solution to the crisis. From 1978 to 1983, Ilia II was co-president of the World Council of Churches (WCC), an ecumenical organization the Georgian Orthodox Church had joined with other Soviet churches in 1962. In May 1997, a vocal group of conservative Orthodox clerics accused Ilia II of participating in "ecumenical heresy" and threatened schism. The patriarch hastily convened
630-661: The Archbishop of Mtskheta - Tbilisi and Metropolitan Bishop of Bichvinta and Tskhum-Abkhazia , His Holiness and Beatitude Ilia II." Ilia II was born 4 January 1933 as Irakli Ghudushauri-Shiolashvili ( Georgian : ირაკლი ღუდუშაური-შიოლაშვილი ) in Ordzhonikidze (modern-day Vladikavkaz), an autonomous city of North Caucasus Krai within the Russian Socialist Federative Soviet Republic , USSR . His parents came from
672-570: The Bible, which was printed in the Gorbachev era. The patriarch joined the people demonstrating in Tbilisi against the Soviet rule on 9 April 1989, and fruitlessly urged the protesters to withdraw to the nearby Kashueti Church to avoid the bloodshed. This peaceful demonstration was dispersed by the Soviet troops, leaving behind 22 dead and hundreds injured. During the civil war in Georgia in
714-800: The C.S.I Seminary (KUT) Trivandrum and the, Marthoma Seminary, Kottayam, runs the Master's and Doctoral programmes under the banner of the Federated Faculty for Research in Religion and Culture. On 21 April 2015 a postage stamp commemorating the 200 years of the Orthodox Theological Seminary was released by the President of India Pranab Mukherjee . Mar Dionysius II Mar Dionysius II , born Pulikkottil Joseph Ittoop (15 January 1742 – 24 November 1816)
756-449: The Georgian Orthodox Church released a statement signed by Ilia II congratulating the socially conservative governing party on its victory in a parliamentary election reportedly marred by fraud. In 2013, Ilia II described homosexuality as a "disease" and compared it to drug addiction. He urged the Georgian authorities to stop a gay rights rally planned for Tbilisi on 17 May 2013 to mark International Day Against Homophobia , stating that
798-754: The Holy Synod and announced withdrawal from the WCC. In 2002, the then-president of Georgia Eduard Shevardnadze and Ilia II signed a concordat whereby the Georgian Orthodox Church was granted a number of privileges, and holders of the office of patriarch were given legal immunity. As patriarch, he has received the highest Church awards from the Patriarchs of the Orthodox Churches of Antioch , Jerusalem , Alexandria , Russia , Greece , Bulgaria , Romania and almost all other Orthodox Churches. As
840-621: The Malankara Church and established the Anglican Church in Kerala. The seminary was the residence and headquarters of the Malankara Metropolitan, the chief metropolitan of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church . It was also the previous Head Quarters of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church. It continued the programme of training ordinands. Eminent Malpans (teachers of theology and liturgy) rendered service to
882-554: The Malankara Metropolitan. He then took possessions of all insignia from Mar Thoma IX from kottayam. With tears in his eyes Mar Thoma IX left the seminary premises at kottayam and retired to home parish Kadamattom palli , spending rest of the life in prayer and fasting, as a monk. He was given the episcopal title Dionysius (a Graeco-Roman name), the second bishop in the Malankara Church to get this title. Pulikottil Joseph Ittoop Ramban travelled to Kottayam and founded
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#1732772310959924-662: The Malankara Syrian Church. Patriarch Justinian of Romania , declared open the new building on 7 January 1969, during his visit to the Malankara Church. Other eminent visitors to the Seminary include Emperor Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia , Patriarch Pimen I of Moscow of Moscow and All Russia, Patriarch Ilia II of Georgia and the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I . The M. D. Orthodox Seminary, in an ecumenical collaboration with
966-541: The Queen of Travancore granted 16 acres (65,000 m) of tax-free land, Rs.20,000 and the necessary timber for the construction of the Seminary. The work started in 1813, and the building was completed and classes began in March 1815. By Munro's invitation, the Church Missionary Society (C.M.S) Missionaries arrived in Kerala, to help as teachers in the seminary. For some years the relationship between
