Hierarchy

The Supreme Head of universal Syrian Orthodox Church & 123rd successor of St.Peter in the Apostolic See of Antioch

On March 21, 2014, Patriarch Ignatius Zakka I Iwas died after a long illness. Following his death, the Holy Synod of the Syriac Orthodox Church of Antioch was convened to elect a successor. The synod was held at St Jacob Baradeus Monastery in Atchaneh, Lebanon, presided over by Mor Baselios Thomas I Catholicos of India and Mor Severius Jamil Hawa Archbishop of Baghdad and Basra and Patriarchal Locum Tenens. The synod elected Cyril Aphrem Karim to be the 123rd successor of St. Peter in the Apostolic See of Antioch. He was enthroned on May 29, 2014, at St Ephrem's Monastery, Maarat Saidnaya, near Damascus, Syria. Baselios Thomas I oversaw the ceremony.

Karim took the patriarchal name Ignatius, replacing his episcopal name Cyril, and, being the second patriarch to bear the monastic name Aphrem (the first being Ignatius Aphrem I Barsoum), his name became Ignatius Aphrem II. Unlike his immediate predecessors, but following older convention, Aphrem II chose not to use his family name, Karim, in his official title.

Catholicos of the East & Metropolitan Trustee

Catholicos Baselios Thomas I (July 22, 1929) is Maphriyono/Catholicos of the Syriac Orthodox Church and the regional head of Malankara Syriac Orthodox Church. His official title is Catholicos of India although sometimes called Catholicos of the East. It was on 26 July 2002 he was enthroned as the Catholicos and the head of the Church in India. He is the regional head of the 1.2 million Syriac Christians of India, a Christian community believed to have been established by Apostle St. Thomas in a place called Maliyankara, near North Paravur in South India in AD. 52.

Patriarchal Vicar and Metropolitan of Malankara Syrian Orthodox Churches in U.K.

H.G. Issac Mor Osthatheos was born on January 17th 1976 as the son of Mr. C.I. Thomas and Saramma Thomas, Pachilakkattu (Ceetharukuzhiyil) Puthuveli, Kottayam. The St. Stephens Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Church, Koothattukulam in Kandanadu Diocese is the home parish of the Metropolitan. Late Lamented Mor Osthathios Thomas, Metropolitan of Kochi diocese, is his grandfather’s brother.

On January4, 2010, His Beatitude the Catholicos Baselios Thomas-I, assisted by metropolitans from India, consecrated him a Metropolitan by name OSTHATHEOS at a divine ceremony held at the St. Athanasious Cathedral in the Malankara Syrian Church headquarters, Puthencuriz. On ordination the new metropolitan was given charge of the Mylapore diocese which was earlier known as Chennai diocese.

Current Responsibilities - 1. Patriarchal Vicar and Metropolitan of Malankara Syrian Orthodox Churches in U.K. and Ireland 2. Metropolitan of Mylapore Diocese in Tamil Nadu.