The Diocese of Delhi was carved out of the Outside Kerala Diocese of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church in 1975. Since its inception, the Diocese in the National Capital Region has functioned as a strong backbone of the Church, enriched by able leadership and the sincere efforts of its faithful. Despite living far from their homeland, the members of the Church have tirelessly worked for its growth and presence in regions where it was previously unknown.
The Diocese was first entrusted to the pioneering visionary and world-renowned scholar, the late lamented Dr. Paulose Mar Gregorios, whose bold and tireless leadership left a lasting imprint on the Church in its early stages. Much of the Diocese’s growth, especially the establishment of numerous parishes and institutions, can be attributed to his dedicated efforts. The Diocese continues to build upon the great vision of the late lamented Job Mar Philoxenos, the second Metropolitan of the Diocese of Delhi.
Today, the Diocese of Delhi is one among the thirty dioceses of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church, which spans India and abroad. The Church is an autocephalous, autonomous, and indigenous body belonging to the family of Oriental Orthodox Churches. It traces its origin to the evangelical mission of St. Thomas the Apostle, who arrived in India in AD 52. The Church is headed by the Catholicos of the East and Malankara Metropolitan, H.H. Baselios Marthoma Mathews III, the Ninth Catholicos of the East in Malankara. The Diocese of Delhi is under the spiritual and temporal authority of its Metropolitan, His Grace Dr. Yuhanon Mar Demetrios.
Delhi Diocesan Centre and Council
The headquarters of the Diocese, commonly known as the Delhi Diocesan Centre, is located at: 2, Institutional Area, Tughlaqabad, New Delhi – 110062. Website: http://delhiorthodoxdiocese.com. The Delhi Orthodox Diocesan Council, registered in 1979 (Reg. No. 10502 of 1979) under the Societies Registration Act XXI of 1860, serves as the administrative body of the Diocese. Its primary objectives include:
● Administering parishes, congregations, monasteries, convents, and institutions.
● Managing medical, educational, and social service initiatives.
● Promoting the upliftment of the poor and the downtrodden.
● Carrying out charitable and service-oriented programs for the welfare of all.
Orthodox Christians worldwide are known for their commitment to worship, study, and service. The Church’s contributions in education, healthcare, and missionary efforts have significantly impacted not only the Kerala Christian community but society at large, transcending barriers of caste, creed, colour, and language.
Growth and Spread of the Diocese
Once the nucleus of the Orthodox Church in North India was established in the nation’s capital, parishes quickly expanded into neighbouring regions, leading to the formal establishment of the Diocese of Delhi. Today, the Diocese covers Delhi, the NCR, and several northern Indian states. There are 13 parishes in and around Delhi: Hauz Khas, Janakpuri, Tughlaqabad, Sarita Vihar, Mayur Vihar-I, Mayur Vihar-III, Rohini, Dwarka, Dilshad Garden, Ghaziabad, Noida, Gurgaon, and Faridabad. In total, the Diocese has 45 parishes across Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, and even the United Arab Emirates.
Educational & Charitable Initiatives
The Diocese oversees 25 educational institutions, known for excellence in academics and their contributions to nation-building. A notable initiative is "Aanchal," a centre for differently abled children located in Sector-3, Rohini—an inspiring embodiment of love in action. The Diocese and the Council continue to work tirelessly toward providing places of worship and fellowship, while fulfilling the Church’s mission of service. Their contributions span:
● Education and Healthcare
● Village development and Community development programs
● Rehabilitation centres
● Children’s homes and Old-age homes
● Counselling initiatives
Through these efforts, the Diocese of Delhi remains a beacon of faith, compassion, and service, dedicated to the spiritual and social upliftment of all.
Diocesan Metropolitans
1. H.G. Dr. Yuhanon Mar Demetrios (2012 Present)
Third Metropolitan of Delhi Diocese
Asst. Metropolitan | 2010 – 2012
Metropolitan | 2012 Present
● Born: 18 December 1952
● Ordained as Metropolitan: 12 May 2010
● Parents: Palamoottil Mathews and Mercy
● Home Parish: St. Thomas Orthodox Cathedral, Kollam Diocese
● Election: 17 February 2010, Sasthamkotta Association
● Consecration: 12 May 2010, Mar Elia Cathedral, Kottayam
Academic Qualifications:
● B.A. – Kerala University
● M.R.E. – Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, USA
● Ph.D. – Fordham University
● Languages Known: Malayalam, English, Greek, Hebrew, Aramaic, Syriac.
