His Eminence Cardinal Mas Baselios Cleemis, CBCI President and Major Archbishop of Syro-Malankara Church, expressed his condolences and grief over the death of Geevarghese Mar Ivanios, Metropolitan of the Kottayam diocese of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church, who passed away at the age of 72 after a prolonged illness. Mar Baselios Cleemis highlighted the significant role played by Mar Ivanios in building up the Church and her ministries.
As reported by lifedayonline.com, Mar Baselios remarked that “Being the rector of the seminar, his life has always been an example for all the priests and he was as a spiritual guide to many.” In order to spread the radiance of Orthodox spirituality and monasticism, Mar Ivanios founded the monastery Mar Baselius Dayara at Njaliakuzhy, Kottayam, where he used to live.
The mortal remains of Mar Ivanios will be interred in a specially erected crypt at the Mar Baselius Dayara on Saturday (20th January, 2018) afternoon. His body was first taken to the Mar Kuriakose Dayara, Pothenpuram, and then to the Mar Baselius Dayara, Njaliakuzhy, in the afternoon.
