Background
Jacob (Yakob) March Theophilos was born as the first son of Abraham Tharakan and Achama of Kulapurackalveedu.
Jacob (Yakob) March Theophilos was born as the first son of Abraham Tharakan and Achama of Kulapurackalveedu.
After primary education from a nearby school, he completed matriculation from Doctor of Medicine High School, Kottayam, where he later became a teacher.
He longed to lead a life of priesthood by his own religious tradition and by the inspiration of Master of Arts Achan (Fr P T Geevarghese Panikerveettil, later Archbishop March Ivanios), who was then Principal of the Doctor of Medicine High School. March Theophilos received his sacred order of the Diconate from Metropolitan Vattasseril March Divannasios. Master of Arts Achan took March Theophilos, his deacon, to Serampore when he (Master of Arts Achan) took up an assignment as Professor of the Serampore University.
Deacon Yakob stood with Archbishop March Ivanios in the founding of Bethany Ashram and later in embracing the Catholic Communion through the Re-union Movement.
Yakob. He was the Guru(Master) of the Novices. He was ordained priest in 1924 and was elected and ordained Bishop after the name Yakob March Theophilos.
March Theophilos gave full support to March Ivanios in all his pioneering endeavours especially of the Reunion Movement. Though other Bishops backtracked from the decision of the Synod of Parumala held in 1926, March Theophilos endorsed it with full conviction and commitment.
When the Syro-Malankara Catholic Hierarchy was established in 1932, he was appointed the first Metropolitan of Tiruvalla.
His Aramana (Bishop"s residence) was a small two storied building named Cherupushpagiri, situated in the place where now stands the Pushpagiri Medical College. In 1933 March Theophilos visited Rome and paid his respects to Pope Pius XI. Jacob March Theophilos blessed the new Bishop’s house on 24 November 1934. With the mission to spread the faith and to strengthen the Re-union Movement, he formed "Sakshyasangam" ("Group of Witnesses").
Due to ill health, he handed over the administration of the Eparchy to March Severios and took rest.
March Theophilos died on 27 June 1956, aged 65. His remains are entombed in Saint John"s Cathedral, Tiruvalla.
One of the first members of the Bethany Congregation was French Thus he became one among the first five members of the Re-union Movement on 20 September 1930.