There are some people, whom if they were not there, history would have been totally different. Had Vattasseril Thirumeni not been there, or had he not taken the stance that he took, the history of the Malankara Church may have looked different. If it wasn’t for his bravery and courage the Church of Malankara would have ended up being subdued to a foreign Church.
He was born on October 31, 1858 as the youngest son of Vattasseril Ouseph and Eliamma, in Vattasseril Family at Mallappally, Pathanamthitta. He was given the baptismal name Geevarghese. Geevarghese’s eldest brother Philipose was an unmarried Priest. But he passed away just seven years after his ordination. Despite their grief on the loss of their eldest son who was offered for God’s service, two years after his demise, those parents offered their youngest son, Geevarghese, for the service of the Lord. It should have been this dedication and faith of his parents that inspired Geevarghese. Geevarghese completed his primary education in Asan Schools (Asan Pallikoodam), which is similar to the old Gurukul education system. He teachers were Mallappally Valiyaveetil Asan and Kottuvalanjil Chacko Asan. He then joined the CMS Middle School in Mallappally and completed Middle School. He then joined CMS College, Kottayam for High School. But he couldn’t continue his education there, as at the age of 18, he was ordained as Deacon by the visiting Patriarch Peter III at Puthupally Church. Immediately after getting ordained he joined Old Seminary for his theological education. Despite not being able to complete his high school education he could read and write in English and to a certain extent speak in English also. It was in no way possible for someone who does not know English to conduct Vattipanam Case in the courts which were dominated by British personnel in those days. For over one and half years he served as the Secretary of Abdulla Gregorios Metropolitan (Abdulla Patriarch) who visited Malankara along with Patriarch Peter III. During their time together, Deacon Geevarghese was able to learn Syriac from Metropolitan Abdulla Gregorios. Due to this relationship he knew everything about the latter, which helped him in dealing with him during turmoil in 1911-12. He later learned Syriac from Parumala Thirumeni and also from Paulose Mar Ivanios (Catholicose Paulose I), Metropolitan of Kandanad. He also knew Tamil and Sanskrit languages. He also gained knowledge in Church canons, Theology and Church history. He served as the secretary to Parumala Thirumeni, which gave him the opportunity to visit many parishes along with Thirumeni. In the year 1880, he was ordained as Priest by Parumala Thirumeni.
He was designated as Malankara Malpan in 1881. It is to be noted that the title of Malankara Malpan was given to him just five years after he started theological education. He, at the age of 23, was the youngest person to be given the designation. This speaks volumes of the knowledge that he had with a short time of education. He served in Parumala Seminary teaching deacons along with Parumala Thirumeni. It was during this time he came out with his exemplary work, Mathopadesha Sarangal, which even now serves as a hand book for faith. It was written at a time when no other reference books were available. He also wrote Suriyani Padangal, a book to learn Syriac language. Fr (Dr) V C Samuel in book “Truth Triumphs” testifies how he was able to learn Syriac without the help of a tutor using the same book. He also used his knowledge to translate the liturgical prayers into Malayalam along with Konaattu Mathen Malpan, Kandathil Varughese Mappilai and Kottarathil Sankunni. Until he was ordained as metropolitan in 1908, he served as Manager of Parumala Seminary. The other Church institutions where he served were Old Seminary, MD Seminary and Vettickal Dayara. In 1903, he was appointed as Principal of MD Seminary School.
