Priesthood He was ordained as a
deacon in 1976 and then as a
priest in 1978 by
Baselios Mathews I. In 1994, he was consecrated as a metropolitan of the
Diocese of Kandanad West. He has also served as the assistant metropolitan of the
Diocese of Idukki and is currently serving as the Metropolitan of Idukki since 2019. He has been a teacher at Orthodox Theological Seminary, Kottayam, since 1984. He has taught Christology in the graduate and post-graduate levels while guiding a number of doctoral theses. He has authored several scholarly books and articles in the field of Theology. He has also served as the Executive Secretary to the Holy Episcopal Synod. The Holy Episcopal synod held at
Devalokam Aramana nominated him as the successor to the Catholicos of the East & Malankara Metropolitan on 16 September 2021. Mar Pachomios Charitable Society, formed in the memory of his predecessor Joseph Mar Pachomios, Metropolitan of Kandanad, runs over a dozen charitable projects including; Pratheeksha Bhavan, Prasanthi Bhavan, Prathyasa Bhavan, Pradanam Centre, Pramodam Project, Prasannam Bhavan, Prakasam Institute of Special Education and Prathibha Products.
Catholicos of the East and Malankara Metropolitan In October 2021, the Holy Synod and Managing committee designated him as the new Malankara Metropolitan and Catholicos of Malankara Church, succeeding
Baselios Marthoma Paulose II, who died in July 2021. He was enthroned as the 22nd
Malankara Metropolitan during the Malankara Association that took place on 14 October 2021 at
St. Peter and St. Paul's Church, Parumala. He was enthroned as Catholicos of the Apostolic
Throne of Saint Thomas on 15 October 2021 by the Holy Synod of Malankara Church. The chief celebrant of the enthronement service and Holy Eucharist was Kuriakose Mar Clemis who is the senior metropolitan of Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church. Cardinal
Mar George Alenchery inaugurated a meeting held to congratulate the new head of the church. Panakkad Syed Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal, Cardinal Mar Cleemis, Suffragan Metropolitan Euyakim Mar Coorilos, Bishop Selvister Ponnumuthan, Bishop Awgin Kuriakose, Yuhanon Mar Diascoros Metropolitan, minister V N Vasavan, among others spoke during the meeting. Felicitation letters from
Patriarch Kirill, the supreme head of
Russian Orthodox Church, and other International Ecumenical heads was also read on the occasion. Fr Alexander Kurien also conveyed wishes from the US
President Joe Biden and presented a memento from the
White House.
Episcopal Consecrations Mathews III consecrated seven metropolitan bishops at
St. Mary’s Orthodox Cathedral, Pazhanji on 28 July 2022. The metropolitans are
Abraham Stephanos,
Thomas Ivanios,
Geevarghese Theophilos,
Geevarghese Philexinos,
Geevarghese Pachomios,
Geevarghese Barnabas and Zacharias Severios.
Consecration of Holy Chrism On 27 March, 2026, the Chrism (the anointing oil known as Myron/Mooron) was consecrated by Mathews III at the
Catholicate Aramana Chapel. The ceremony was concelebrated by the metropolitans of the Episcopal Synod along with visiting archbishops from the
Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church and the
Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo Church, and attended by the
Russian Orthodox Church. == International Visits and Ecumenical Meetings ==