Very Rev. Kurien Corepiscopus  Kaniamparambil

Malankara Malpan Very.Rev.(Dr.) Curien Corepiscopa Kaniamparambil, who completed 90 years of age on 27th February 2003, has grown to be a living legend with his academic contributions in multifarious domains of the Jacobite Syrian Church, and with spiritual gems being expounded from the depth of his heart.  He is one of the very few living authorities of Syriac, ‘the language of Our Lord’, in the world today. He is the Bright lamp of the Universal Syrian Church, Cynosure of the Churches of Syriac heritage, Beloved son of the Patriarchs, the Catholicose's and the prelates, Friend and guide to the clergy and laity, Loving and devoted husband, affectionate father and grand & great grand father. He is becoming a living saint or has already attained that stature.

He is the pillar of Jacobite Syrian Christians of Malankara for the past 70 years. A majority of the living Jacobite Christians have their spiritual needs satisfied from him. Hence the spiritual godfather of many in this land.  The greatest achievement of his life is considered to be the translation of the complete Holy Bible, from ancient Peshito Syriac text to Malayalam for the first time, which was released on Aug 2nd 1994.  Our most revered Corepiscopa is God’s gift to India, particularly to the Syrian Orthodox Church and to all the lovers of Syriac heritage. His literary works has built up a lasting legacy to all those who want to familiarize themselves with the study of Syriac language, history of Syriac Churches and the biblical traditions of the Churches of Syriac heritage. The Syriac scholars and the Heads of Syriac Churches have shown a great appreciation for his literary services and achievements.

Born on February 27, 1913 to the blessed parents Paulose and Aayamma of well known aristocratic family Kaniamparambil at Kanjiramattom, he is always thankful to his parents for inculcating in him the piety and obedience to the Holy Trinity and the Holy Church: “I do bow at Thy remembering my mother and father, them who reverentially offered me even in the womb unto Thee”. {From the venerable Corepiscopa’s book – ‘The Miracles of Our Lord’ (2001), p.8,13,5}

His earlier education was in the schools at Kanjiramattom and Mulanthuruthy.  After completing the seventh standard, he learned the basics of Jacobite liturgy, Syriac and theology at the feet of  Very Rev. Augen Ramban at Sion Kodanad, only for a few months and the knowledge he accumulated was gift of God in answer to his prayers and efforts.

At the tender age of 15 he translated the Sunday morning Prayers from Syriac to Malayalam, in poem, the first of its kind, which is said even today, in the Jacobite and Orthodox Churches throughout the world.

He completed his college education from C.M.S College, Kottayam.  In 1931, he married Saramma (Ammini) from the Kattumangat Kattappallil family of Mulanthuruthy. Around this period he published a book on Syriac grammar. Following year, he was ordained Kassiso by Malankara Metropolitan H.E. Paulose Mor Athanasius (Valiya Thirumeni of Aluva). During the apostolic visit of Patriarch St. Ignatius Elias III to Malankara, Kaniamparambil Achen served H.H as his secretary for a brief period. Three years later he was appointed vicar of Kattaprath Church, Thiruvalla where he continued for 24 years. In 1959 he was appointed as the vicar of St. George Simhasana Church, Thiruvalla. He served as the chief vicar of the St. George Church till 2006 when he was shifted his residence to his home town at Kanjiramattom in Ernakulam district.

In 1950, at the age of 37, he was raised to the rank of COREPISCOPUS, the highest order the Church bestows on a married Kassisso, by the then Apostolic Delegate of the Patriarch H.E. Mor Julius Elias Metropolitan.  He also received many Titles and Medals from Moran Mor Aphrem I, Moran Mor Yakoob III, and Moran Mor Zakka I Iywas, Holy Patriarchs of Antioch and all the East.

Malankara Malpan

In recognition to his great scholarship in Syriac, theology, liturgy and Church history, Very Rev. Curien Corepiscopa Kaniamparambil was granted the most prestigious title of 'MALANKARA MALPAN' (Doctor of Malankara Church) by the late Patriarch of Antioch and all the East Moran Mor Ignatius Yakoob III in 1978. He, thus succeeded the former Priest Trustee of the Jacobite Syrian Church, Very Rev. Mathen Corepiscopa Konatt (d. 1927), who is considered as the greatest of the 20th century Syriac scholars in the Malankara Church. Kaniamparambil Achen is one of the two persons who is decorated with this title of Malankara Malpan, outside the famous Konatt family.

In 1982 H.H. the Patriarch Moran Mor Ignatius Zakka I conferred on our beloved Achen the unique title of ‘Korooso Dasroro’ (Proclaimer of the Faith). Impressed by the simplicity of Kaniamparambil Achen, late lamented Catholicos of the East Aboon Mor Baselios Paulose II awarded him the title ‘Nathaniel’ (Israelite without guile). Kaniamparambil Achen also received  the Degree of Doctor of Divinity (Honoris Causa) in 1979, conferred on him by the St. Ephrem Institute, Solna, Sweden.

