Mathews Mar Koorilose VIII

Malabar Independent Syrian Church[1]

Misc official website

The general body met on 11 December 1977 and elected Fr. K.I. Mathew to fill the gap. The election took place in the presence of Dr. Thomas Mar Athanasios Episcopa of the sister church at the request of the Church Council. Fr. Mathew belonged to the well¬ known Koothoor family of Kottapadi which had already given two bishops to the Church of Thozhiyur, Geeverghese Mar Koorilose -III and Kuriakose Mar Koorilose -I.

He was also the nephew of Cheeran Geeverghese Mar Koorilose -VII. Fr. Mathew had worked as a teacher and a parish priest before his election to the higher office. On 18January 1978 he was consecrated as Mar Koorilose -VIII by Dr. Alexander Mar Thoma, Metropolitan of the sister church, with the assistance of Dr. Thomas Mar Athanasios Episcopa, Dr. Joseph Mar Irenaeus Episcopa and Easow Mar Timotheos Episcopa.

The expansion of the Church outside Kerala was the outstanding land mark of this period, as till then the Church had been confined to Kerala alone. In 1974 the members residing in Madras purchased a plot for the construction of a church near the B. & C. Mill at Perambur. The construction was delayed due to the national emergency and lack of funds, but providentially Sri John Peter, a philanthropist and well-wisher of the Church, put up a small but beautiful church at his own expense on that plot. On 11 January 1981 the church was consecrated and at a meeting held after the service the key was handed over to the Metropolitan.