Patriarch Moran Mor Ignatius Yaqub III

His Holiness Moran Mor Ignatius Yaqub III, who gave unforgettable chapters to the Syrian Church of Malankara that can never be forgotten, was born on October 13, 1912, in the village of Bartelli near Mosul in Iraq—the ancient land once known as Mesopotamia. He was born into an ancient and most distinguished family as the son of Thoma and Shemuni.

In his childhood, he was called by the name "Sabha." His primary education took place in his own village of Bartelli. At the age of 11, in 1923, recognizing that his life's calling was something different, he joined St. Mathew's Monastery (Mor Mattai Dayro) in Mosul through divine vocation. There he received his theological education. Gifted with a talent for chanting, he internalized the Syriac melodies (eqaroth) and gained profound scholarship in the Syriac language and history.

In 1924, he received the order of Korooyo (lector) from Mor Clemis Yuhanon Metropolitan, and in 1929, he received the order of Yauphdiyaqno (full deacon) from His Holiness Patriarch Elias III.

From 1931 to 1933, he served as a Syriac professor (Malpan) at the theological seminary in Beirut. He was also well-versed in Arabic, English, and French languages. On July 20, 1933, the Reverend Abdul Ahad Ramban came to Malankara along with Mor Yulios Elias Bava, the representative of the Holy Apostolic See of Antioch who had come from Malankara to participate in the election of His Holiness Patriarch Aphrem I.

He resided at Manjinikkara Dayro along with Mor Yulios Bava. In 1934, Mor Yulios Elias Bava ordained Abdul Ahad Ramban as a priest (Kassisso). Ramachan lived at Manjinikkara for a long period of 13 years, from 1933 to 1946, ministering at the holy tomb of His Holiness Patriarch Elias III—who had ordained him as a full deacon—and taught the Syriac language to numerous theological students, serving as their Malpan (teacher).

During this period, he learned the Malayalam language well, and would celebrate the Holy Qurbana in Malayalam. The Holy Father, who spoke Malayalam with ease, maintained excellent relationships with everyone at Manjinikkara.

In 1946, Abdul Ahad Ramachan, much to his sorrow, departed from the beloved Manjinikkara Dayro and returned to Mosul. There, until 1950, Ramachan oversaw the responsibilities of Mor Aphrem Theological Seminary in Mosul.

In 1950, His Holiness Patriarch Aphrem I consecrated Abdul Ahad Ramachan as Metropolitan of the Beirut-Damascus dioceses, giving him the name Yakub Mor Severios. When His Holiness Patriarch Aphrem I departed this life on June 23, 1957, the General Holy Synod convened under the presidency of the Locum Tenens, the Reverend Kuriakose Mor Osthatheos Thirumeni, on October 14, 1957. This Synod elected Metropolitan Yakub Mor Severios as Patriarch, and his enthronement as Patriarch took place on October 27, 1957.

Immediately after His Holiness Patriarch Yaqub III's enthronement, demonstrating his desire for peace within the Church, he issued Encyclical No. 82 on November 11, 1957. This encyclical came at a time when the Patriarchal faction had achieved complete victory in the High Court.

By Encyclical No. 497, dated December 16, 1958, Mor Baselios Geevarghese II was accepted as Catholicos. On January 3, 1963, Catholicos Mor Baselios Geevarghese II departed this life. Subsequently, on May 22, 1964, His Holiness Patriarch Yaqub III consecrated Mor Augen Timotheos as Catholicos at Kottayam.

Later, Catholicos Mor Augen I adopted an independent church stance and was excommunicated. Following this, in 1975, His Holiness the Patriarch consecrated the Most Reverend Baselios Paulose II as Catholicos.

His Holiness Yaqub III's 23 years of ministry as Patriarch are a matter of great pride for the Syriac Orthodox Church. During this period, he consecrated two Catholicos Bavas and 13 Metropolitans. For the sake of Malankara, during the period 1973-75, he consecrated 6 Metropolitans.

Among those consecrated to provide courageous leadership during the most critical period of crisis for the Church in the 1970s were the Most Reverend Baselios Thomas I Catholicos (then a Metropolitan), the blessed Perumpally Thirumeni, and Kuriakose Mor Kurilos Thirumeni.

His Holiness Yaqub III's vocal sweetness is praiseworthy. The Eqarot (Syriac liturgical melodies) that he sang for many hours are still in circulation today on cassette recordings. In October 1971, the paper he presented on the Syriac Orthodox Church at the University of Göttingen in West Germany brought recognition both to His Holiness's scholarship and to the Syriac Church.

In 1971 and again in 1980, he conducted ecumenical dialogues with the Roman Catholic Church, visiting the Pope and engaging in conversations that strengthened ecclesiastical relations between the two churches.

Through His Holiness's efforts, the following institutions were nurtured and developed: a modern-style orphanage built in Atchaneh, Lebanon, a theological seminary, Mor Severios College in Beirut, the Episcopal residence at Sahlieh, the Patriarchal headquarters in Damascus, and the Mor Ephrem Library. His Holiness, who authored numerous books, also wrote the history of the Syriac Church of Malankara.

In 1960, the Syriac Church became a member of the World Council of Churches (WCC), and His Holiness made great efforts to send many priests and Metropolitans abroad for higher studies and to send representatives to ecclesiastical conferences, thereby working to elevate the glory of the Church.

On June 25, 1980, His Holiness Patriarch Yaqub III departed this life at the age of 68. On June 28, he was laid to rest on the eastern side of the altar of St. George's Cathedral, adjoining the Patriarchal residence in Damascus. The Syriac Church observes the memorial feast of His Holiness on June 25 each year.

The sacred relics of His Holiness were later transferred by His Holiness Patriarch Aphrem II on June 29, 2016, to a specially prepared tomb at St. Peter and St. Paul Cathedral in Ma'arrat Saidnaya.

His Holiness Patriarch Yaqub III, who provided decisive leadership to the Syriac Church during the second half of the twentieth century, was a capable administrator, possessed a blessed and distinctive voice, was gifted with grace in liturgical celebration, was a scholarly author, an ecumenical figure who strengthened the Church, and a Malayali Patriarch who handled the Malayalam language with effortless ease.

His legacy lives on through the institutions he established, the scholars he trained, the ecumenical bridges he built, and the courageous bishops he consecrated to guide the Church through its most trying times. The Malankara Church remembers him with profound gratitude for his role in preserving the apostolic faith during a turbulent era.