Mor Ostatheos Sleebo, Kunnamkulam (+1930)

Mor Ostatheos Sleebo, Kunnamkulam (+1930)

March 19th is the commemoration of the dukhrono of St. Osthatheos Sleebo Abakar +1930 according to the Liturgical Calendar of the Syriac Orthodox Church. He was the Patriarchal Delegate of the Holy Apostolic See of Antioch to Malankara from 1908 till he reposed. Sleebo was born on January 1st 1854, in the village of 'Kfarzo' near Amid in south-east Turkey. He belonged to the 'Abaker' family, his father was Salbi & mother Nabuna. When he was only 3 years old his father passed away. A few years later his two brothers & two sisters also died of a deadly disease. Only Saliba, his mother & one sister survived the epidemic. In 1880 he was ordained Quroyo by late Mor Athanasius Shemavun, he accompanied Mor Athanasius the then Delegate of the Apostolic See of Antioch to Malankara in January of 1881. Mor Athanasius was sent by Patriarch Ignatius Peter IV at the request of the faithful in India who were facing the creeping influence of the Protestant reformation movement sponsored by the British CMS. At the time, Old Seminary & Cheriyapally Kottayam were controlled by the Protestants, so Mor Athanasius Shemavun established Puthenpally for the Jacobite faithful. Sadly, in June of the same year Mor Athanasius passed away, & was entombed in Puthenpally. This was heartbreaking for Sleebo who felt alone in a foreign land. However, he was strengthened by his faith in the Lord. Sleebo formed a close fraternity with St. Gregorios Geevarghese Chathuruthil. He accompanied St. Gregorios on his trip to the Holy Land, providing great assistance during the pilgrimage. When Mor Gregorios reposed in the Lord, it was another saddening moment in Sleebo's life. Dn. Sleebo spent 25 years in Malankara, preaching & ministering to the Syriac Orthodox faithful. The famous Manalpuram Convention (which started few years before Maramon) was one of the venues of his eloquent speeches. He then returned to the Middle East in 1906 accompanied by Dn. Mathai (later Catholicos Augen I). The two would be in Dayro d-Mor Mattai Nineveh for some time. Sleebo was ordained Raban followed by Qashisho. In March 1908, the thrice blessed late Patriarch HH Moran Mor Ignatius Abde d-Aloho II Sattuf of blessed memory consecrated Qashisho Sleebo as Metropolitan with the title Osthatheos at the church of the 40 Martyrs in Mosul. Mor Osthatheos Sleebo was appointed the new delegate of the Apostolic See of Antioch to Malankara. In the same year, Mor Ignatius Abde d-Aloho II consecrated St. Coorilos Paulose Kochuparambil & Mor Dionysius Geevarghese Vattasseril. The 3 Metropolitans accompanied by Raban Augen returned to Malankara. Not long after a major schism started in Malankara. Following the autocratic style of functioning & his disobedience of Church laws, Vattasseril Mor Dionysius the Malankara Metropolitan was excommunicated (the excommunication would be later lifted by St. Ignatius Elias III Patriarch). Mor Osthatheos was instrumental in strengthening the faithful to remain steadfast in allegiance to the Holy Throne of Antioch. In Kunamkulam, St. Mary's Valiyapally was the centre of dispute between the faithful Jacobites & the schismatics who sadly strengthened their grip. At the behest of Mor Osthatheos, the faithful donated land in deed to the Patriarch to establish a new church. The foundation stone of Arthat St. Mary's Simhasana Church was laid by St. Osthatheos Sleebo on October 9th 1920. Mor Osthatheos also established St. Mary's Church Vaduvacode. The Holy Relics of St. Qawmo were enshrined in these churches, bringing blessings to the believers. Even in the midst of hardships, Mor Osthatheos remained devoted to prayer & fasting, his saintliness being observed by all whom he encountered. His books originally written in Syriac were translated into Malayalam. After serving the Holy Church for decades, Mor Osthatheos Sleebo Abakar reposed in the Lord on March 19th 1930 & his mortal remains were interred at St. Mary's Simhasana Church Arthat, Kunamkulam. In April 2000 vis Patriarchal Apostolic Bull No. E 71/00, the thrice blessed late Patriarch HH Moran Mor Ignatius Zakka I Iwas of blessed memory declared Mor Osthatheos Sleebo as a saint. In September 2008 Mor Ignatius Zakka granted permission to recite the name of St. Osthatheos Sleebo in the 5th Dypthic (Thubden d-Qadishe) of the Holy Qurbono. Biography courtesy of, 'Martyrs, Saints and Prelates of the Syriac Orthodox Church' and Syriac Christianity website Oh Mor Osthatheos Sleebo! Plead for us before God's throne of grace. Amen. For full biography: https://goo.gl/zf14KG