1008-530: The ancient Pulikkottil family of Kunnamkulam . He was able to keep up the traditions, improve the knowledge of the people and decree that the assets of the Metropolitan would be assets of the Church. During his lifetime, he renovated and managed St. Mary's Orthodox Cathedral, Arthat , one of the oldest churches in Kerala , masterminded in opening of the first formal educational institution in Kerala , namely
1050-490: The death of Mar Thoma VIII, who ordained his uncle Iype Kathanar as Mar Thoma IX in the traditional manner of succession, was forced to abdicate his position and hand over charge to Joseph Mar Dionysius as he was made the supreme head of the Malankara Church by a Royal proclamation issued by the ruler of Travancore and later by the ruler of Cochin . These were under the influence of Col. John Munroe . The proclamation required every Syrian Christian of Travancore-Cochin to obey
1092-452: The decision of the meeting of the representatives from parishes at Kandanad , on 14 September 1809, Pulikkottil Joseph Ittoop Kathanar was ordained as a Ramban. It was with the support of Col. Munroe, the resident of Travancore , Pulikkottil Joseph Ittoop Ramban was ordained as bishop PulikKottil Joseph Mar Dionysius by the bishop of Thozhiyur Church , Geevarghese Mar Philexenos (Kidangan) (1811–29) on 22 March 1815. After
1134-726: The first teachers of this first education institution in Kerala . By AD 2000 Kerala became the most literate state in India. Rev. Dr. Claudius Buchanan (1766–1815) who visited Kerala in 1806, and met Mar Thoma VI. After his return to England, missionaries who were members of the Church Missionary Society (CMS) began to arrive in Kerala . Rev. Thomas Norton arrived in Kochi on 8 May 1816 and began to open schools in and around Alappuzha . Rev. Benjamin Baily arrived in October 1816 and established
1176-534: The funeral service of Russia's late Patriarch Alexy II . On 9 December 2008, he met Russia's President Dmitry Medvedev , which was the first high-level official contact between the two countries since the August war. Later, Ilia II announced that he had some "positive agreements" with Medvedev which needed "careful and diplomatic" follow-up by the politicians. In March 2023, Ilia II wrote a letter to Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I expressing "great heartache" over
1218-495: The honorary designation "Sabha-Jyothis" (Malayalam: സഭാ ജ്യോതിസ്, meaning 'light of the Church'). Ilia II of Georgia Ilia II ( Georgian : ილია II , romanized : ilia II ; born 4 January 1933), also transcribed as Ilya or Elijah , is the Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia , the spiritual leader of the Georgian Orthodox Church . He is officially styled as "Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia,
1260-409: The institution. Some of the distinguished teachers include Abraham malpan, Gheevarghese Gregorios of Parumala , Geevarghese Dionysius of Vattasseril , Konat Mathan Corepiscopa, Skaria Cheriamadam, Skaria Elavinamannil, Alexander Mattakkal, Augen Mar Timotheos (later Baselios Augen I ), V.K.Mathews (later Baselios Mar Thoma Mathews I ), Philipose Theophilus and Paulos Gregorios. In 1942, the seminary
1302-474: The late 1980s. In 1988, there were 180 priests, 40 monks, and 15 nuns for a congregation variously estimated as being from one to three million. There were 200 churches, one seminary, three convents, and four monasteries. During the last years of the Soviet Union, he was actively involved in Georgia's social life. The patriarch oversaw the publication of a linguistically updated, modern Georgian version of
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1344-487: The missionaries and the Church was one of cordial co-operation. The missionaries taught the Bible and biblical languages in the Seminary. The early principals were Benjamin Bailey and Henry Baker. After some time the relationship of the church with the later missionaries became strained as they wanted to introduce Anglican doctrines in the church which eventually led to disputes and litigation. The missionaries separated from
