Mar Thoma II +1686

Mar Thoma II +1686

April 13th is the anniversary of the demise Mar Thoma II +1686. Mar Thoma II was the second native-born Metropolitan of the Malankara Jacobite Syrian Church after the Koonan Kurishu Sathyam of 1653. He was consecrated in 1670 by his predecessor Mar Thoma I & by St. Gregorios Abdul Jaleel the honorary Patriarch of Jerusalem, & the Patriarchal representative of the Holy Apostolic See of Antioch to Malankara. It was Mar Thoma II who requested the Patriarch of Antioch and all the East Mor Ignatius Abdul Messih I to help strengthen the faith of the Syriac Orthodox faithful in India during a period of great turbulence. Upon receiving this request, St. Baselios Yeldho Maphriyano was sent to Malankara. Not much is known about the life of Mar Thoma II. After serving the Holy Church for 16 years, Mar Thoma II departed for the heavenly abode on April 13th 1686. His mortal remains were interred in St. Mary's Valiyapally Niranam. Biography courtesy of Syriac Christianity website. Illustration of Mar Thoma only for artistic purposes. Oh Mar Thoma II! Plead for us before God's throne of grace. Amen. http://www.syriacchristianity.info/bio/MorThomaII.htm