Pulikottil Thirumeni had seen his successor in Parumala Thirumeni. But due to Parumala Thirumeni’s unfortunate demise in 1902, he needed to find someone suitable to be the next Malankara Metropolitan. The search ended in Vattasseril Geevarghese Malpan. On the 1st feast day of Parumala Thirumeni, Vattasseril Geevarghese Malpan was professed Remban in Parumala Seminary. Pulikottil Thirumeni knew that Vattasseril Remban was more than capable of being his successor. He was the workhouse behind many of Pulikottil Thirumeni’s endeavors like Mahajanasabha, the lottery and Vaidikasangam. His works as manager in Old Seminary and MD Seminary was appreciated by everyone. His knowledge and efficiency has captured the minds of everyone in the Church. Hence in the year 1903, he along with Kochuparambil Paulose Remban was elected to Episcopate by the Malankara Association. Vattasseril Remban was also chosen as the successor of the Malankara Metropolitan. In the year 1908, both the Rembans went to Jerusalem and got ordained, by the hands of Patriarch Abdulla. Vattasseril Remban was given the name Dionysius, which was the name used by Malankara Metropolitans. In 1909, when Malankara Metropolitan Pulikottil Thirumeni passed away, Vattasseril Geevarghese Mar Dionysius who was already elected, was elevated as Malankara Metropolitan. In the same year Patriarch Abdulla came to Malankara. His intention was to bring the entire Malankara Church under his control, by claiming temporal authority which never existed before. Earlier the Royal Court verdict of 1889, judged that the Patriarch of Antioch has only spiritual authority. Hence the Patriarch tried to collect registered deeds from parishes, clergy and bishop aspirants. Some of them gave registered deeds either because of fear of excommunication, or for in exchange of positions and honours. But soon the Patriarch understood that he cannot bring the Malankara Church under control until Malankara Metropolitan Mar Dionysius submits a registered deed. He tried to get the deed signed from Vattasseril Thirumeni, but Thirumeni strongly denied it and declared that the Patriarch is only a spiritual overseer and the temporal authority in the Malankara Church rests in the hands of the Malankara Metropolitan. The Patriarch tried to persuade Vattasseril Thirumeni by way of offers and by of a threats. But he didn’t budge. The angered Patriarch issued a bull excommunicating Vattasseril Thirumeni in 1911. Later every major court to which the litigations went declared that the bull issued was illegal and uncanonical. The excommunication of Vattasseril Thirumeni led to the Church being split into two factions one supporting the Patriarch, known as the Patriarch Faction and other supporting the Metropolitan, known as the Metran Faction.
The visionary in Vattasseril Thirumeni knew that the Patriarch Abdulla bargained with the Malankara Church on the basis of their spiritual authority, and there could be such threats in the future also. Hence he knew that it was necessary to have a spiritual authority to take care of the spiritual needs of the people in Malankara. Hence with the permission of the concerned bodies, the Church invited the senior Patriarch Abded Messiah in 1912, and re established the Catholicate in Malankara in 1912. Mar Ivanios Metropolitan of Kandanad Diocese was elevated as the first Catholicose. The split in 1911 led to numerous cases in a many courts. Vattasseril Thirumeni, who ensured that cases are conducted smoothly, at the same time looked out for peaceful settlements outside court. Because of his earnest desire for peace he set sails to Mardene even in his old age to meet with then Patriarch Elias III. However that journey wasn’t successful.
By 1929, Vattasseril Thirumeni triumphed in all the cases in which he was a party to. He then focused his energy on the spiritual growth of the Malankara Church. He was in the forefront of starting the Bethany Ashram and the Tadagam Ashram. He also encouraged the growth of Syrian Students Movement (present MGOCSM). He encouraged and mentored many, who became future leaders of the Church. He also initiated the preparation of a constitution for the Malankara Church. The same was passed after his death in 1934. His prayer life is often not talked about. He led a prayer life at par of his guru Parumala Thirumeni. Once when a goon who was paid to kill Thirumeni climbed upto the window of Thirumeni’s room in midnight, he found Thirumeni in his knees, praying. He testified in court that despite his numerous attempts he could never enter Thirumeni’s room as he felt that some force was pushing the ladder away. Vattasseril Thirumeni passed away from this world on February 23rd 1934 and was buried in Old Seminary Chapel, Kottayam.
There are still a lot of people who don’t understand his contributions and see him as someone who has created problems in Malankara and conducted litigations. Vattasseril Thirumeni stood against Patriarch Abdulla and didn’t sign the deed not because he feared loss of power, as accused by many of his detractors. Even if he had signed the deed, he could have enjoyed the status of Metropolitan and even more, but the faithful in Malankara would have been enslaved under a foreign church all these years. He went through all the hardship for the freedom of the Church and its future generations.
C K Kochukoshy in his book “Dheerodatha Vishudhan”, says that Vattasseril Thirumeni has the same status in Malankara Church that Mahatma Gandhi had in whole of India. That is why without official declaration from the Church, he is known as the Malankara Sabha Bhasuran.
- Kiran Raj, Hyderabad