https://indianpedia.org/index.php?action=history&feed=atom&title=Baselios_CleemisBaselios Cleemis - Revision history2026-07-30T09:25:33ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.45.4https://indianpedia.org/index.php?title=Baselios_Cleemis&diff=107833&oldid=prev>Citation bot at 21:40, 1 July 20212021-07-01T21:40:23Z<p></p>
<p><b>New page</b></p><div>{{short description|Major Archbishop of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church}}<br />
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2020}}<br />
{{Infobox Christian leader<br />
| type = Cardinal<br />
| honorific-prefix = [[His Eminent Beatitude]], [[Moran Mor]]<br />
| name = Baselios Cleemis<br />
| native_name = <br />
| native_name_lang = ml<br />
| title = [[Cardinal (Catholicism)|Cardinal]], [[Syro-Malankara Catholic Major Archeparchy of Trivandrum|Major Archbishop - Catholicos of Trivandrum]]<br />
| image = Cardinal Baselios Cleemis Cardinal Thottunkal.jpg<br />
| caption = <br />
| church = [[Syro-Malankara Catholic Church]]<br />
| archdiocese = Trivandrum<br />
| diocese = <br />
| see = [[Syro-Malankara Catholic Major Archeparchy of Trivandrum|Trivandrum]]<br />
| elected = 8 February 2007<br />
| appointed = <br />
| term_start = 5 March 2007<br />
| term = <br />
| predecessor = [[Cyril Baselios]] <br />
| successor = <br />
| other_post = {{unbulleted list|Cardinal Priest of [[San Gregorio VII]]|Member of the [[Congregation for the Oriental Churches]]|Member of the [[Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue]]}}<br />
<!-- Orders -->| ordination = 11 June 1986<br />
| ordained_by = [[Cyril Baselios]]<br />
| consecration = 15 August 2001<br />
| consecrated_by = [[Cyril Baselios]]<br />
| cardinal = 24 November 2012<br />
| created_cardinal_by = [[Pope Benedict XVI]]<br />
| rank = [[Cardinal priest]]<br />
<!-- Personal details -->| birth_name = Isaac Thottumkal<br />
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1959|06|15|df=yes}}<br />
| birth_place = Mukkoor, [[Thiruvalla]], [[Kerala]], India<br />
| parents = Mathew and Annamma Thottumkal<br />
| alma_mater = [[Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas]]<br />
| motto = ''To unite in love''<br />
| coat_of_arms = Coat of arms of Cardinal Baselios Cleemis.svg<br />
| death_date = <br />
| death_place = <br />
| previous_post = {{unbulleted list|Auxiliary Bishop of Trivandrum (2001–2003)|Titular Bishop of Chaialum (2001–2003)|[[Syro-Malankara Catholic Archeparchy of Tiruvalla|Bishop of Tiruvalla]] (2003–2006)|Archbishop of Tiruvalla (2006–2007)}}<br />
}}{{Infobox cardinal styles<br />
| image = Coat of arms of Cardinal Baselios Cleemis.svg<br />
| cardinal name = Baselios Cardinal Cleemis<br />
| dipstyle = His Beatitude<br />
| offstyle = Your Beatitude<br />
}}<br />
[[File:Kardinal Thottunkal 2.JPG|thumb|right|Mor Baselios Cleemis In liturgical vestments, 2015]]<br />
'''Baselios Cleemis''' is the current [[major archbishop]] of the [[Syro-Malankara Catholic Church]]. He was named to the [[College of Cardinals]] of the [[Catholic Church]] by [[Pope Benedict XVI]] on 24 November 2012.<ref name="list">{{cite web |url=http://www2.fiu.edu/~mirandas/electors-a-z.htm |title=Cardinal electors – Conclave of March 2013 – Arranged in alphabetical order |publisher=[[Salvador Miranda (historian)|Salvador Miranda]] |access-date=18 February 2013}}</ref><ref name="Salvador Miranda">{{cite web |url=http://www2.fiu.edu/~mirandas/conclave-xxi.htm#2013 |title=Conclave of March 2013 |publisher=Salvador Miranda |access-date=1 November 2013}}</ref><ref name="Cardinal electors arranged by age">{{cite web |url=http://www2.fiu.edu/~mirandas/electors-age.htm |title=Cardinal electors arranged by age |publisher=Salvador Miranda |access-date=18 February 2013}}</ref><ref name="Consistory creation">{{cite web|url=http://press.catholica.va/news_services/bulletin/news/29888.php?index=29888&lang=ge |title=Annuncio di Concistoro per la Creazione di Sei Nuovi Cardinali |publisher=[[Holy See Press Office]] |date=24 October 2012 |language=it |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130223054432/http://press.catholica.va/news_services/bulletin/news/29888.php?index=29888&lang=ge |archive-date=23 February 2013 }}</ref><ref name="YouTube procession">{{youtube|id=cTtzyr5sBkc|title=Procession and entrance in Conclave}}</ref><br />
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At the moment of his selection, he was the youngest member of the College of Cardinals. He is the first cardinal of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church. On 31 January 2013, he was named a member of the [[Congregation for the Oriental Churches]] and the [[Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue]]. He served as President of the [[Catholic Bishops' Conference of India]] from 2014 to 2018, and previously served as Chairman of the [[Kerala Catholic Bishops' Council]].<br />
