His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem IIMoran Mor Ignatius Aphrem II born in Kamishly, Syria on May 3, 1965 is the patriarch of the Syriac Orthodox Church. He became the 123rd Syriac Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch when he was enthroned as patriarch in Damascus on May 29, 2014. Before his election to the patriarchate, he was Archbishop for the Eastern United States of America, and known as Mor Cyril Aphrem Karim in that post. In that role, he established 11 new parishes, introduced a number of new programs for the youth, and worked for inter-church unity.
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,the Patriarchal Locum Tenens. The synod elected Cyril Aphrem Karim to be the 122nd successor of St. Peter in the Apostolic.
In addition to his many talents, Archbishop Karim is fluent in both Classical and Vernacular (Touroyo) as well as in Arabic, French, and English.
Catholicos Baselios Thomas I (Malayalam: ആബൂന് മോര് ബസേലിയോസ് തോമസ് പ്രഥമന് കാതോലിക്ക ബാവ, born: July 22, 1929) is the second Indian Maphrian i.e. Catholicos of the Syriac Orthodox Church in India and Metropolitan Trustee of the Jacobite Syrian Christian Church.
His official title is Catholicos of India. On 26 July 2002 he was enthroned as the second Indian Maphrian and the head of the Jacobite Church in India by Patriarch Ignatius Zakka I Iwas, Patriarch of Antioch and All the East in a ceremony held in Damascus, Syria. The position had remained vacant between 1996 (date of death of Catholicos Baselios Paulose II) and 2002.
The Catholicate office of Mor Baselios Thomas I functions and resides at the Mor Ignatius Zakka I Centre also known as Patriarchal Centre in Puthencruz near Kochi, which is also the headquarters of the Syrian Orthodox Church in India.
His Eminence Mor Titus Yeldho consecrated on January 4, 2004 by His Holiness Moran Mor Ignatius Zakka I Iwas as the Archbishop and Patriarchal Vicar of the Malankara Archdiocese of the Syrian Orthodox Church in North America.
His Eminence was deputed to New York and was serving different churches of the Malankara Archdiocese of North America till the end of 2003. He also completed his Master of Divinity degree in 2003 from the St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary, New York. On January 4, 2004 His Eminence is currently pursuing his Doctoral program in US.
His Eminence is the only prelate from Malankara to receive five ordinations (Sub-deacon, Full Deacon, Ramban, Priest & Metropolitan) from the Supreme Head of our Church, the Patriarch His Holiness Moran Mor Ignatius Zakka I Iwas.
