Titus II Mar Thoma Metropolitan (Mar Thoma XVI) (6 May 1866 – 6 July 1944) was the head of the Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian Church with its center in Kerala state in south-western India. He was known as Thithoos Dwitheeyan Mar Thoma Metropolitan among his people. (Thithoos is Aramaic and Malayalam) It was in the Malabar Coast in the 1st century CE, Thomas the Apostle arrived to preach the gospel to the Jews and non-Jewish locals, from whom emerged the Nasrani people and their Malankara Church. They followed a unique Hebrew-Syriac Christian tradition which included several Jewish elements and Indian customs. The Mar Thoma Syrian Church is still a part of this Malankara Church community. Early days Palakunnathu Family In the 17th century, a member of the Panamkuzhy family (a branch of the Pakalomattam family), came and settled in Kozhencherry on the banks of river Pampa. Later they moved to Maramon, and lived at Chackkalyil, on the other side of the river. The second son in that family, Mathen moved to a nearby house at Palakunnathu. He had six sons and a daughter. The daughter was married to Mallapally Pavoothikunnel family and the first four sons moved to Themoottil, Neduvelil (Kozhenchery), Periyilel and Punamadom (Othera). The fifth son was a hermit priest (sanyasi achen). As was the custom, the youngest son Mathew lived at Palakunnathu family house. (This house still exists). Abraham Malpan, leader of reformation in Malankara church was the second son of Mathew. Thomas Mar Athanasius Metropolitan and Titus I Mar Thoma Metropolitan (Marthoma Metropolitan I) were the sons of Abraham Malpan. A number of other Marthoma Church leaders were also born in this family. Mathews Mar Athanasius Metropolitan and Titus I Mar Thoma Metropolitan (Marthoma Metropolitan I) were from this family. The present head of the Marthoma Church, Dr. Joseph Mar Thoma Metropolitan (Marthoma Metropolitan VII), is also from this family. Early age P.J. Dethos (Aramaic. Titus – English) was born on 6 May 1866 as the youngest son of Maramon Palakunnathu Joseph (brother of Mathews Mar Athanasius Metropolitan) and Mavelikara Vadakkethalackal Mariamma. After primary education at Maramon he joined Kottayam seminary. He was at C.M.S. High school, Kottayam and at St. Joseph's school, Trivandrum, before returning home to study Syriac. Ordination He was ordained by Thomas Mar Athanasius Metropolitan in 1889 and was appointed as assistant vicar in his home parish at Maramon church. He was