About His Grace Dr. Thomas Mar Makarios
His Grace Dr. Thomas Mar Makarios, Senior Metropolitan of America and Metropolitan of Canada and Europe, a native of Kerala, India, was born on May 26, 1926, the son of Mr. Chacko and Mrs. Mariamma Kuttikandathil. After attending schools and colleges, he completed theological studies at the Orthodox Theological Seminary at Kottayam. He was ordained a priest in 1952 by His Holiness Catholicos Geevarghese Baselios II. He came to New Delhi, the capital city of India, and organized congregations in North Indian cities. He became the first vicar of Orthodox Church in New Delhi.
It was during the time of the litigation of the Church that His Grace Dr. Thomas Mar Makarios showed his ingenuity as leader and scholar in Church History. He helped the lawyers of the church understand the history, traditions and Canons of the Church. This was instrumental in seeking an historic verdict by the Supreme Court of India in favor of the Church in 1958. His Grace Dr. Thomas Mar Makarios has studied in various religious institutions in England, Germany, Switzerland and France. He has been in the U.S since 1963 and earned a Bachelor of Divinity degree from Nashota House in Wisconsin, a Master's of Sacred Theology from Virginia Theological Seminary, and a Doctorate in Theology from Union Theological Seminary in Richmond. He returned back to India and worked as a professor of Church History at Orthodox Theological Seminary in India. In 1975, His Grace Dr. Thomas Mar Makarios was consecrated as a Metropolitan by His Holiness Catholicos Augen I. In the same year The Catholicos appointed His Grace Dr. Thomas Mar Makarios the first metropolitan of Diocese of Bombay.
In 1979 His Grace Dr. Thomas Mar Makarios was installed as the first metropolitan of the Diocese of America of Indian Orthodox Church. Since 1985, His Grace Dr. Thomas Mar Makarios has been teaching religion at Alma College in Michigan. Amidst his stewardship as a Senior Metropolitan of the church in western hemisphere, he sets aside the time to come to his deeply loved family at Alma College. He believed that he can help give students a deeper insight into the `mysterious' insight of the Eastern.
In recognition of His Grace Dr. Thomas Mar Makarios' achievements and contributions to church and society, the college awarded him the degree of Doctor of Divinity Honorees Causa in 1990.
The American diocese was divided in 1992 as two dioceses by name Diocese of America and Diocese of Canada, UK and Europe. Since then he was ruling the diocese of Canada, UK and Europe as its bishop.
The family of His Grace Dr. Thomas Mar Makarios is noted for submitting themselves at the service of God through the Indian Orthodox Church. Rev K C Mathew Cor Episcopa is one of his brothers. Another brother, Lazarus Ramban is a monk. Sister Mary, one of his sisters is a nun.