The Catholicos of India, also referred to as the Catholicos of the East or the Maphrian of the East is the head of the Jacobite Syrian Christian Church and Malankara Metropolitan. He is ordained by the patriarch of Antioch and functions within the Syriac Orthodox Church at an ecclesiastical-rank second to him. He presides over the Holy Synod of the Jacobite Syrian Christian Church. The current Catholicos of India is Aboon Mor Baselios Joseph I, who was elevated on March 25, 2025.
The catholicate is considered the continuation of the historical Maphrianate of the East which was established in the 7th century, to oversee the affairs of the Syriac Orthodox Church in Persia under the jurisdiction of the Patriarchate of Antioch. It was abolished in 1860 by the Holy Synod of the Syriac Orthodox Church, and reestablished in Kerala in 1964 with the title "Catholicos" with jurisdiction over India. The catholicos is seated at Mar Athanasius Cathedral, Puthencruz, Kerala.
Baselios Joseph was born in Perumpilly, a historic Jacobite stronghold close to Mulanthuruthy, which exposed him from childhood to Syriac Orthodox liturgy and parish life. He completed his schooling locally at Perumpilly Primary School and Mulanthuruthy High School, balancing regular studies with service as an altar boy.
After school, he pursued pre-degree and undergraduate studies at Maharaja's College, Ernakulam, one of Kerala's prominent institutions, continuing to function in church service alongwith his secular eduation. Following college, he joined Mor Julius Seminary at Perumpilly for formal theological studies, deepening his grounding in Syriac Orthodox theology, liturgy, and pastoral practice.
His academic journey continued with higher studies overseas, where he earned a master's degree in Philosophy from Trinity College Dublin, Ireland. He then pursued further theological studies in the United States, where he also served as vicar of several parishes, integrating pastoral work with academic formation.
These international studies gave him broader exposure to Western philosophy, ecumenical environments, and diaspora pastoral needs, complementing his Malankara and seminary upbringing. This combination of Malankara roots and international academic exposure shaped his later leadership style in the Jacobite church.
