His Eminence Dr. Mathews Mar Thimothios served as the first Metropolitan of the Diocese of UK Europe and Africa from its founding in 2009.
He served as Metropolitan until November 2022, when HE Abraham Mar Stephanos took over. HE Mar Thimothios currently serves as Metropolitan of the Diocese of Chengannur (Kerala, India). He is also currently the Vice-President of the Orthodox theological Seminary, Kottayam Kerala.
Bishop Thimothios (formerly Fr Mathew Baby) was born in 1963 into the Painuvilla Puthenveettil family as the eldest son of Mr. P. J. Baby and Mrs. Thankamma Baby. He hails from the St. Mary’s Orthodox Cathedral, Puthiakavu, Mavelikkara.
After completing his graduation in B.Sc. Mathematics from the Kerala University, Mar Thimothios began his theological education at the Orthodox Theological Seminary, Kottayam where he completed his Graduate in Sacred Theology (GST) and Bachelor in Divinity (BD) (Senate of Serampore) degree. He pursued a Masters in Theology (M.Th.) in Old Testament at the Federated Faculty of Research in Religion and Cultural Studies (FFRRC) under the Senate of Serampore. His Eminence also attained a Licentiate in Sacred Scripture from the Pontifical Institute in Rome and a Diploma in Biblical Archeology from the Pontifical Bible Institute in Jerusalem. He was conferred a Doctoral Degree in Old Testament from the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas, Rome in the year 2001. His thesis- An Exegetical Study on Psalm 24 was published in Rome. He is a well versed scholar in Italian, French, German, Aramic and Hebrew.
- Elected as Bishop Designate at the Malankara Syrian Christian Association held in September 2008 at Pampakuda.
- Professed as Ramban in December 2008
- Consecrated as Bishop in February 2009
In a clerical ministry spanning over 35 years, His Eminence served as Vicar and Asst. Vicar in several parishes in the Dioceses of Kollam, Kottayam and Mavelikara. During this period, he also served as Joint Secretary of the St. Thomas Orthodox Vaidika Sangom, Publisher of the Purohithan Quarterly Magazine and Secretary of the Vattasseril Mar Dionysius Charitable Fund.
He has previously also served as Dean of Post Graduate Studies of the Federated Faculty for Research in Religion and Culture (FFRRC), Registrar of the Orthodox Theological Seminary Kottayam, Member of the Board of Studies for Old Testament of Serampore University and Member of the Bible Translation Committee of the Bible Society of India.
His contributions to Theological Studies and Research include:
- The Song of Hannah: A Programmatic Introduction to 1 Samuel
- A Holy God Among His People in a Holy Place: An Exegetico-Theological Study of Psalm 24
Address: Bethel Mar Gregorios Aramana, Chengannur, Kerala, India. PO- 689121
Mob: +91 94477 18511
Email: thimothiosmathews@gmail.com