  Click here for Facsimile of the Bull (in Syriac) from the H.H. Patriarch of Antioch & all the East

Moran Mor Ignatius Yakoob III, conferring the title of MALANKARA MALPAN

on our blessed Valiyachen in 1978

Positions held by the Corepiscopa

Very Rev. Curien Corepiscopa had been the founder Secretary of the All-Travancore Syriac Association, All Malankara Cleric Association and the Syrian Church Revival Movement and served as the Director-General of the Malankara Syrian Sunday School Association for 30 years, of which 15 years when the two churches remained united in Malankara.   He was also the editor of many of the Church periodicals, ‘The Syrian Leaflets’, ‘The Syrian Church’, ‘Malankara Sabha Mitram’, ‘Syrian Sandesam’ and ‘Antiochean Sandesam’.

He served as member, Board of studies in Syriac, in the Kerala and Mahatma Gandhi Universities, continually for 40 years.

Priest-Trustee

The Rev. Corepiscopa has served for 18 years, from 1977 to 1994, as Priest Trustee of the Malankara Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Church.  In 1997, he was once again unanimously chosen as the Priest-trustee, which he is continuing even now after the formation of a new Association in 2002 for the Jacobite Syrian Christian Church. 

He served as Delegate to the World Council of Christian Education Assembly held at Lima, Peru, in 1971 and visited most of the Syrian Orthodox parishes in the U.S.A and has visited Syria and Gulf countries many times.

Great Syriac Scholar 

He is indeed the living legend of Syriac in Malankara and also in the world to a large extent as we all know. Many of the bishops of our sister churches had their Syriac education under him.  Many more had approached him to clear doubts regarding theology. He had handled many columns in the leading theological magazines regarding the faith and the Christian beliefs. His stewardship benefits thousands presently in different walks of life.

He is a gifted Orator. We are really blessed by his words, which flow from his ocean of knowledge, with the relevant meaning and implicative feelings. He is instrumental for the help to many in their spiritual enlightening. He always honoured Sunday as the day which God had created for His worship and blessings to man.  So exclaims-“Oh Man! If you are not ready to accept the “free of cost” blessings from God-Alas! Pity You”. These types of penetrating thought provoking and mind throbbing words have really changed lots of people.  He kept five slogans as part of life style and repeated as his anthem of life.

He loves all. The greatest quality of him is his “oneness with others”. He has never separated from anybody-either a man of ninety or a child of 1 or 2. He is a friend of all. His sound qualities like transparent behavior, commitment, ardent love and belief to spirituality, humility, soberness etc. always kept him above all.

He is an ardent believer and is an avid adorer of Mother Mary. He keeps her to his chest any time and every time. He proclaims “Virgin Mary’s prayers and blessings keep him agile and motivated for many things in life, in spite of the worldly deafness which he consider to be the greatest gift of God”.

Catholicos Aboon Mor Baselios Thomas I & late lamented  Abraham Mor Clemis Metropolitan

with Corepiscopa Achen during his 89th birthday celebrations held at

St.George Simhasana Church premises on 27th February 2002.

Books published by Corepiscopa Achen

Personal discussions with Reverend Corepiscopa regarding the inspirations in creativity invoke a different insight about the thought process in this great man. God had indeed chosen him – (‘the donkey’, in his own words), to enlighten us through his divine talents – mainly through,

{i}    Vishudha Grandham (The Holy Bible),

{ii}    Pudiya Niyama Vyakhyanam (interpretation of the new testament),

{iii}   Syriac Reader and Meditative Lectures,

{iv}   Parishudha Kochu Thirumeni (biography of Chathuruthil Mor Gregorios Bava of Parumala),

{v}    Biography of ValiyaThirumeni of Alwaye (Malankara Metropolitan Paulose Mor Athanasius)

{vi}   1001 speeches,

{vii}   Rekshikkapeduvan Nee Enthu Cheyyanam,

{viii}  Mother Mary’s Prayers,

{ix}   10 letters of Mother to the Daughter, Malankara Syrian Church History (English & Malayalam), Joseph (Syriac drama), 

         Margonino (Syriac novel), Subhashithanagal etc.  

Apart from all these, his poems ‘The Miracles of Our Lord’ in English, specially written for youngsters with practical hints for true Christian life, have received wide acclaim.  So far he has published more than 51 books in Syriac, Malayalam and English and 4 more are in press. Now he is engaged in the Syriac-English Dictionary and 151 Speeches along with the history of the Holy Church.  (The manuscript of the dictionary was released on 15^th February 2003 at Mor Ignatius Church, Manjanikkara, on the occasion of the 71^st Dhukrono of Patriarch St.Elias III).

