Clergy
His Grace Dr. Thomas Mar Ivanios, Metropolitan, Local Bishop
Born to the Late Mr. Thomas Chacko and Mrs. Annamma in Pulluparampil house, Aleppey on December 13th, 1969, His Grace Thomas Mar Ivanios Metropolitan belongs to the parish of St. Thomas Orthodox Church, Chennankari under Kottayam diocese.
His Grace completed his school education from St. Joseph High School, Chennankari (1985), following which H.G. completed his degree in Malayalam (1986-88) from SD College, Aleppey. He joined Kottayam Old Seminary in 1992 and completed GST (1992-96). Later, he earned his M.Th (1997-99) from FFRRC and a Doctor of Ministry (D. Min).
He was ordained sub-deacon by H.G. Geevarghese Mar Ivanios Metropolitan at Orthodox Theological Seminary, Kottayam on December 8th, 1996. He was ordained as a deacon (1999) at Mar Baselios Dayara, Njaliyakuzhi, and then to the priesthood at St. Thomas Orthodox Church, Chennankari on September 18th, 1999.
He was chosen as Metropolitan in the Malankara Syrian Christian Association held at Kolencherry on February 25, 2022 . He received the status of Ramban at the Parumala Seminary on June 2nd, 2022 . He was ordained as a Metropolitan by the name “Mar Ivanios” by His Holiness Baselios Mar Thoma Mathews III Catholicos at St. Mary’s Cathedral, Pazhanji on July 28th, 2022. H.G. has taken charge of the Diocese of South-West America since November 3rd, 2022.
Fr. Samuel Varghese, Abbot
Fr. Samuel (Saju) Varghese was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois. He grew up as a member of St. Gregorios Orthodox Church, Oak Park (now Elmhurst). His parents, Mr. Peter and Mrs. Lilly Varghese, trace their roots to St. George Orthodox Valiyapally, Mylapra, in Kerala, India.
Fr. Samuel earned his B.A. in Religious Studies from the University of Illinois Urbana–Champaign in 2005 and continued his theological education at the St. Ephrem Ecumenical Research Institute (SEERI) and the Orthodox Theological Seminary (OTS) in Kottayam, specializing in Syriac language and West Syriac liturgy.
He was ordained a Sub-deacon in 2010 and, after returning to the United States in 2011, served as the Youth Minister for the Western Region of the Diocese of South-West America, supporting youth ministry across parishes in California, Arizona, and the Pacific Northwest.
Fr. Samuel also holds a Master’s degree in Clinical Psychology (Marriage & Family Therapy) from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology. His pastoral ministry integrates both theological and psychological training, offering a holistic approach to spiritual care and family life.
Ordained to the Holy Priesthood on December 8, 2018, he became the second celibate priest of the Diocese and now serves as the vicar of St. Thomas Malankara Orthodox Valiyapally, Los Angeles. He continues to serve the Diocese through the Ministry of Liturgical Resource Development, contributing to translation, versification, and publication of English liturgical texts for the Malankara Orthodox faithful in North America.