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==Early life==<br />
Baselios Cleemis was born on 15 June 1959 as Isaac Thottumkal (alternatively spelled as Thottunkal) in Mukkoor, a small village close to Mallappally town in [[Pathanamthitta district]] in the [[Kerala | State of Kerala]] in [[South India]]. His parents are Mathew and Annamma Thottumkal.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=His Beatitude Moran Mor Baselios Cardinal Cleemis Catholicos|url=https://www.catholicate.net/hirerachy/SynodFathers/his-beatitude-moran-mor-baselios-cardinal-cleemis-catholicos/16|access-date=11 June 2020|website=www.catholicate.net}}</ref> The Thottumkal (Powathikunnel Thottumkal) family is a part of the [[Pakalomattom family]], which is an ancient [[Syriac Christianity|Syrian Christian]] family in [[Saint Thomas Christians|Kerala]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.pakalomattamfamily.org/history.asp |title=History of Pakalomattom Family |access-date=30 November 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131021072944/http://pakalomattamfamily.org/history.asp |archive-date=21 October 2013 }}</ref><ref name=":0" /><br />
<br />
==Education==<br />
He attended the Minor Seminary Formation in Tiruvalla from 1976 to 1979. He received a [[Bachelor of Philosophy|B.Phil.]] degree from St. Joseph's Pontifical Institute, Mangalapuzha, Aluva, where he attended from 1979 to 1982. He received a [[Bachelor of Theology|B.Th.]] degree from the [[Papal Seminary]], Pune where he attended from 1983 to 1986. Thottunkal was ordained a priest on 11 June 1986. He studied for the [[Master of Theology]] in [[Dharmaram College]], Bangalore where he attended from 1986 to 1989. Thottunkal took his Doctorate in [[Ecumenism|Ecumenical Theology]] from [[Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum)]], Rome in 1997.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.la-croix.com/Religion/Actualite/Les-six-nouveaux-cardinaux-de-Benoit-XVI-_NG_-2012-10-24-868282|title=Les six nouveaux cardinaux de Benoît XVI|newspaper=La Croix|date=24 October 2012|via=www.la-croix.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/documentation/cardinali_biografie/cardinali_bio_thottunkal_bc.html|title=THOTTUNKAL Card. Baselios Cleemis|website=press.vatican.va}}</ref><br />
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==Episcopal career==<br />
On his return from Rome he became the [[Vicar General]] (Proto Syncellus) of the [[Syro-Malankara Catholic Eparchy of Bathery|Eparchy of Bathery]]. Pope [[John Paul II]] nominated Aboon Isaac Mar Cleemis as [[Apostolic visitor|Apostolic Visitor]] and the [[Auxiliary Bishop]] of [[Trivandrum]] on 18 June 2001 for the [[Syro-Malankara Catholic Church|Syro-Malankarites]] residing in North America and Europe. He was consecrated on 15 August 2001 at Tirumoolapuram, [[Tiruvalla]], assuming the name '''Isaac Mar Cleemis'''.<br />
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The [[Holy See]] appointed Mar Cleemis as sixth Bishop of the [[Eparchy]] of [[Tiruvalla]] on 11 September 2003. Mar Cleemis was installed as the first [[Metropolitan bishop|Metropolitan Archbishop]] of the [[Syro-Malankara Catholic Archieparchy of Tiruvalla|Archieparchy of Tiruvalla]] on 10 June 2006.<br />
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Mar Baselios Cleemis was unanimously elected as the Catholicos of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church through the first Holy Episcopal Synod of election of the [[Syro-Malankara Catholic Church]] convoked on 7–10 February 2007 at Catholicate Centre, [[Pattom]], [[Trivandrum]]. [[Pope Benedict XVI]] approved the election on 9 February and it was announced on 10 February at [[St. Mary's Cathedral, Pattom, Trivandrum]]. He assumed the name Baselios Cleemis; Cleemis was enthroned the Second Major Archbishop of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church on 5 March 2007 at St. Mary's Cathedral, Pattom, Trivandrum. Cardinal [[Telesphore Toppo]] and Cardinal [[Mar Varkey Vithayathil]] participated in the installation ceremony. <br />
