MAR IVANIOS LAW COLLEGE

Profile

His Grace

 Most Rev. Dr. Joshua Mar Ignathios

Bishop of Mavelikara

          His Grace Joshua Mar Ignathios was born on 24^th May 1950 at Kottarakara in Kollam as the son of the Late Mr. Kizhakkevettil Oomen Varghese and Ms Annamma Varghese.

          His Grace had completed his primary education at St. Mary’s School, Kizhaketheruvu and secondary education at Government High School Kottarakkara. He began his priestly formation in 1967 at St. Aloysius Minor Seminary under the Archdiocese of Trivandrum. He did his Pre Degree at Mar Ivanios College in Trivandrum. Then he was sent to St. Joseph’s Seminary, Tiruchirapally, Tamil Nadu for pursuing Philosophy and Theology. He was ordained on April 2^nd 1978 by the Late Benedict Mar Gregorios, Metropolitan-Archbishop of Trivandrum. He took Bachelor of Theology from Urban University, Rome in 1978. He was graduated from Christian College, Marthandom, Tamil Nadu, with History, Economics, and Politics as optional, and secured Master Degree from Madurai Kamaraj University in 1984. He also took B. Ed and M.Ed from the same University. He obtained Ph. D from Madras University in 2000 on the topic, “Leadership, Organisational Health with School Effectiveness”.  He was the founder of Sacred Heart School, Chennai and served as its Principal from its inception. He had also established Mar Gregorios College, Chennai in 1994.

          On 29^th June 1998, he was consecrated as the Auxiliary Bishop of the Major Archieparchy of Trivandrum by His Beatitude Moron Mor Cyril Mar Baselios with the consent of the Holy See. He took the reign of Mavelikara Diocese as its maiden Bishop on 16^th February, 2007.

He served Kerala Catholic Bishops’ Conference (KCBC) as Vice- President, Secretary and Chairman of various commissions. During the period 2010 to 2011, he was the President of KCBC. From 2010 onwards, he has been the President of CBCI Commission for Education and Culture. He was the Vice President of the CBCI from 2018 to 2022 November. He is the Chairman of various social organisations like Madyavirudhajanakeeyamunnani, Darmarajyavedi and MITHRA trust in Madras. He is the governing body member of CBCI in Society for Medical Education, Bangalore. At present he serves the Indian Church as Chairman, Dialogue and Ecumenism of CBCI. He was the Vice Chancellor and Chancellor of Pontifical St. Joseph’s Seminary, Aluva. At present he is the Chairman of KCBC Commission for Education and Culture.

          Being an ardent member of the Nilackal Ecumenical Trust, he discharges brilliant ministry in ecumenical activities and relentlessly works for fostering communal harmony and integration. He also visited the World Council of Churches’ centre at Geneva and attended an International Conference organized by it. 

          As a voracious reader His Grace is familiar with various branches of knowledge. His Grace serves as retreat preacher in several retreat centers associated with bishops, priests and religious across Kerala and outside the State.  He is known as an eloquent preacher and powerful orator and has an admirable command over many languages including Malayalam, Tamil and English.