Abraham Mar Julios

Abraham Mar Julios was a Syro-Malankara Catholic metropolitan whose ministry joined biblical scholarship, priestly formation, healthcare leadership, and pastoral care across Kerala and beyond. Born Abraham Kakkanattu on 25 May 1945 in Kalloopara, near Thiruvalla, to Varghese Kakkanattil and Annamma Varghese, he entered the Infant Mary Minor Seminary in Thiruvalla in 1961. After philosophy at St. Thomas Apostolic Seminary in Vadavathoor, Kottayam, he studied theology at the Pontifical Urban College (Propaganda Fide) in Rome and was ordained a priest on 10 October 1970 by Metropolitan Zacharias Mar Athanasios.

Early pastoral assignments took him to Mycavu and Ounjil in Kozhikode, then into diocesan administration. From 1974 to 1979 he served as procurator and director of the Social Service Society of the Eparchy of Tiruvalla while also acting as vicar of Thalavadi North and South. In 1978 he founded Matha Senior Secondary School in Thumboly, Alappuzha, signalling a lifelong interest in education.

Rome called him back for advanced biblical study. He earned a bachelor's degree from the Pontifical Biblical Institute, a diploma in Eastern languages, and a doctorate in biblical theology from the Pontifical Urbaniana University, later adding a master's degree in psychology from the University of Mysore. Returning to Kerala, he became rector of St. Mary's Malankara Major Seminary in Thiruvananthapuram and helped drive the construction of a new seminary building, travelling abroad to gather support.

From 1990 to 1997 he was vicar of St. John's Cathedral, Tiruvalla, where he started St. John's ITC, and for seven years he also chaired the Tiruvalla Horticulture Society. Later parish and school-board work at Chengaroor prepared him for a major institutional chapter: in February 2001 he became director of Pushpagiri Medical College, Thiruvalla. There he pressed expansion of nursing, pharmacy, and dental colleges, the heart institute, related hospitals and primary health centres, and he advocated for the rights of self-financing and minority educational institutions.

On 18 January 2008 Pope Benedict XVI appointed him metropolitan bishop of the Eparchy of Muvattupuzha. Ordained remban on 30 January and consecrated bishop on 9 February 2008 by Catholicos Baselios Cleemis at the cathedral in Muvattupuzha, he led the eparchy until 2019. In retirement he lived at the Thiruvalla Archbishop's House. He died in the early hours of 19 September 2026 at Pushpagiri Medical College, aged 81. Public viewing preceded burial at St. John's Cathedral, Tiruvalla. Colleagues remembered a scripture teacher and institution-builder who never left the Malankara Catholic Church's educational and medical mission.