Baby Varghese, () born in India, is a

Malankara Orthodox The Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church (MOSC) also known as the Indian Orthodox Church (IOC) or simply as the Malankara Church, is an autocephalous Oriental Orthodox church headquartered in Devalokam, near Kottayam, India. The church serve ...

priest and a Church historian and scholar in Syriac Liturgical Theology.

Education

After graduating from CMS College in Kottayam, Varghese joined Orthodox Theological Seminary in Kottayam. He earned his

bachelor's degree A bachelor's degree (from Middle Latin ''baccalaureus'') or baccalaureate (from Modern Latin ''baccalaureatus'') is an undergraduate academic degree awarded by colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study lasting three to six ...

in divinity from Serampore University with first class and first rank. In 1981, he earned his

doctorate of theology Doctor of Theology ( la, Doctor Theologiae, abbreviated DTh, ThD, DTheol, or Dr. theol.) is a terminal degree in the academic discipline of theology. The ThD, like the ecclesiastical Doctor of Sacred Theology, is an advanced research degree equ ...

from the

Catholic University of Paris The Institut Catholique de Paris (ICP), known in English as the Catholic University of Paris (and in Latin as ''Universitas catholica Parisiensis''), is a private university located in Paris, France. History: 1875–present The Institut Catholiq ...

. Four years later he earned his Ph.D. in liturgical studies at the University of Paris - Sorbonne in 1985 Varghese has also earned a Syriac diploma from

École pratique des hautes études The École pratique des hautes études (), abbreviated EPHE, is a Grand Établissement in Paris, France. It is highly selective, and counted among France's most prestigious research and higher education institutions. It is a constituent college o ...

Career

Varghese is a professor of Theology at

St. Thomas Orthodox Theological Seminary, Nagpur St. Thomas Orthodox Theological Seminary is a seminary of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church in Nagpur, India. History Launching of the seminary The Old Seminary at Kottayam, founded in 1815, contributed much to the development of the Malank ...

, a

professor emeritus ''Emeritus'' (; female: ''emerita'') is an adjective used to designate a retired chair, professor, pastor, bishop, pope, director, president, prime minister, rabbi, emperor, or other person who has been "permitted to retain as an honorary title ...

at Orthodox Theological Seminary, Kottayam, and a professor of Syriac studies at St. Ephrem Ecumenical Research Institute (SEERI). He is a research guide in Syriac studies at Mahatma Gandhi University. Baby Varghese is a priest of the

Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church The Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church (MOSC) also known as the Indian Orthodox Church (IOC) or simply as the Malankara Church, is an autocephalous Oriental Orthodox church headquartered in Devalokam, near Kottayam, India. The church serves ...

(Indian Orthodox Church) and serves in the Kottayam Orthodox diocese. He has written various books regarding West Syriac Christianity and translated many commentaries of the

early Church fathers The Church Fathers, Early Church Fathers, Christian Fathers, or Fathers of the Church were ancient and influential Christian theologians and writers who established the intellectual and doctrinal foundations of Christianity. The historical per ...

, Orthodox prayers, and sacraments of the Church.

Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church publications

There are numerous efforts performed by Baby Varghese in the field of translating books from Syriac to English. Under the authority of the Malankara Orthodox Church Publications (MOC Publications) and with the blessings of the MOC Publications President, Thomas Mar Athanasius, Varghese has translated the Order of the Prayers on Good Friday book, Prayers of the Great Lent, Prayers of the Holy Week, and the Promioun - Sedro of the Holy Week. In the Promioun - Sedro of the Holy Week, Athanasius' preface message praised Varghese saying:

Malankara Orthodox Syrian delegation

In 2009, Varghese participated in the Joint Commission for Dialogue between the

Catholic Church The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

and the

. The delegation of the Malankara Church consisted of: Metropolitan Gabriel Mar Gregorios (co-chair), Metropolitan Thomas Mar Athanasius; Baby Varghese; Johns Abraham Konat; Sabu Kuriakose; Abraham Thomas; Fr. O. Thomas and John Mathews (co-secretary). Varghese presented some reflections on the Anointing of the Sick and its administration to those outside the Orthodox belief.

Awards

Varghese is a recipient of the: * Alexander Von Humboldt Fellowship ( Free University in Berlin) * Burke Fellowship ( Union Theological Seminary) * ISM Fellowship and Visiting Professor (

Yale University Yale University is a Private university, private research university in New Haven, Connecticut. Established in 1701 as the Collegiate School, it is the List of Colonial Colleges, third-oldest institution of higher education in the United Sta ...

)

Works

Baby Varghese has published books, commentaries and translation through SEERI and Gorgias Press. Some of his more popular works are included below. * Varghese, B. (1989). Les onctions baptismales dans la tradition syrienne. Belgium: Universitatis Catholicae Americae. * Varghese, B. (2004). West Syrian Liturgical Theology. United Kingdom: Ashgate. * Varghese, B. (2009). The Syriac Version of the Liturgy of St James: A Brief History for Students. United States: Gorgias Press, LLC. * The Commentary of Dionysius Bar Salibi on the Eucharist. (2011). United States: Gorgias Press, LLC. * Varghese, B. (2012). Baptism and Chrismation in the Syriac Tradition. United States: Gorgias Press LLC. * The Commentary of John of Dara on the Eucharist (Moran Etho). * Varghese, B. (2020). George, Bishop of the Arabs: Homily on the Consecration of Myron: Gorgias Press, LLC.

References

External links

Fr. Baby Varghese's public blog
{{DEFAULTSORT:Varghese, Baby Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church Christians Indian Christian theologians Syriac Christianity Syrian writers Indian Oriental Orthodox Christians 21st-century Oriental Orthodox Christians Living people Liturgists Institut Catholique de Paris alumni Paris-Sorbonne University alumni Syriacists Patristic scholars Indian scholars Year of birth missing (living people)