Positions Held:
● Professor, Orthodox Theological Seminary, Kottayam.
● Secretary, Ecumenical Relations Committee.
● General Secretary, Orthodox Vaidikasanghom.
● Co-Secretary, Orthodox–Catholic Church Dialogue.
● Delegate, W.C.C. Commission of Education and Ecumenical Formation.
● Representative of the Church in many international Conferences.
● Registrar, F.F.R.R.C.
● Dean, Doctoral Studies.
2. Late H.G. Job Mar Philoxenos (1991-2011)
Second Metropolitan of Delhi Diocese
Asst. Metropolitan | 1991 – 2002
Metropolitan | 2002 - 2011
● Born: 8 May 1939
● Ordained as Metropolitan: 30 April 1991
● Departed: 20 November 2011
His Grace Job Mar Philoxenos, the youngest son of Kanianthra Thomas and Achamma, was born on 8 May 1939, in Mepral, a village near Tiruvalla. His Grace spent his formative schooling in Mepral and subsequently joined the Mount Tabor Dayara when he was 16 years old. Sacrificing a life of material comfort, he chose the austere discipline of a monastic calling, influenced by none other than his dear mother and inspired personally by his maternal uncle, the then Catholicos, His Holiness Baselios Geevarghese II.
The Catholicos entrusted the school-age boy to the care of Metropolitan Thomas Mar Dionysius, the founder and head of the Mount Tabor Dayara, a socio-spiritual enterprise that sought to relive the communitarian ideal of the Early Christians. The life and work of Mar Philoxenos reflected the spirit of Mount Tabor Dayara, which emphasized the virtue of dedicating individual lives to an austere discipline in a common effort toward prayerfully agreed social endeavors. His Grace was ordained a Deacon on May 26, 1956, a full Deacon on November 3, 1961, by Moran Mar Baselios Geevarghese II, and a priest on May 11, 1972.
Service and Leadership: His Grace earned his Master’s degree in English Literature from St. Joseph’s College, Tiruchirapalli, and was appointed faculty at St. Stephen’s College, Pathanapuram, until he was elected by the Malankara Syrian Christian Association as an Episcopal candidate in December 1989. Elevated as Ramban and as Episcopa on April 30, 1991, the Holy Synod appointed His Grace as the Assistant Metropolitan of the Delhi Diocese on June 14, 1991. He was ordained as Metropolitan of the Orthodox Church on 30 April 1991 at Devalokam Aramana Chapel by H.H. Baselios Marthoma Mathews II. Shortly after the heavenly abode of H.G. Dr. Paulose Mar Gregorios on November 24, 1996, His Grace Job Mar Philoxenos was given the charge of Metropolitan of the Delhi Diocese.
The years His Grace dedicated to the Orthodox Church were filled with accomplishments reflecting his quiet commitment to the growth of the Church. He consecrated over 16 new parishes in the Delhi Diocese, a majority being in the National Capital Region (NCR). It is worthy of mention here the tremendous amount of hard work and effort which went into acquiring the land through active negotiations with officials such as Governors and Ministers, fundraising, planning, and finally the monitoring of the construction required for the successful completion of these projects.
In the spirit of cooperation, he maintained an excellent relationship with his predecessor and furthermore established the prestigious Dr. Paulose Mar Gregorios Award in his name. He completed his predecessor's dream project of a retreat center in the Golden Heights of the Aravali hills in his remembrance. To realize his commitment to the community, he established the Shantigram project for the development of a village in Haryana (40 km from Delhi). This project involved the purchase of 30 acres of land, the institution of a good English Medium School, and an affordable Clinic to service the people of the village.
