Benedict Gregorios

Life

Mar Gregorios or "Thangalathil Thirumeni" was born and raised in the Malankara Orthodox Church. He was baptised by the name Varghese. As a teenage boy Varghese came closer to the ideal of Bethany Ashram. He was attracted by the personality of Archbishop Geevarghese Mar Ivanios and later became a member of Bethany Ashram and adopted the name Benedict. He studied Philosophy and Theology at Papal Seminary, Kandy, Sri Lanka. He was ordained a religious priest of Bethany Ashram by then Bishop of Kandy H.E Bernad Reinjo O.C.B in 1944. As a dynamic young priest he taught Syriac for some time in St. Aloysius Seminary, Trivandrum. He was sent for higher studies in Economics to St. Joseph's College, Trichy (1946–1949). He became the first principal of Mar Ivanios College.

He was consecrated as Bishop in January 29 1953 by the Holy hands of Archbishop Mar Ivanios and he received the name Benedict Mar Gregorios. After the demise of Archbishop Mar Ivanios he became the second Metropolitan Archbishop of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church in 1955. Large number of parish communities were formed in Syro-Malankara Catholic Church during this period. Archbishop Mar Gregorios paved the way to establish Mar Theophilos Training College, Trivandrum and Mar Gregorios College of Arts and Science, Chennai. After 41 years of Episcopal ministry Archbishop Benedict Mar Gregorios died on 10 October 1994. His body was entombed in St. Mary's Cathedral, Pattom, Trivandrum.

St. John's College, Anchal, a first grade arts and science college in Kollam district was established by Gregorios. St. John's College Anchal became the nerve centre of the total development of a remote rural village into a fast developing township.