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Mor Clemis Abraham Vayala, the Great Metropolitan of the
East (born as Abraham, 1918–2002) was the senior metropolitan (1957–58) of
Syriac Orthodox Church. He was in charge of Knanaya Syrian Archdiocese.
Education:
- Master of Divinity (M.D) from Union Theological Seminary in New York City, USA in 1960.
- Bachelor of Divinity (B.D) in Syriac and theology studies at the Theological Seminary in Mosul.
- Master of Arts (M.A Hons.) in Political Science from Annamalai University
- Bachelor of Arts (B.A) St. Xavier's College, Palayamkottai
Life & Career:
Mor Clemis Abraham was born in the Vayala family at Vaikom,
a suburb of Ranni, on April 22, 1918 to Idiculla Kochidiculla of Vayala family
and Pennamma of Aythala Kalarickal family as the fifth of their nine children.
He was affectionately called Unnikunju by his parents.
In 1931, he was ordained mzamrono by H.G. Dioscoros Thomas
of the Knanaya diocese. In 1932 (1107 Vrischikam 6), he was ordained a korooyo
at Ranni Valyapally by HH Patriarch Ignatius Elias III along with Dn. P.J.
Thomas Purackal who was ordained a priest. He learned basics of Syriac from
Thazhathu Valyachen and then at Thrikunnathu Seminary and Manjanikkara. He had
the good fortune of being taught by the late Patriarchal Delegate Mor Yulius
Elias Qoro and Rabban Abdul Ahad (who later became the Patriarch Ya`qub III).
On January 15, 1947, he was ordained a priest at Ranni
Valiyapally by Mor Yulius Elias and was known as Fr. V.I. Abraham. He offered
the first Qurbono on July 28th, 1947 at Ranni Valyapally and served as the
Associate Vicar there for two years. He taught at the M.S. High School for a
brief period.
On May 1, 1949 he left Bombay by ship to Iraq to join the
Theological Seminary in Mosul. It took him thirteen days to reach Iraq. At the
Mosul Theological College, he studied Syriac and Theology for two years while
preparing to be a priest. During his time there he visited different places
such as Basra, Nineveh, the Church of Mort Shmooni, the village of Bartalli
(the birthplace of Mor Ignatius Elias III) among other places.
In 1951, he was elected as the Metropolitan of the Knanaya
Diocese. HH Patriarch Ignatius Aphrem I ordained him a monk on April 8, 1951
and as the third Metropolitan of the Knanaya Diocese on April 15, 1951 at the
Patriarchal Cathedral in Homs in Syria with the name Mor Clemis Abraham.
In the fifties, the Knanaya diocese was administratively in
a disarray, having had no bishop for a few years. Mor Clemis Abraham lead the
Knanaya diocese and his community ably from his bishopric at St. John's Dayro,
Chingavanam. In 1952, he revised the constitution for the church. On July 11,
1957, Mor Clemis was elected Malankara Metropolitan at the Malankara
Association held at St. Mary's Church, Manarcaud.
After the departure of HH Patriarch Mor Aphrem I, Mor Clemis
represented the Malankara Church in the Holy Synod held at Homs on October 3,
1957 to elect a new Patriarch. In 1960, he studied at the Union Theological
Seminary in the US. Enroute he had an audience with the Pope of Rome at Vatican
on July 29, 1960. On July 31, 1960, Mor Clemis offered Holy Qurbono at the
Syriac Orthodox altar in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. On May
23, 1964, Mor Clemis hosted Patriarch Ya`qub III at the Mor Aphrem Seminary in
Chingavanam. On May 2, 1976, Mor Clemis celebrated the golden jubilee of his
consecration at Chingavanam.
Mor Clemis was unswerving in his loyalty to the Holy See of
Antioch. During the seventies when schism reared its ugly head in the Malankara
Church, Mor Clemis provided leadership not only for the Knanaya Church but for
all faithful who wished to remain in obedience to the Holy See. On January 12,
1978, he was arrested during the Alwaye Great March.
On May 14, 1980, Mor Clemis visited the Pope again at
Vatican with Patriarch Mor Ya`qub III. In June 1980, Mor Clemis represented the
Malankara Church at the funeral services of Patriarch Mor Ya`qub III in
Damascus and participated in the Holy Synod to elect a new Patriarch on July
11. He participated in the consecration of HH Patriarch Mor Ignatius Zakka I on
September 14, 1980.
Mor Clemis was a stalwart of the ecumenical movement in
Kerala and was widely respected by all Christian denominations. In 1983 when
communal harmony in Kerala was vitiated by the Nilackal episode, Mor Clemis
along with Benedict Mar Gregorius of the Malankara Catholic Church worked out a
compromise among the different communities which restored amity amongst them.
In 1982, HH Patriarch Mor Ignatius Zakka I conferred the
title Qooberneeyto Hakeemo (wise captain) on Mor Clemis in recognition of his
staunch leadership of the Knanaya diocese and in 1989 the title Great
Metropolitan of the East. In 1997, Mor Clemis celebrated the golden jubilee of
his ordination in a gathering presided by then Vice President of India K.R.
Narayanan. The golden jubilee of his consecration was celebrated on April 9,
2002 in the presence of HH Patriarch Zakka I.
Mor Clemis passed away at the Lissie Hospital in Ernakulam
on September 29, 2002 at 11:30 pm. At the time of his departure, Mor Clemis was
the senior most Metropolitan of the Syriac Orthodox Church all over the world
and the longest serving bishop in the history of the Malankara Church.
Ecumenical relations
He had an audience with the pope of Rome at Vatican on July
29, 1960, and on May 14, 1980, Mor Clemis visited the pope again at Vatican
with Patriarch Mor Ya`qub III.
Honors
- 1982, Patriarch Mor Ignatius Zakka I conferred the title Qooberneeyto Hakeemo (wise captain).
- 1989, the title Great Metropolitan of the East by Patriarch Mor Ignatius Zakka I.
- 1992, Established a school named after himself: Clemis School and Junior College, Chingavanam, Kottayam, Kerala.