Malankara Church was threatened. However, Geevarghese Mar Philexenos (Kidangan) (1811–29) of the Malabar Independent Syrian Church stepped in to take over the duties of the Malankara Metropolitan and served as the Acting Malankara Metropolitan until ordaining a successor to Mar Dionysius II. Mar Philexenos ordained Mar Dionysius III in 1817. The memorial feast of Mar Dionysius II is celebrated on 24 November. In recognition of his contributions to the Church, the Episcopal Synod of Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church conferred the honorary designation "Sabha-Jyothis" (Malayalam: സഭാ ജ്യോതിസ്, meaning 'light of the Church'). See also Indian Orthodox Church Mar Thoma Syrian Church Syrian Malabar Nasrani Saint Thomas Christians Christianity in India List of Catholicoi of the East and Malankara Metropolitans List of Syrian Malabar Nasranis Mar Thoma VII Mar Thoma VIII Mar Thoma IX Punnathara Mar Dionysious (Mar Thoma XI) Geevarghese Mar Philexenos II Kunnamkulam References Further reading Fr. Dr. Joseph Cheeran; മലങ്കര സഭാ ജ്യോതിസ് പുലിക്കോട്ടിൽ ജോസഫ്‌ മാർ ദിവന്നാസ്സ്യോസ്, ആധുനിക മലങ്കര സഭയുടെ ശില്പി (Malankara Sabha Jyothis Pulikkottil Joseph Mar Dionysius, the architect of modern Malankara Church); M. J. D. Publishing House, Kunnamkulam; 1992 External links https://web.archive.org/web/20090710035249/http://www.syrianchurch.org/bio/Pulikottil_I.htm – Biography of Pulikottil Joseph Mar Dionysius I Oriental Orthodoxy in India People from Thrissur district Syriac Orthodox Church bishops 1742 births 1816 deaths Christian clergy from Kerala Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church bishops Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church Christians