Outstanding scholar, theologian, philosopher, polyglot and man of letters, Dr. Paulos Mar Gregorios sought to bring together in a holistic vision, several unrelated disciplines like philosophy, economics, political science, medicine, education, physics and theology.
Born in 1922 at Tripunithura, Kerala, the great scholar- bishop had his earlier stints in his homestate as a journalist and postal service employee. He proceeded to Ethiopea in 1947 accepting the job of a teacher there and in course of time became the Special Secretary to Emperor Haillie Sellasi. He had an exceptional educational career in Yale, Princeton and Oxford Universities. Returning to Kerala, he was ordained as a priest of the Orthodox Church. In 1967 Fr. Paul Verghese became the Principal of the Orthodox Theological Seminary. In 1975 elevated as a bishop, Metropolitan Paulos Mar Gregorios took charge of the Delhi Diocese of the Orthodox Church in July 1975.
Honours came unsought to Mar Gregorios. He became President of the World Council of Churches and the Indian Philosophical Congress. In 1988, he received the Soviet Land Nehru Award. He travelled widely and showed an unusual intellectual courage to explore new paradigms in human thinking. He was visiting professor in several universities like the J. N. U. in New Delhi.
Mar Gregorios has authored more than 50 books. The Joy of Freedom, Freedom of Man, The Cosmic Man, The Human Presence, Enlightenment East and West, A Light Too Bright and the spiritual autobiography Love’s Freedom: The Grand Mystery are some of the most remarkable among these. Hundreds of his articles and lectures have been published in leading newspapers, and international magazines.
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