Clemis Abraham

Mor Clemis Abraham, The Chief Metropolitan of the East (born as Abraham, 1918–2002) was an Indian prelate, the Malankara Metropolitan (1957–58) and the Archbishop of Knanaya Syrian Archdiocese of Malankara Syriac Orthodox Church.^[1][2][3]

"Qooberneethi Hakheemo" Abraham Mor Clemis Grand Metropolitan of the East
Malankara Metropolitan Archbishop of Knanaya Archdiocese
Church	Malankara Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Church
In office	1957 — 1958
Predecessor	Mar Athanasius
Other post(s)	Archbishop of Knanaya Syrian Archdiocese, Malankara Metropolitan of Malankara Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Church (1957-58)
Orders
Ordination	15 January 1947 by Yulios Elias Qoro
Consecration	15 April 1951 by Ignatius Aphrem I Barsoum
Rank	Chief Metropolitan
Personal details
Born	(1918-04-22)22 April 1918 Vaikom, Ranni, Travancore, British Raj
Died	September 29, 2002(2002-09-29) (aged 84) Lisie Hospital, Kochi, Ernakulam, Kerala, India
Buried	St. John's Dayro, Mor Epiram Seminary Chingavanam, Kottayam
Nationality	India
Denomination	Oriental Orthodoxy
Education	B.A. from St. Xavier's College, Palayamkottai, M.A. (Hons.) in Political Science from Annamalai University, B.D. Syriac & Theology Studies from Theological Seminary Mosul, M.Div. from Union Theological Seminary (New York City), United States of America
Alma mater	Columbia University, Annamalai University

Succession

'Malankara Syriac Orthodox Church Titles
Preceded by Saint Athanasius of Aluva the Malankara Metropolitan Mor Yulios Elias Qoro Syriac Orthodox Patriarchal Delegates of India 1953-1957	Malankara Metropolitan of Jacobite Syrian Christian Church 1957–1958	Succeeded by Malankara Metropolitan Geevarghese II 1958-1964
Preceded by	Knanaya Metropolitan of Knanaya Jacobite Archdiocese 1951–2002	Succeeded by Severios Kuriakose

Education

Mor Clemis Abraham did his primary education at the Vaikom Town Government Lower Primary School.^[4] His secondary education was in MS Higher Secondary School, Ranni in 1934.^[5] and later joined St. Mary's High School in Aluva. He passed his pre-degree from CMS College Kottayam and joined St. Xavier's College, Palayamkottai for Bachelor of Arts. He did his master's degree in political science from Annamalai University, studied Syriac and theology studies at the Theological Seminary in Mosul. In 1960 he obtained a Master of Divinity from Union Theological Seminary in New York City, United States of America.^[6]

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.^[7]

Honors

• 1982, Patriarch Mor Ignatius Zakka I conferred the title Kooberneethi Hakheemo (wise captain).
• 1989, the title Great Metropolitan of the East by Patriarch Mor Ignatius Zakka I.^[8]
• 1992, Established a school named after himself: Clemis School and Junior College, Chingavanam, Kottayam, Kerala.^[9]

Death and Funeral

Clemis Abraham passed away at Lissie Hospital in Ernakulam on September 29, 2002. At the time of his death, 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. His mortal remains were interred at St. John's Dayara Church, Chingavanam on October 1, 2002 after funeral rites were led by Baselios Thomas I, Mor Yulius Yeshu` Çiçek of Europe, and other Metropolitans of Malankara.

See also

• Syriac Orthodox Church
• Jacobite Syrian Christian Church
• Severios Kuriakose
• Ivanios Kuriakose
• Gregorios Kuriakose
• Silvanos Ayub

External links

Qooberneeyto Hakeemo Mor Clemis Abraham, A Tribute from St. Mary's Knanaya Church, 2017