His Eminence Cardinal Mar Baselios Cleemis, Major Archbishop of Syro-Malankara Church, while addressing the crowd gathered for the funeral service of Mar Geevarghese Ivanios, Metropolitan of the Kottayam diocese of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church, conveyed that Mar Ivanios influenced many people even in his death. Mar Cleemis highlighted that Mar Ivanios was always different in his lifestyle which he maintained even in his death and added that Mar Ivanios had priorly instructed the officials to bid him the last farewell in a very simple way.
As reported by lifeonline.com, Mar Cleemis remarked that “The Metropolitan always made it a point to pray for the poor and help them in their sufferings and assured his closeness to the lonely by serving the Lord with full dedication.” Further, His Eminence Cardinal added, “Mar Ivanios always maintained a uniqueness in his social life and in the ministries of the Church.”
Mar Ivanios was made deacon in 1963 and ordained priest in 1971. He was elected as bishop in 1985 by the Malankara Syrian Christian Association and consecrated metropolitan of the Kottayam diocese the same year. 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. He died at the age of 72 after a prolonged illness.