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Moran Mor Baselios Cleemis was elevated to the [[College of Cardinals]] of the Catholic Church by Pope [[Benedict XVI]] on 24 November 2012.<ref name="Consistory creation"/> As [[Cardinal-Priest]] he was assigned the [[titular church]] of [[San Gregorio VII]]. He is the first bishop of the Syro-Malankara Church and the fifth Keralite to be named a cardinal. He said it was a sign of the Pope's appreciation of Indian Catholics' "unity in diversity", and cited the witness, the defense of human life, and the example of authentic prayer given by Saint [[Mother Teresa of Kolkata]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Cardinal-designate says pope appreciates diversity of Indian church |url=http://www.catholicnews.com/data/briefs/cns/20121025.htm |website=www.catholicnews.com |access-date=15 June 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121028231239/http://www.catholicnews.com/data/briefs/cns/20121025.htm |archive-date=28 October 2012 |date=25 October 2012}}</ref><br />
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On 31 January 2013, Moran Mor Baselios Cleemis was appointed by [[Pope Benedict XVI]] to serve as a Member of the [[Congregation for the Oriental Churches]] and the [[Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue]].<br />
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Moran Mor Baselios Cleemis participated as a [[Cardinal electors for the papal conclave, 2013|cardinal-elector]] in the [[Papal conclave, 2013|conclave]] that elected [[Pope Francis]].<ref name="list"/><ref name="Salvador Miranda"/><ref name="Cardinal electors arranged by age"/> Because he was the first bishop from the Syro-Malankara Church to be made cardinal, he also was the first cardinal from the Syro-Malankara Church ever to participate as a cardinal-elector in a papal conclave.<ref>{{cite news|title=Moran Mor Baselios Cardinal Cleemis left for Rome |url=http://news.catholicate.net/NewsDetails.aspx?NewsType=News&ID=221 |access-date=20 August 2013 |newspaper=Malankara Catholic News |date=28 February 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130927203342/http://news.catholicate.net/NewsDetails.aspx?NewsType=News&ID=221 |archive-date=27 September 2013 }}</ref> During the conclave Cleemis was one of the four cardinal-electors from outside the [[Latin Church]] who wore different vestments, proper to their respective churches. The others were [[List of Coptic Catholic Patriarchs of Alexandria|Coptic Catholic Patriarch]]-Emeritus [[Antonios Naguib]], [[List of Maronite Patriarchs|Maronite Patriarch]] [[Bechara Boutros al-Rahi]], and [[Syro-Malabar Catholic Church|Syro-Malabar]] Major Archbishop [[George Alencherry]].<ref name="YouTube procession"/><br />
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==References==<br />
{{reflist}}<br />
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==External links==<br />
{{Commons category|Baselios Cleemis Thottunkal}}<br />
{{wikiquote}}<br />
* {{cite web | access-date = 25 October 2017 | title = Thottunkal Card. Baselios Cleemis | publisher = [[Holy See Press Office]] | url = https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/documentation/cardinali_biografie/cardinali_bio_thottunkal_bc.html | url-status = live | archive-date = 4 September 2017 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170904070628/https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/documentation/cardinali_biografie/cardinali_bio_thottunkal_bc.html}}<br />
* {{cite news|last1=Valente|first1=Gianni|title=Il cardinale glocal|url=http://www.lastampa.it/2012/10/27/vaticaninsider/ita/inchieste-e-interviste/il-cardinale-glocal-Td6IGXnDwIsR9cbO6E4lXJ/pagina.html |language=it |access-date=25 October 2017|work=La Stampa|date=27 October 2012}}<br />
*[http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/indian-among-6-new-cardinals-named-by-pope/article4027832.ece The Hindu report on Cardinal]<br />
*[http://www.catholicate.net Syro-Malankara Catholic Church]<br />
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20080225023508/http://www.syromalankara.org/ Syro-Malankara Catholic Church – alternative site built by Malankarites]<br />
*[https://archive.today/20130216063300/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-11-24/kochi/35333757_1_new-cardinals-cardinal-today-archbishop Times of India, News]<br />
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{{Cardinals of the Catholic Church|state=collapsed}}<br />
{{Authority control}}<br />
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cleemis, Baselios}}<br />
[[Category:21st-century Roman Catholic archbishops in India]]<br />
[[Category:21st-century Eastern Catholic archbishops]]<br />
[[Category:1959 births]]<br />
[[Category:Living people]]<br />
[[Category:Syro-Malankara bishops]]<br />
[[Category:Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas alumni]]<br />
[[Category:Indian cardinals]]<br />
[[Category:Cardinals created by Pope Benedict XVI]]<br />
[[Category:Members of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches]]</div>>Citation bot