In Memoriam: Metropolitan Mar Barnabas of New York

Metropolitan Mar Barnabas (Mathews) of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church, recently retired Metropolitan of New York and Northeast America, has reposed at the age of eighty-eight. Born K.K. Mathukutty in Perumbavoor, Kerala, on 9 August 1924, the future metropolitan was in 1951 ordained to the priesthood as Fr. Mathews, later being consecrated to the episcopacy in 1978 as Bishop Mar Barnabas.

In 1981 Mar Barnabas was elevated to the rank of metropolitan, and in 1982 he was elected as the first metropolitan of the newly established Diocese of Idukki in eastern Kerala. In 1992 Metropolitan Mar Barnabas was transferred to the Malankara Orthodox Diocese of New York and America, becoming its second ruling metropolitan and shepherding the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church in North America until 2009, when new dioceses were created and he became ruling metropolitan of the Northeast American Diocese.

During Metropolitan Mar Barnabas' tenure in North America the Church there underwent a period of significant growth, with new churches being established across the continent. In 2011 he retired as metropolitan to return to Kerala, where he was cared for as his health declined. This past Sunday, 9 December, he fell asleep at the Pampady Monastery at the age of eighty-eight. May Metropolitan Mar Barnabas' memory be eternal! A full account of his life may be found here.

Malankara Orthodox Metropolitans to Consecrate New York Church

Metropolitan Zachariah Mar Nicholovos of New York and retired Metropolitan Mathews Mar Barnabas of New York will together consecrate St. Gregorios of Parumala's Church in Fishkill, New York, this coming weekend prior to Metropolitan Mar Barnabas' return to Kerala at the end of this month.

Malankara Orthodox Metropolitan in USA to Retire

Metropolitan Mar Barnabas of New York of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church's Northeastern American Diocese has announced his intention to retire due to his advanced age and to return to Kerala to finish his life there. More on the retirement here. More on Mar Barnabas' life can be found here.

Pictured is Metropolitan Mar Barnabas.