Geevarghese Mar Dionysius of Vattasseril
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മലങ്കര സഭാ ഭാസുരൻ The Great Luminary of Malankara Church Saint Geevarghese Mar Dionysius of Vattasseril (Dionysius VI) Malankara Metropolitan |
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| Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church | |
St. Dionysius of Malankara
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| Church | Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church |
| Installed | 1909 |
| Term ended | 1934 |
| Predecessor | Pulikkottil Joseph Mar Dionysious II(Marthoma XV) |
| Successor | Baselios Geevarghese II(Marthoma XVII) |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | 18 January 1880 |
| Consecration | 31 May 1908 |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 31 October 1858 Mallapally |
| Died | 23 February 1934 (aged 75) Kottayam |
| Buried | Old Seminary, Kottayam |
| Nationality | Indian |
Saint Geevarghese Mar Dionysius of Vattasseril, born Geevarghese (31 October 1858 – 23 February, 1934) was the Malankara Metropolitan (primate) of the Indian Orthodox Church. Vattasseril Geevarghese Mar Dionysius is popularly known as "Malankara Sabha Bhaasuran" (Malayalam: മലങ്കര സഭാ ഭാസുരൻ, meaning 'The Great Luminary of Malankara Church'), a title which the Church bestowed on him in recognition of his contribution to Malankara Orthodox Church. Vattasseril Thirumeni was a man of prayer, determination and dynamism. He was the greatest advocate of sovereignty and autonomy of the Indian Orthodox Church.
Geevarghese was born in Vattasseril family, the fifth child of Joseph Vattasseril of Mallappally and Aleyamma, Kolathu Kalathil of Kurichy, on 31 October 1858. Among his siblings, Ouseph Punnoose was also a priest. Following his elementary education at C. M. S. Middle School in Mallappally he completed his high school education from C. M. S. High School, Kottayam. On 12 October 1876, while still a high school student, he was ordained as a sub-deacon by Patriarch of Antioch Ignatius Peter III at Puthuppally St. George Church.
He studied at the Orthodox Theological Seminary (Old Seminary or Pazhaya Seminary), Kottayam for four years. He acted as the secretary to Mar Gregorios Geevarghese of Parumala. Geevarghese soon became a great Syriac scholar under the careful tutelage of St. Gregorios, who taught him at Parumala Seminary. He also learned Theology and Syriac language from Metropolitan Paulose Mar Ivanios at Vettikkal Dayara. On 16 October 1879, the sub-deacon Geevarghese was ordained as a full deacon and on 18 January 1880 he was ordained to priesthood by St. Gregorios himself. For some time, Fr. Geevarghese oversaw the theological education at Parumala Seminary. As per the existing tradition, he had been ordained for Parumala Seminary. During the period 1881–1908 he was the manager of the Seminary. In 1895, Fr. Geevarghese accompanied St. Gregorios on his visit to the Holy Land.
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