By Web Desk
Kochi: Baselios Thomas I, the head of the Jacobite Church, has passed away. He was undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Kochi, and his health deteriorated, leading to his transfer to a ventilator today. His death occurred in the evening. He had been in treatment for six months due to age-related ailments. Efforts were ongoing to address fluctuations in his blood pressure when he passed away at 5:21 PM today.
The church’s emergency synod will convene to decide on the final rites and the timing. Due to health reasons, he had stepped back from administrative responsibilities of the Jacobite Syrian Church in May 2019, but he continued to provide spiritual leadership. He was a spiritual leader who guided the Jacobite Syrian Church in the ongoing issues concerning the Malankara Church.
Born on July 22, 1929, Thomas I received ordination in 1958 and became an Amalay Bhadrasanam head in 1974. He was appointed as the Catholicos in 2002 and subsequently served as a resilient leader of the Jacobite Church.
On December 27, 2000, the church’s general assembly elected Thomas Mar Divannasyios as the Catholicos. He was consecrated as Baselios Thomas I on July 26, 2002, in Damascus. Although he stepped back from administrative duties due to health reasons on May 1, 2019, he continued in his role as a spiritual leader.