May the Lord bless his Servant who spends his life for Syriac and for unraveling the treasures of the Syriac Fathers to the benefit of the sons and daughters of the Syriac Churches here in India and of all the lovers of the Syriac language. May the almighty shower His blessings over our Valiyachen to be active for the world’s enlightenment through his Gospel Mission.

The Holy Bible (Vissudha Grandham) being taken reverentially from Mar Thoma Church, Kothamangalam on August 2, 1994

for its release by the Catholicos Aboon Mor Baselios Paulose II (middle) of blessed memory. 

{Also seen in the picture is the present Catholicos Aboon Mor Baselios Thomas I, late lamented Geevarghese Mor Gregorios (Perumpilly Thirumeni) and Metropolitan Thomas Mor Thimotheos}

No. E1287/93 By the Grace of God Ignatius Zakka  I  Iwas Patriarch of Antioch and all the East Supreme head of the Universal Syrian Orthodox Church August 17,  1993   Apostolic benediction to our beloved spiritual son Malankara Malpan Korooso Dasroro Very Rev.Dr. Curien Corepiscopa D.D. Kaniamparambil, Tiruvalla, Kerala, India. It is with great pleasure we received your letter dt. August 7, 1993, informing us about the accomplishment of your venture translating the Peshito version of the Syriac Holy Bible to Malayalam language. we also received a letter from His Beatitude Mor Baselios Paulose II, Catholicos of the East, intimating us about the decision of the Holy Episcopal Synod in India sanctioning its publication. We hereby approve the decision of the Holy Synod and permit you to publish your translation of the Bible. We thank God for giving you health and intellect even at your old-age for this herculean task. The work you have done is comparable to that of St.Jerome who translated the Holy Bible to Latin. We are sure that your name shall go into the annals of the history of our Malankara Church for this commendable work. We hope this work of your's will be a great help for the Biblical students and the Malayalam speaking people to study and understand the Bible in its real meaning. We congratulate you and wish all success to your venture. We extend our Apostolic Blessings to you.   May the Grace of God be with you all.

  Click here for the Message from His Beatitude the Catholicos Aboon Mor Baselios Paulose II of

blessed memory, to Very Rev. (Dr.) Curien Corepiscopa Kaniamparambil,

felicitating the publication of the Holy Bible in Malayalam,

translated from Peshito Syriac text

Milestones in the life of V.Rev. Curien Corepiscopa Kaniamparambil

1931/32   Received blessings & compliments from the Patriarch Moran Mor Ignatius Elias III

1954        Blessed by Patriarch Moran Mor Ignatius Aphrem with the Mor Yakoob Medal

1966        Patriarch Moran Mor Ignatius Yakoob III honoured him with the St.Ephrem the Syrian Medal

1978        Patriarch Moran Mor Ignatius Yakoob III granted him the eminent title of MALANKARA MALPAN

1979        Degree of Doctor of Divinity (Honoris Causa) was conferred on him by the St.Ephrem Institute, Solna, Sweden.

1982        Patriarch Moran Mor Ignatius Zakka I granted him the title KORUSO DASRORO

1993        The Association of the Syriac Academics, Stockholm, Sweden, congratulated and presented its symbolic prize

               (certificate) in absence.

1994       The 'Visudha Grantham' (the complete Holy Bible translated by Valliyachen from Peshito Syriac) was released on

               August 2, by Catholicos Mor Baselios Paulose II

1998       The title of Sophar was bestowed on him by the St. Ephrem Ecumenical Research Institute (SEERI), Kottayam,

               during the World Syriac Conference held here.

1975       Priest Trustee of the Malankara Association - continued till 1994

1997       Again Priest Trustee – presently continuing.

He was the Director of Malankara Jacobite Syrian Sunday School for 30 years, of which 15 years was when the two churches remained united in Malankara.  He was member, Board of studies of Syriac in the Kerala and Mahatma Gandhi Universities in Kerala for many decades.

He is the brave commander of the Jacobite Syrian Christians in Thiruvalla and the southern diocese of the Church for the last 67 years.

Note:    The biography of Very. Rev. Curien Corepiscopa Kaniamparambil published here is compiled from 'VISION', the periodical of the Outside Kerala diocese of the Malankara Syrian Orthodox Church, written by by Dr. A M George [Mumbai],   Dr. Nelson P Abraham [Elanjimoottil, Thiruvalla] and Sr.Hatune Dogan [the Syrian Orthodox Nun from Paderborn, Germany, born in Zaz, Tur-Abdin].