Michael Mor Dionysius – fervently reminisced as the Roaring Lion of Malankara – is a name invoked as the epitome of liturgical discipline, unwavering loyalty to the Patriarchate of Antioch, steadfast adherence to the Apostolic faith and traditions, courage in the face of adversities, administrative prodigy, integral unity of the Church, radically simple episcopal life, a holistic pastoral care breaching ecclesial as well as ethnic frontiers and a prophetic visionary of the Church.
I shall not get into the details of his biography however one thing that I found truly inspiring in his life was the distinguished honour he received in having a school of saints as his spiritual fathers. For instance;
1. He was ordained a sub-deacon by St. Geevarghese Gregorious Chathuruthil (Parumala Thirumeni).
2. His priesthood ordination service included Mor Geevarghese Dionysius (Vattasheril) as the chief celebrant, alongside Pulikkottil Mor Dionysius, St. Osthatheos Sleeba (the Patriarchal delegate) and St. Coorilos Paulose as co-celebrants.
3. For his episcopal consecration in Jerusalem, he was accompanied by Mor Yulios Elias Qoro (the Patriarchal delegate).
4. He was consecrated a bishop by the then Patriarch St. Ignatius Elias III.
5. Finally, his funeral services were led by our former Maphriyono Aboon Mor Baselios Paulose II.
The unflinching resoluteness that Michael Mor Dionysius exhibited in matters of faith and life stemmed from his esteemed fortune of having very closely associated and observed the life of his saintly masters. It is their legacy that he continued in and through him.
No amount of trials, tribulations and threats could deter him from the confession of his faith and principles. He famously remarked;
“𝘈𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘢𝘤𝘤𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘱, 𝘐 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘯 𝘶𝘱 𝘧𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘮𝘺𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧: 𝘳𝘢𝘨𝘨𝘦𝘥 𝘤𝘭𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘴, 𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘯 𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴, 𝘣𝘳𝘢𝘯 𝘱𝘪𝘦, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘸𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘳. 𝘐 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘺 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘯 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘮𝘦. 𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘣𝘺 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘪𝘦𝘵𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘏𝘰𝘭𝘺 𝘚𝘦𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘈𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘤𝘩.”
The undaunted fidelity of Michael Mor Dionysius was demonstrated when despite Mor Geevarghese Dionysius (Vattasheril) – the one who ordained him a priest – renounced the Holy See of Antioch as well as Thomas Mor Dioscoros (Knanaya) – the one who was consecrated Metropolitan along with him – left the church and joined the Roman Catholic Church, Michael Mor Dionysius alone stood firm in his faith and allegiance to the Holy See of Antioch.
Having been blissfully nurtured under the holy aegis of saintly fathers, Michael Mor Dionysius was able to contribute many substantial priests and metropolitans to the Holy Church. To mention a few, Mor Yulios Yakob (Manjinikkara), Mor Theemotheos Yakob (Thrikkothamangalam) and Mor Ivanios Philippose (Velloor) were fortunate to have been ordained priests by Michael Mor Dionysius.
The pastoral care and commitment of Michael Mor Dionysius spilled over the walls of the church to civic life and community. Beyond teaching at M.D. Seminary, Kottayam and offering invaluable active services to crucial spiritual organizations like Sunday School, Suriyani Youth Association and the Malankara Missionary Society, he also served as the municipal counsellor for 12 years representing Kayamkulam in the Sree Moolam Praja Sabha, the legislative body of Travancore.
Visiting parishes on foot and by ox-cart, personally overseeing the needs and welfare of the common people and addressing everyone by name, Michael Mor Dionysius was radiating the presence of Christ wherever he was placed and whomever he came in contact with.
The life and witness of Michael Mor Dionysius possibly made him so beloved of God that he was granted the privilege to foreknow and prepare for his death while he was delivering a eulogy at Panampady church on the Dukhrono of his beloved teacher Mor Coorilos Paulose. With implicit hope in the Resurrection, Michael Mor Dionysius resposed in our Lord on January 18, 1956.
Michael Mor Dionysius was a venerable shepherd who, through his life and testimony, drew many to the Church i.e. to the Body of Christ or more categorically to Christ Himself. Every priest is called for this very purpose; to draw people not to himself but to Christ. A priest must never draw people to himself but only to Christ. The priest who draws people to himself is bound to fall and so are the people drawn to a priest than Christ. The flock belongs to Christ and the priest must not steal it. A hymn from the Liturgy of the Ordination of Sub-Deacons reinforces this fact;
𝘊𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴, 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴! 𝘊𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘵 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘓𝘰𝘳𝘥, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘊𝘩𝘪𝘦𝘧 𝘰𝘧 𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘱𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘥𝘴, 𝘴𝘢𝘪𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘏𝘪𝘴 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘦𝘧 𝘢𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘵𝘭𝘦, “𝘖 𝘚𝘪𝘮𝘰𝘯, 𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘴. 𝘞𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘷𝘪𝘨𝘪𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦, 𝘨𝘶𝘢𝘳𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘭𝘰𝘤𝘬 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘴𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘴𝘮𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘮, 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘋𝘢𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘑𝘶𝘥𝘨𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘢𝘤𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘵 𝘣𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘑𝘶𝘥𝘨𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘴 𝘯𝘰 𝘣𝘳𝘪𝘣𝘦.”
Christ is the Chief Shepherd and the priests are accountable to that Chief Shepherd for His flock. The vestments that a priest garbs testify to this. They cover the priest as much as possible because in order for Christ to appear the priest must disappear.
As we commemorate the blessed and eternal memory of Michael Mor Dionysius, may we too like him, live steadfastly in faith as well as remain unswervingly loyal to our roots drawing people to Christ through our lives. May the prayers of Michael Mor Dionysius always be a strong fortress for us.
~ 𝐃𝐚𝐲𝐫𝐨𝐲𝐨 𝐅𝐫. 𝐁𝐚𝐬𝐢𝐥
Urho, The Way 