He is remembered for his untiring efforts in striking up personal relationships with active members in each parish of the Orthodox Church, visiting all the Churches and congregations from Jaisalmer, a congregation on the Pakistan border, to the UAE. His untiring support of fellow priests through difficult times has not gone unnoticed. Thirumeni looked to the future, and to include the future generations of Orthodox members, he started a new spiritual organization, Diaspora, and conducted conferences and meetings with an eye toward inclusiveness and ecumenism. Finally, through the melodious voice of Thirumeni, we have been blessed to enjoy the sweetness and beauty of our worship. Perhaps, one can call H.G. the real Vanampady (Nightingale) of the Orthodox Church.
3. Late H.G. Dr. Paulos Mar Gregorios (1976-1996)
First Metropolitan of Delhi Diocese
Metropolitan | 1976 - 1996
● Born: 9 August 1922
● Ordained as Metropolitan: 16 February 1975
● Died: 24 November 1996
Early Life and Education: By a stroke of circumstance, he was offered the post of a school teacher in Ethiopia, waiving the condition that the candidate should be a college graduate. He was 25, and he accepted the post. This was a turning point in his life. News of his capability and enthusiasm reached the Emperor, who was impressed by his work as well as by the speed at which he could master the local language, Amharic. But the teacher opted to be a lifelong student. After three mutually useful years in Ethiopia, he went to the United States for further studies.
After receiving his BA from Goshen College in Indiana, he continued his studies at Oklahoma University, at the Union Theological Seminary in New York, at Princeton (Master of Divinity), and at Yale (Master of Sacred Theology). He did his doctoral studies in Oxford and Münster in Germany, and received his Doctorate in Theology from the Serampore University. Returning to India, Paul Varghese worked as an honorary lecturer at the Union Christian College in Aluva (Alwaye), as an Associate General Secretary of the Student Christian Movement (1954-56), and as the General Secretary of the Orthodox Student Movement (1955-57).
Global Leadership: Haile Selassie, the Emperor of Ethiopia, visited India in 1956, and he persuaded Paul Varghese to return to Ethiopia as his Aide and Advisor. While in Ethiopia (1956-59), he involved himself in education in Ethiopia, promoted Indo-Ethiopian diplomatic relations, and lectured at the Addis Ababa University. Around this time, Paul Varghese decided that the time had come for him to return to his Church back in India, particularly in view of the peace being restored to the Church, following the 1958 settlement between the Catholicos of the East and the Patriarch of Antioch. He was ordained as a priest by the Catholicos H.H. Baselios Geevarghese II in 1961.
Fr. Paul Varghese’s field of work soon shifted to Geneva, with the World Council of Churches. There he headed the Division of Ecumenical Action as an Associate General Secretary. Later, he was a member of the Central Committee and of the Executive Committee, Moderator of the Commission on Church and Society (1975-83), and one of its Presidents (1983-91). He led WCC delegations to major conferences including the UN General Assembly Special Sessions on Disarmament (1983, 1988). In WCC forums and beyond, he persistently opposed apartheid and the old and new colonialism. He chaired the World Conference on Faith, Science and the Future in Cambridge, USA (1979). He was the vice-president of the Christian Peace Conference (1970-90).
Legacy in Delhi: In 1975, Fr. Paul Varghese was elevated as a bishop with the name Paulos Gregorios. He took charge of the newly formed Diocese of Delhi, a position he held until his death. He established the Delhi Orthodox Centre, where he began such ambitious projects as the Neeti Shanti Kendra for promoting peace and justice, and Sarva Dharma Nilaya for inter-religious dialogue and cooperation.
Concurrently, Mar Gregorios was the Principal of the Orthodox Theological Seminary at Kottayam, the premier teaching and training institution for the priests of the Church. He raised it to a college recognized for the award of graduate and post-graduate degrees. He established the Sophia Centre linked to the Seminary. A member of the Senate of the Kerala and Serampore Universities for a number of years, Mar Gregorios was a visiting Professor at Denver, Harvard, Wooster, and Princeton. He was a fellow at the Indian Institute of Advanced Study at Shimla, the vice-president of the Kerala Philosophical Congress, and the president of the Indian Philosophical Congress.