Abraham Mar Julios, former Muvattupuzha bishop, dies at 81

Thiruvalla: Dr Abraham Mar Julios, 81, Bishop Emeritus and former head of the Muvattupuzha Diocese of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church, passed away here on Saturday.

The metropolitan, who was undergoing treatment at Pushpagiri Medical College Hospital, breathed his last at 2.25 am. The funeral service was held at 9 am on Sunday at St John’s Cathedral, Thiruvalla. Major Archbishop Cardinal Mar Baselios Cleemis Catholicos led the service.

Born on May 25, 1945, to E T Varghese and Annamma Varghese of Kakkanatt, Kadamankulam, Kallooppara, the metropolitan studied at Vadavathoor Seminary in Kottayam and the Pontifical Urbaniana University in Rome, where he obtained his PhD. He was ordained a priest on October 10, 1970.

He served as rector of St Mary’s Seminary, Thiruvananthapuram, and as corporate manager and director of education of the Tiruvalla diocese. As executive director of Pushpagiri from 2001 to 2008, he spearheaded the transformation of the hospital into a medical college. He was ordained bishop on February 9, 2008, at St Joseph’s Cathedral, Muvattupuzha, taking the name Dr Abraham Mar Julios.

He also led the construction of the Coimbatore Mission, Cathedral Church, diocesan office and Children’s Home at Vadakode, Vazhakulam. He retired from active service on June 11, 2019.

His siblings include Thresiamma Paul (Muvattupuzha), Rajan Kakkanatt (Alappuzha) and Valsamma Jacob (Germany). Three other siblings, Sister Julithi, Fr Stanislaus Kakkanatt and Sister Christina, predeceased him.

Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala visited the Pushpagiri chapel and paid his last respects to the deceased metropolitan.