1386-803: The ongoing Russo-Ukrainian War and expressing his concern over the non-renewal of the right of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church , which is subordinate to the Moscow Patriarchate and is not recognized by Bartholomew, to use the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra monastery. Ilia's statement prompted criticism in Georgia, where it was interpreted by some as support for the Moscow Patriarchate and Russia. In late 2007, concerned with Georgia's declining birth rate, Ilia II offered to personally baptize any child born to
1428-423: The rally was a "violation of the majority's rights" and "an insult" to the Georgian tradition. Following his comments, thousands of Georgians, led by Georgian Orthodox priests, took to the streets of Tbilisi to protest the gay rights rally . Due to escalating violence against the rally's participants, the rally had to be abandoned, and the activists were driven in a bus to safety by the police. In his response to
1470-418: Was 10th Malankara Metropolitan for nine months until his death on 24 November 1816. He dethroned Mar Thoma IX and succeeded him by the favour of Col.John Munroe , then British Resident of Travancore . Despite the brevity of his reign he made lasting contributions to the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church . Mar Dionysius II is also known as Pulikkottil Mar Dionysius I as he was the first Metropolitan from
1512-896: Was awarded the David Guramishvili Prize . For its supporting views regarding the monarchical restoration of the House of Bagration in Georgia, Patriarch Ilia II received the Grand Collar of the Order of the Eagle of Georgia from Prince David Bagration of Mukhrani . During the August 2008 Russo-Georgian War , Ilia II appealed to the Russian political leadership and the church, expressing concerns that "the Orthodox Russians were bombing Orthodox Georgians". He also made
1554-426: Was called "the most trusted man in Georgia" by CNN in 2010, and had the highest favourability rating among Georgian politicians (94%), according to a November 2013 National Democratic Institute for International Affairs poll. Ilia II has a reputation as a proponent of constitutional monarchy as a form of government for Georgia. On 7 October 2007, he publicly called in a sermon for consideration of establishing
1596-479: Was consecrated as the bishop of Tskhumi and Abkhazeti and elevated to the rank of metropolitan in 1969. After the death of the controversial Patriarch David V , he was elected the new Catholicos-Patriarch of Georgia on 25 December 1977. The new patriarch began a course of reforms, enabling the Georgian Orthodox Church, once suppressed by the Soviet ideology, to largely regain its former influence and prestige by
1638-477: Was killed inside the sanctuary . Witnessing all these atrocities Pulikkottil Joseph Kathanar had no other option but to hide inside the church. A large number of refugees left Arthat and settled in Kunnamkulam under the leadership of Joseph Kathanar. After Tippu Sultan left, Joseph Kathanar returned to the parish and renovated the church, removing that area of the sanctuary where the man was killed. As per
1680-495: Was modernized. A systematised course of studies was introduced. A new generation of qualified professors of theology and biblical studies took responsibility for running the Seminary. Classes and students' residence were moved to the new buildings in the campus of the M.D. Seminary at Kottayam. When the Malankara Metropolitan moved his residence from the old seminary to the present site in Devalokam, Kottayam , theological education
1722-592: Was once again brought back to the old seminary. In 1964, the seminary became affiliated to the Serampore University for its B.D. degree course. In 1965, the 150th year of its founding, was celebrated in the presence of ecclesiastical dignitaries and church leaders. The foundation stone of the new building was laid by Vasken I , Supreme Catholicos of the Armenian Apostolic Church of Etchmiadzin on 23 December 1963 during his visit to
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1764-458: Was ordained as a priest by Mar Thoma VI and was known as Pulikkottil Joseph Ittoop Kathanar. He was the vicar of his parish, Chattukulangara Arthat church. Mysore ruler Tippu Sultan invaded Guruvayur and adjacent areas, in AD 1789. The people of Kunnamkulam defended the attack with all their effort. The soldiers of Tippu Sultan set fire on Arthat church and murdered a number of people. One of them
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