H.G. Alexious Mar Theodosious OIC (1888 - 1965)
H.G. Alexious Mar Theodosious OIC was born on August 28TH 1888 in the Mattackal family – Niranam, as the son of Mathai and Kunjadamma and was called as Chandikunju. He was the Great Champion of Orthodoxy and Spokesman of Autocephale.
H.G. Alexious Mar Theodosious OIC was known as Aboona Alexious and commonly called as the same. He strongly argued that the church must be autocephalous and synodical. He was the first to use the term “AUTOCEPHALOUS CHURCH” in the history of the Malankara Orthodox Church. According to him, there was no compromise with truth and the orthodoxy of the church. He insisted on it, and proved his words through the Chingavanam and Aluva peace conference. He walked out and declared that “Even though I may be buried as a dog, I will never side with this conference”. That was his strong conviction. He never went astray from his conviction that was the conviction of his spiritual Guru Vattasseril Thirumeni also. H.G. Alexious Mar Theodosious OIC was a great ascetic, a man of prayer and he was a well known retreat father. He is a model to all generation in matters such as vigilance and dedication in spriritual affairs. “The depth of man’s religion is measured by the range of his intercession” – This was his favourite saying. Always he quoted St.John “Children love one another”.Really this is a (life) message to each one of us.
He was the first ecclesiast who represented our church in the ecumenical endeavours, especially in the “World Council of Church” and the “Faith and order” conferences. Mar Theodosious used to say in his conversations and writings. “I am open to correction, prove me that I am wrong in my conviction, then I will do as you say, I don’t wish to go down in history as a bishop who was betrayed the independence of the Malankara Orthodox Church”. That is why the delegates from the Russian Orthodox Church told H.G. Alexious Mar Theodosious in the first conference of the W.C.C at Amsterdam” Oh! you are really more Orthodox than we”. He always used to say “Only a converted man can convert another man. Only a converted church can convert the world”. There was not a single person equal to Mar Theodosious to teach the precious faith and unique quality of Orthodoxy. According to him, the Orthodox faith is true, pure and straight. If any one asks what is orthodoxy or Orthodox faith, we can say with confidence that is the faith of Mar Theodosious.