Saint Gregorios of Parumala

Geevarghese Mar Gregorios of Parumala (15 June 1848 – 2 November 1902), also known as Parumala Thirumeni, was a Metropolitan of the Malankara Church. Parumala Thirumeni became the first person of Indian origin to be canonised as saint. In 1947, the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church declared Mar Gregorios as a saint, making him the first saint from India canonized by that Church. On the 20th of October, 1987, His Holiness Ignatius Zakka I, the Syriac Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, solemnly proclaimed the canonization of St. Gregorios of Parumala, thereby confirming his sanctity and establishing his veneration throughout the Syriac Orthodox Church. Geevarghese was born in the Pallathetta family of Chathuruthy house at Mulanthuruthy near Cochin, India on 15 June 1848. His parents were Mathai Geevarghese and Mariam Geevarghese. He was called by the name ‘Kochaippora’ and was given the baptismal name ‘Geevarghese’. Geevarghese had two brothers and two sisters; Kurian, Eli, Mariam and Varkey. Geevarghese was the youngest. Geevarghese's mother died when he was a small boy and since then he was under the loving care of his elder sister Mariam. At a very young age, Geevarghese had shown interest in spiritual matters. His devotion, humility and above all, his ability to sing the traditional Syriac hymns beautifully and perfectly, came to the notice of his uncle Geevarghese Malpan. The uncle wanted to raise his nephew to be a priest and his family members, who knew Geevarghese's character, agreed to the Malpan's request. Geevarghese Mar Gregorios was born into a well-known family of Malankara Christians, with a lineage that can be traced back to the brotherhood of Mor Anthrayos, a bishop of the Syriac Orthodox Church in Jerusalem.