Kottayam: The supreme head of Malankara Orthodox Sabha, Baselios Marthoma Paulose II Catholica Bava, has passed away. He was 74. The metropolitan suffered from cancer and contracted Covid in February following which, he was under treatment at Parumala St. Gregarious Hospital. The end came at 2.30 early Monday dawn.
Baselios Marthoma Paulose II was born on 30 August 1946 as second son of KI Iype of Kollannur house, Mangad near Pazhanji in Kottayam. His mother Kunjeetty belongs to Pulikkotil family. He did his high school at Pzhanji Government High School, which was established by the late Pulikottil Joseph Mar Dionsysius II.
As a child, the Bava was a regular church goer and became altar boy at an young age. He was ordained or fist stage of diaconate in Parumala Seminar in 1972 and later elevated in full deacon as KI Paul at Koratty Zion Seminary. On 21 June 1973, Dn. Paul was ordained as priest as KI Paul and celebrated his first Holy Qurbana at Mangad St. Gregarious Church and served as vicar in Mooleppat Mar Baselios Mar Baselios Mar Gregorios Church for a brief period before being ordained as Monk Preist(Ramban) as KI Pulose in 1983. He was ordained as Catholica Bava and Malankara Metropolitan on 1November, 2010.
The mortal remains were transported from Parumala St. Gegorios Hospital early at 6 am to Parumala Church on Monday where, His Grace Geevarghese Mar Coorilos administered the sacred qurbana. The body will be laid at Parumala Church for public homage and after farewell prayers, will be carried accompanied by funeral procession en route Kavumbhagam-Muthoor-Changanassery to Catholicate Aramana.
The body will reach Kottayam Devalokam by 9 pm. There will be no on-way homage halts. After prayer offerings at Devalokam Chapel, the body will be laid for public homage there.
At 8 am on Tuesday the body will be laid at specially erected pandal at Aramana compound for public homage with strict covid protocols.
Later at 3 pm, farewell prayers would be offered as part of burial rites and the body will be laid for final rest next to Aramana chapel at cemetery for the Holy Catholica bavas.
