Background
Mathews March Barnabas was born as one of a set of twins to Kuruvilla and Mariamma, a couple of the Kidangethu Thompra family in Kallarackaparampil house at Valayanchirangara.
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Mathews March Barnabas
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Education
He studied Biology at Madras Christian College and while he served the parish in Secunderabad he did his masters in Botany in Osmania University. He began theological studies under the guidance of his uncle Fr K. P. Paulose. In 1949 he joined the Orthodox Theological Seminary as a special student and studied Syriac for two years.
While he was the vicar of the Calcutta parish, he studied in the Bishop"s College, Calcutta and earned his B. Doctorate. degree from the Serampore University, as an external student.
Career
In his childhood he was called Mathukutty. At the age of seven, Mathukutty determined to become a monk and started to practice with vegetarian food. In 1951 Metropolitan Augen March Thimotheos ordained him to the priesthood.
As a deacon, he was a teacher at Kurppumpady M.G. M. High School in 1947.
He taught there for two years and continued to teach for another two years at the Doctor of Medicine Seminary High School, Kottayam, until he was ordained to priesthood. He also was a lecturer in the Orthodox Theological Seminary at Kottayam from 1967 to 1972.
During this period he was the resident faculty member at the seminary and full-time warden. He also served as chaplain in the Kolenchery Medical Mission Hospital from 1972-1978.
Malankara Association held in 1977 elected Fr K. K. Mathews as a metropolitan of the church.
On 15 May 1978, Baselios March Thoma Mathews I consecrated him as bishop at Pazhanji Church, with the ecclesiastical title Mathews March Barnabas and appointed as assistant bishop of the Ankamali and Kottayam Dioceses. In 1982 he was appointed as the metropolitan of the newly formed Idikki Diocese. In 1992/93, Mathews March Barnabas was appointed as the diocesan metropolitan of the undivided American Diocese.
On 18 January 2011, the Catholicos of The East and Malankara Metropolitan, Baselius March Thoma Paulose II, accepted Mathews March Barnabas" request to be relieved from administrative responsibilities as diocesan metropolitan of the Northeast American Diocese.
Mathews March Barnabas left the United States on 25 May 2011. Mathews March Barnabas was admitted to Pushpagiri Hospital, Thiruvilla (Kerala) for a pain-related issue.
