Born and brought up in the long-standing priestly tradition of the Adangapurathu Kalamannil family of Eraviperoor near Thiruvalla, Mar Chrysostum began his service as a missionary at Agola in Karnataka.

He is the only surviving member of a team of missionaries who ventured to open the Church’s first mission centre outside the State in 1940.

He was ordained a priest in 1944 and became a bishop Mar Chrysostum on May 23, 1953.

He was elevated Saffragan Metropolitan later and became the supreme head of the Mar Thoma Church on October 22, 1999, when the then Metropolitan, Alexander Mar Thoma, opted for voluntary retirement.

It was for the first time in the history of the Mar Thoma Church, that the installation of a Metropolitan was held in the presence of his predecessor.

The very meaning of ‘Chrysostum’ suggests ‘one with a golden tongue’ and Mar Chrysostum is known for the gift of his gab, especially his humour-coated philosophical speeches that reflect the raw facts of human life.

Nair Service Society (NSS) general secretary P.K. Narayana Panicker called on the Metropolitan to personally felicitate him on Friday afternoon.

Mr. Panicker presented him a ‘ponnada’.

Presenting a small poem written by himself, the NSS general secretary said Mar Chrysostum had always been his best friend.

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