Vicar

Revd. Stanly David James has been serving the Congregation as Vicar since 1st July 2016 as per Diocesan Metropolitan HG Mathews Mar Thimothios’ Kalpana (Order) No.- AFR/SA/16/047 dated 14th May 2016.

Revd. Stanly David James is a graduate in Commerce (2004, Mahatma Gandhi University, Kerala, India) and also holds a Masters in Business Administration (2007, University of Wales, UK). He completed his theological education at the Orthodox Theological Seminary at Kottayam, Kerala, India in 2015 where we earned both Bachelors in Divinity (BD) degree as well as a Graduate in Sacred Theology (GST). He also holds a Certificate in Pastoral Theology from the Cambridge Theological Federation.

He hails from Pathanamthitta in the Kerala, India and served as Asst. Chaplain at the MOSC Medical College Hospital in Kolencherry, Kerala, India prior to his responsibility in South Africa.

Revd. Stanly David James – 0713491953 / frstanlydavidjames@gmail.com

History of Vicars in South Africa

The Vicar of the Parish, who is an ordained clergy of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church is appointed by the Diocesan Metropolitan. He is responsible for the coordinating and conducting of all sacraments to members of the Parish. He is by default, be the President / Chairperson for the Parish Assembly as well as all Committees. He is also the co-signatory, along with the Treasurer, on behalf of the Parish.

In the history of the Parish, it was the indeed the exuberant efforts of Fr. Dr. MO John back in the late 1990s that enabled the founding of a Parish in South Africa. He was appointed as the first Vicar by the LL Bishop Makarios. Owing to personal commitments, Fr MO John could not be continually available in South Africa throughout the year. Hence from 2004 onwards a full time priest was appointed as Asst. Vicar. Fr. Jose M. Daniel served as the first full time priest in South Africa until 2008 and Fr. Bejoy Varghese followed him from 2008 until 2012.

The re-bifurcation of Dioceses in the Church led to the St. Thomas Orthodox Congregation of Southern Africa coming under the Diocese of UK-Europe and Africa which has been headed by Metropolitan HG Dr. Mathews Mar Thimothios since its founding in 2009. The new vision of administration brought about great changes for the Parish in South Africa.

As such, in 2012, Fr. Josie John was appointed as first full-time Vicar of the Parish and continued to serve the Parish till 2016. Revd. Stanly David James has been serving the Congregation as Vicar since 1st July 2016.