Mar Baselios Cardinal Cleemis is the Major Archbishop-Catholicos of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church and a prominent leader in the global Catholic Church. He made history as the first Cardinal from his specific rite and, at the time of his elevation, was the youngest member of the College of Cardinals. Known for promoting interreligious dialogue and national integration, he has also served as the President of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India.

Priestly Ordination

Episcopal Consecration (Bishop)

Cardinal Appointment

His Eminent Beatitude Cardinal, Moran Mor Baselios Cleemis Catholica Bava, Major Archbishop-Catholicos of Thiruvananthapuram.

Rank

Baselios Cleemis (born 15 June 1959) is an Indian Catholic prelate who currently serves as the Major Archbishop-Catholicos of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church. He was elevated to the College of Cardinals by Pope Benedict XVI in 2012.At the time of his appointment as cardinal, he was the youngest member of the College of Cardinals and also the first cardinal from the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church. On 31 January 2013, he was appointed as a member of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches and the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue. He served as the President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI) from 2014 to 2018, and he currently serves as the President of the Kerala Catholic Bishops’ Council (KCBC).

About

Baselios Cleemis was born as Isaac Thottumkal (also spelled Thottunkal) on 15 June 1959 in Mukkoor, a small village near Mallappally in the Pathanamthitta district of Kerala, South India. He is the son of Mathew Thottumkal and Annamma Thottumkal.The Thottumkal family (Powathikunnel Thottumkal) is traditionally associated with the Pakalomattom family, an ancient Saint Thomas Christian lineage in Kerala.

Early life

After completing his B.A. in Economics from SB College, Changanassery, he joined the Minor Seminary Formation in Tiruvalla, where he studied from 1976 to 1979.He later pursued philosophical studies at St. Joseph’s Pontifical Institute, Mangalapuzha, Aluva, earning a B.Phil. degree during the period 1979–1982. He continued his theological studies at the Papal Seminary, Pune, from 1983 to 1986, where he obtained a B.Th. degree.He was ordained a priest on 11 June 1986. Following this, he completed a Master of Theology at DVK Pontifical Athenaeum, Bangalore, studying from 1986 to 1989. In 1997, he earned a Doctorate in Ecumenical Theology from the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum), Rome.

Education

After returning from Rome, he was appointed Vicar General (Proto Syncellus) of the Eparchy of Bathery.On 18 June 2001, Pope John Paul II appointed him as Apostolic Visitor for the Syro-Malankara Catholic faithful living in North America and Europe, and also named him Auxiliary Bishop of Trivandrum. He received episcopal consecration on 15 August 2001 at Tirumoolapuram, Tiruvalla, taking the episcopal name Isaac Mar Cleemis.On 11 September 2003, the Holy See appointed him as the sixth Bishop of the Eparchy of Tiruvalla. Later, on 10 June 2006, he was installed as the first Metropolitan Archbishop of the Archieparchy of Tiruvalla.Baselios Cleemis was unanimously elected as Catholicos of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church through the first Holy Episcopal Synod of election, held from 7 to 10 February 2007 at the Catholicate Centre, Pattom, Trivandrum. Pope Benedict XVI approved this election on 9 February 2007, and the announcement was made publicly on 10 February 2007 at St. Mary’s Cathedral, Pattom, Trivandrum. Upon election, he assumed the name Baselios Cleemis.He was enthroned as the Second Major Archbishop of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church on 5 March 2007 at St. Mary’s Cathedral, Pattom, Trivandrum. The installation ceremony was attended by Cardinal Telesphore Toppo and Cardinal Varkey Vithayathil.On 24 November 2012, Pope Benedict XVI elevated Baselios Cleemis to the College of Cardinals. As a Cardinal-Priest, he was assigned the titular church of San Gregorio VII. With this elevation, he became the first bishop of the Syro-Malankara Church and the fifth Keralite to receive the cardinalate. He described the appointment as a recognition of the “unity in diversity” of Indian Catholics and referred to values such as the defense of human life, authentic prayer, and the witness offered by Mother Teresa of Kolkata.On 31 January 2013, Pope Benedict XVI appointed him to serve as a member of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches and the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue.As a cardinal elector, he participated in the 2013 conclave that elected Pope Francis, and also in the 2025 conclave that elected Pope Leo XIV. Since he was the first Syro-Malankara cardinal, he was also the first from that Church to participate as a cardinal elector in a papal conclave.

Episcopal career

പിതാക്കന്മാരെ വേദിയിലിരുത്തി ക്ലിമിസ് പിതാവ് പറഞ്ഞത് | MAR BASELIOS CLEEMIS | BISHOP | GOODNESS TV

H H Cardinal Mar Cleemis Speech in Sacred Heart Church Kadamankulam

ഇതാണ് പ്രാർത്ഥനയുടെ ശക്തി..!! Power Of Prayer | Cardinal Cleemis | shalom web ministry

വിവേകം ഇല്ലാതെ ഒരാൾ സ്വാതന്ത്ര്യം ഉപയോഗിക്കരുത് CARDINAL CLEEMIS CATHOLICOS | Voice of the church

Vaathil Thurakkunna Edayan-03 | Baselios Cardinal Cleemis Bava | JANUARY-03-2022 | ShalomTV

H. B. Moran Mor Baselios Cardinal Cleemis Catholicos

Major Archbishop-Catholicos & Major Archbishop of Trivandrum of Archeparchy of Thiruvananthapuram