Mor Baselios Joseph ( Syr: ܡܳܪܝ̱ ܒܰܣܺܝܠܺܝܳܘܣ ܝܰܘܣܶܦ݂; Mal: മോർ ബസേലിയോസ് ജോസഫ്; Born 10 November 1960) is the current

Catholicos of India The Catholicos of India, also referred to as the Catholicos of the East or the Maphrian is the head of the Jacobite Syrian Christian Church. He is ordained by the Syriac Orthodox Antiochian patriarch and functions within the Syriac Orthodox C ...

( Maphrian of the East) of the Malankara Syriac Orthodox Church. He also serves as the Metropolitan of the Kochi Diocese and Angamali Diocese He was elevated to the position of Catholicos on March 25, 2025 at St. Mary's Cathedral, Atchaneh,

Lebanon Lebanon, officially the Republic of Lebanon, is a country in the Levant region of West Asia. Situated at the crossroads of the Mediterranean Basin and the Arabian Peninsula, it is bordered by Syria to the north and east, Israel to the south ...

in a service presided by

Ignatius Aphrem II Mor Ignatius Aphrem II (born 3 May 1965 as Sa'id Karim; ) is a Syrian-American Christian prelate who is serving as the Patriarch of the Syriac Orthodox Church since 29 May 2014. Born and raised in Qamishili, Syria, Karim took the vows of a ...

Early years

Joseph "Jose" was born in Perumpilly,

Kerala Kerala ( , ) is a States and union territories of India, state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile ...

as the youngest of four children to Srambikkal Pallithitta Geevarghese and Saramma. Joseph had his primary education at Perumpilly Primary School and his high school education from Mulanthuruthy High School.

Early Service

On 25 March 1974, at the age of 13, Joseph was ordained a deacon by Mor Gregorios Geevarghese of Perumpally at Mor Ignatius Dayro, Manjinikkara. He later served as the secretary to Mor Gregorios for several years. He pursued pre-degree and undergraduate studies at

Maharaja's College, Ernakulam The Maharaja's College is a Public university, government college located in the city of Kochi in Kerala, India. Established in 1875, it is one of the oldest colleges in India. Located in the heart of the city, the college campus is spread ov ...

, before joining Mor Julius Seminary, Perumpally, for theological studies. On 25 March 1984, Joseph was ordained a priest at Marthoman Church, Mulanthuruthy, by Mor Baselios Paulose II. He went on to earn a master's degree in philosophy from

Trinity College, Dublin Trinity College Dublin (), officially titled The College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth near Dublin, and legally incorporated as Trinity College, the University of Dublin (TCD), is the sole constituent college of the Univ ...

, and pursued further theological studies in the United States, where he also served as the vicar of multiple churches. He was ordained as Dayroyo by Ignatius Zakka I Iwas in Damascus on 15 January 1994.

Metropolitan of Kochi

On 16 January 1994, Fr. Joseph Ramban was consecrated as Mor Gregorios Joseph, the Metropolitan of the Kochi Diocese, by Ignatius Zakka I Iwas, the Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, at Damascus. He formally assumed the office after the Sunthroniso (enthronement) ceremony at Kyomtha Cathedral, Thiruvankulam, on 23 January 1994. Joseph served as the President of the Malankara Jacobite Syrian Sunday School Association (MJSSA) from 1996 to 2002. He was also instrumental in initiating several orphanages and educational projects. In 2019, he was elected as the Metropolitan Trustee of the Jacobite Syrian Christian Association, following the resignation of Catholicos Baselios Thomas I from administrative duties. In 2023, Patriarch

bestowed upon him the title of Malankara Metropolitan. He also served as Catholicos Assistant to Baselios Thomas I until his passing in 2024.

Catholicos of India

Following the passing away of Baselios Thomas I, Gregorios Joseph was unanimously elected as the Catholicos of India. He was elevated as

on 25 March 2025, at St. Mary's Cathedral, Atchaneh, Lebanon with the name Baselios Joseph. He was enthroned on 30 March 2025, at Mar Athanasius Cathedral, Puthencruz.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Baselios, Joseph Mor 1960 births Living people Syriac Orthodox Church bishops Indian Oriental Orthodox Christians Christian clergy from Ernakulam district Alumni of Trinity College Dublin