Shroro

The Syriac Orthodox Christian Digest - May, 2005

A Tribute to my Markose Achan (L.L. H.E. Markose Mor Koorilose)

Rev. Fr. Dr. Biji Chirathilattu

It is indeed painful to hear about the untimely demise of our Koorilos Thirumeni. With H.E. Koorilose’s Demise the Syrian Church is losing one of the last bishops who has held fast to the spiritual traditions of our church unflinchingly. I am blessed to have been one of the youths, who had the fortune to learn Syriac from that great Malphono of our church. That one year of my life immediately after my graduation in English, at St. Mary’s Church, Kurichy with Markoseachen, is unforgettable and it has influenced my life decisively. It has confirmed me in my decision to become a priest as well to pursue well the study of the language of our Lord.

That exactly was one of the most remarkable qualities of our Koorilos Thirumeni. Wherever he has gone, whether it be Kurichy, Mundakayam, or Pangada he has positively influenced the lives of many youngsters. In every parish there were a group of youngsters who always moved around him and assisted him in the Altar, Sunday School and the Youth Movements. This proximity and warm relationship to the youth, which is not achieved by many of our priests in their parishes, has kept them close to the church and inspired them to learn more about the church. Such gatherings around Markoseachen were of a “Gurukulam Type” where we were allowed to stay and eat with that great Malphono (Guru) of our church. He has never kept a wall between him and his students, presuming that he is “the priest” and “the teacher”. It is he who himself cooked mostly for us deliciously, it is he who himself who has washed the dishes, thus showing us the practical example of the humility of our Lord. Through his love and concern to us he has attracted us like a magnet and many of us could never break away from his love. Most of them who were around have become very successful in their grown up lives, having good education, and jobs. There are Doctors, Engineers, Priests, Scholars, MBAs, CAs and many others among them. Most of them have never neglected their daily prayers in their later lives too and now they teach their children what they got from this honourable Malphono. And each moment spent with him was precious with the fullness of knowledge as well as from the humour of his intelligent jokes. And his simple and clear ways of teaching could school well in Syriac even the unintelligent. He took strains to write in his beautiful handwriting the whole Syriac lessons for me in my notebook and I will keep this book like a treasure the rest of my life.

All the parishes where he has ministered have enjoyed the fruits of this devout priest. He has taken care of the spiritual progress of his believers as well as the development of the parishes. He knew what is most necessary for the corresponding parishes, whether it be the well and pump set in the Kurichy church, the buildings of the Pangada church or the development of the Mundakayam Church, and finished their constructions. And through such projects not only the churches themselves but also the whole surroundings of the parishes, have benefited much. Often he went down to the poor and needy of his parishes and ministered to them.

His love to the Syriac language and his watchfulness to keep the spiritual disciplines of the church were indeed models for all those who love the church. He has never left out any hourly prayers of the church- not even a psalm- saying excuse about the timelessness or tiredness. (It was very much significant in the seminary, because we had at least a scholarly Bishop in the seminary, who sat in his easy chair and read newspapers when all of us were in the chapel doing prayers and the 40 prostrations of the 3 days lent!! Thank God that he is no more in our church.) Markose achen was never late in the chapel for prayers, he has never conducted the Holy Qurbono without proper preparations, and he has never skipped any fasting periods without fasting. He knew how important they are for the spiritual life, and taught us that. And in the seminary, he was not just the head of the Syriac Department, he was the sole authority in all the spiritual matters. In my last visits to the Seminary, I could see how big the spiritual vacuum was because of his absence there, as he became a bishop. Now that spiritual vacuum will be felt in the whole church, because now in our church there are many scholars but few who could guide us spiritually like H.E. Mor Koorilos or L.L. H.H. Yakub Mor Julius. I am sure that his master has called Mor Koorilos to the heavenly abode because He needs more of his Syriac chants there as on the earth. But it is a lost for us forever. Mor Koorilos was holy in his life, he was holy in his ministry, he was holy in his prayers, and he was holy in life. And his tomb will soon become the refuge of many needy. May God rest his soul with His holy ones. Let us beseech his prayers and intercession for us.