Metropolitan Mar Barnabas Mathews buried

Metropolitan Mathews Mar Barnabas at his funeral.
Orthodox Syriac hierarchs are buried sitting on their
cathedrae. Photo: orthodoxchurch.in

KOTTAYAM (KERALA, INDIA): The senior Metropolitan of the Holy Episcopal synod of the Orthodox Syrian Church of the East and Metropolitan emeritus of North-East American Diocese Mathews Mar Barnabas (89), was buried on Wednesday, Dec. 12, 2012 at St. Peter's and St. Paul's Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church, Valayanchirangara, near Perumbavoor, in the district of Ernakulam in Kerala. Catholicos His Holiness Moran Mar Baselius Mar Thoma Paulose II of the East led the service in the presence of bishops of the Indian Church and thousands of people from across the State.

Mathews Mar Barnabas died on Sunday, December 09 aged 88 at the Pushpagiri Hospital in Thiruvalla. The metropolitan, who lived a very ascetic life, has been leading a retired life at the Mar Kuriakose Dayara, Pampady, after retiring as head of the North American diocese. He has been suffering from age-related illness and undergoing treatment at a private medical college in Thiruvalla for the past many months. The end came in the hospital.

In 1982 he was appointed as the metropolitan of the newly formed Idikki Diocese. In 1992, Mathews Mar Barnabas was appointed as the diocesan metropolitan of American Diocese.

In 2011, Mathews Mar Barnabas was relieved of administrative responsibilities as diocesan metropolitan of the Northeast American Diocese due to his ailing health.