Kottayam: The former Priest Trustee and former Principal of the Orthodox Theological Seminary, Rev Fr. Dr. O. Thomas (70) went to heavenly abode for his eternal rest. He was inherited from Oodathil family, Cheppad, Alleppy (Alapuzha) District, Kerala, India. The funeral will be held later.

Fr. Dr. O. Thomas, the Principal and Professor of Christian Ministry at the Orthodox Theological Seminary, Kottayam, received his M.A. from Kerala University; B.D, M.Th, D.Th, and PDPT from Serampore University. His Doctoral Dissertation is “Spiritual Resources of the Orthodox Church in relation to the crisis of the People.” As an ordained minister of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church, he served as the Clergy Secretary of the Malankara Indian Orthodox Syrian Church, Director of the Orthodox Sunday School, and Faculty at the St. Paul’s Mission Training Centre, Mavelikara. His area of interest is Pastoral Care and Counselling. He is a well-known preacher and counsellor.

Fr. Dr. O. Thomas, the former Principal of Orthodox Theological Seminary, had been a professor there since 1981 and continues to be the research guide and faculty at FFRRC, Kottayam. He served as the Director General of Orthodox Syrian Sunday School Association (OSSAE), Priest Trustee of the Malankara Orthodox Church, Church Working Committee member, Principal of St. Paul’s Mission Training Centre Mavelikara, and General Secretary of Orthodox Christian Youth Movement (OCYM), along with his remarkable contributions in the field of counseling, teaching and preaching.

Fr. Dr. O. Thomas completed his Masters in Sociology from Kerala University, Post Graduate Diploma in Practical Theology (PDPT) from Heythrop London, M. Th. and D.Th. from United Theological College Bangalore, affiliated to the Serampore University.

Fr. Dr. O. Thomas is the first doctoral holder in counseling in Malankara Orthodox Church and his principal area of teaching is Christian Ministry – Pastoral Counseling under which he covers Introduction to Psychology, Practical Theology, Pastoral Care and Counseling, Supervised Pastoral Counseling and Marriage and Family. In 1995, when Orthodox Theological Seminary initiated Prathyasa Counselling Centre, a counseling study centre for laymen irrespective of religion, he was designated as its founder director. It was a fulfillment of the dream and vision of Dr. Poulose Mar Gregorios Metropolitan, the legendary theologian and Principal of Orthodox Theological Seminary. Fr. Dr. O. Thomas’ counseling services are still rendered on all Fridays at Parumala Seminary, for those who are suffering from mental ailments.

He had authored 8 books, hundreds of articles and had been the long-term chief editor of Doothan and Snehalokam magazines.