Abraham Mar Thoma XVII (born Maret Ninan Abraham; 30 October 1879 – 1 September 1947) was the Metropolitan of the Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian Church from 1944 to 1947. He was called Maret Kochu Thirumeni by his people. Among the bishops of Malankara Churches Including Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian Church, Abraham Mar Thoma was the first to earn a Doctoral degree.
Early life
Abraham Mar Thoma was born as M. N. Abraham on 30 October 1879 and was the only son of M. A. Ninan and Mariamma. His father, Ninan, was the son of Abraham of the Maret house. Mariamma was the eldest daughter of Oommachen of the Karikattu family in Eraviperoor.Daniel, K. N. Dr. Abraham Marthoma Metropolitan – Biography, pp. 9, 10.
Abraham was named after his paternal grandfather Abraham. He had two elder sisters. His parents called him Kochavarachen. Daniel, K. N. Dr. Abraham Marthoma Metropolitan – Biography, p. 11.Mathew, N. M. History of the Marthoma Church, Volume II (2007), pp. 210–213.
He was not good as a student, failing many times in his school final exam and degree examination.Zac Varghese Dr. & Mathew A. Kallumpram. Glimpses of Mar Thoma Church History, pp. 125–129.
Ordination M. N. Abraham and M. P. Pothen (Philipose), Velliyampallil, Mallappally, were the first Indians with university degrees to be ordained as deacons in the Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian Church. Titus II Mar Thoma ordained them on 30 April 1912.
On 5 December 1914, at his native place Eraviperoor, Deacon Abraham, and Deacon Pothen were ordained as priests. Abraham was appointed as Kayamkulam divisional secretary.
Politics The Metropolitan was a staunch nationalist who stood for the people's democratic rights. He resisted the undemocratic and dictatorial actions of Dewan Sir C. P. Ramaswami Iyer and was instrumental in getting a resolution passed by the Sabha Council (church council) condemning Sir C. P.'s move to proclaim Travancore as an independent state.Mar Thoma Sabha Directory (1999), pp. 26–27.
See also Mar Thoma Church Throne of St. Thomas List of Malankara metropolitans Syrian Malabar Nasrani Saint Thomas Christians Christianity in India Malankara Metropolitan List of Saint Thomas Christians
References
Bibliography English Juhanon Marthoma Metropolitan. (1952). Christianity in India and a Brief History of the Marthoma Syrian Church. Pub: K.M. Cherian. Zac Varghese Dr. & Mathew A. Kallumpram. (2003). Glimpses of Mar Thoma Church History. London, England. . Zac Varghese Dr. & Mathew A. Kallumpram. Metropolitan Abraham Mar Thoma. "Light of Life", Vol. 3, Issue 11, September 2004.
Malayalam. Eapen, Prof. Dr. K. V. (2001). Malankara Marthoma Suryani Sabha Charitram (History of Malankara Marthoma Syrian Church). Pub: Kallettu, Muttambalam, Kottayam. Mar Thoma Voluntary Evangelistic Association, (1998). Abraham Mar Thoma Mathew, N. M. Malankara Marthoma Sabha Charitram (History of the Marthoma Church), Volume I (2006), Volume II (2007), Volume III (2008). Pub. E.J. Institute, Thiruvalla. Varghese, (1950) Dr. Abraham Mar Thoma Metropolitan. Daniel, K. N. Dr. Abraham Marthoma Metropolitan – Biography. V.V. Press, Kollam. 1948.
External links http://marthomasyrianchurch.org http://marthoma.in Mar Thoma Sunday School, Kuwait at kuwaitmarthoma.com Pallipad Mar Thoma