Mar Thoma III

Mar Thoma III
Malankara Syrian Church
Installed	1686
Term ended	22 April 1688
Predecessor	Mar Thoma II
Successor	Mar Thoma IV
Personal details
Died	21 April 1688 Kadampanad
Buried	Kadampanad Valiyapally (St.Thomas Orthodox Cathedral)

Mar Thoma III was the third metropolitan bishop who was the Malankara Metropolitan of Malankara Church in India from 1686 to 1688. His leadership was only for a short time.

On the southwestern coast of India lies a small state known as Kerala. It was here in the first century, Thomas the Apostle arrived to preach the gospel.Some of the Jews and locals became followers of Jesus of Nazareth. They were known as Malabar Nasrani people and their church as Malankara Church. They followed a unique Hebrew-Syriac Christian tradition which included several Jewish elements and Indian customs.

Kuravilangad is a town located in the Kottayam district of Kerala, South India. The town is situated in the Meenachil Taluk, about 22 km north of Kottayam. Pakalomattom family was one of the oldest families at Kuravilangad. The third Mar Thoma was from this family. He grew up as a man of prayer.

Mar Thoma II died suddenly on 14 April 1686, and he was buried inside Niranam church. The leaders of the Malankara Church selected Mar Thoma III as his successor. At that time Mar Ivanios Hidayuttulla who arrived in Kerala in 1685 was the only bishop in Malankara. So Mar Ivanios consecrated Mar Thoma in 1686.

Malankara church had comparatively a peaceful time during his tenure. It was during this time some members of Karingachira parish joined the Catholics. But majority of them supported Mar Thoma III and rejected the authority of Roman bishop Joseph Sebastani.

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