Heartfelt congratulations are due to our beloved Corepiscopa Achen for completing 35 years of dedicated priesthood services for our Archdiocese
Very Rev. Joseph C. Joseph Corepiscopa was born January 13, 1952, son of the late Paulose and Mariamma Joseph, a very religious Syrian Orthodox Christian family from Vazhamuttom, Kerala. Joseph was the middle child of seven, five sisters and one brother. He was baptized at St. Ignatius Dayara in Manjanikkara, India. His parents dedicated him to His Holiness Mar Ignatius Elias the III’s final resting place (“Kabarin Adeema Vetchu”). As a young boy, Joseph expressed much interest in the church and participated in many church functions including teaching Sunday school and being actively involved in various church programs. He also served as an altar boy at his home parish in Kerala. In 1974 he moved to New Delhi for professional opportunities where he continued to serve at the local parish altar and furthered his theological studies. Joseph married Mariamma in 1975 and migrated to the United States in 1976.
When Joseph arrived in Texas, he realized there was a need for an established place of worship for the Syrian Orthodox Christians. The Lord’s calling, fulfillment of a childhood dream, the request of Father John Jacob (presently H.G. Yuhanon Mor Philexinos) and the encouragement from the people in Dallas and Houston, Joseph decided that he wanted to serve the Lord through priesthood ordination. At the age of 26, By the grace of God, Late Lamented His Eminence Mor Athanasius Yeshu Samuel ordained Joseph to the holy order of priesthood on March 12, 1978 in Dallas, Texas. It is commendable to note that Fr. Joseph was the first priest ordained for this Archdiocese and has been serving this archdiocese for the last 35 years.
Fr. Joseph organized and served as the first vicar of both St. Ignatius Syrian Orthodox Cathedral in Dallas, Texas and St. Mary’s Syrian Orthodox Church in Houston, Texas. Due to employment opportunities, Fr. Joseph and family moved to Atlanta, Georgia in 1987. With the direction and with a blessing Kalpana from Late Lamented His Eminence Mor Athanasius Yeshu Samuel, Fr. Joseph started the first Syrian Orthodox parish in Metro Atlanta, in the blessed intersession of Saint Mary and has been serving that parish since then. Fr. Joseph assisted in formally organizing and establishing the St. George Syrian Orthodox Church in Chicago, Illinois and St. George Syrian Orthodox Church, Charlotte, North Carolina in addition to serving as the Vicar at St. Mary's Syrian Orthodox Church in Dallas, Texas, the Archdiocesan Council and in the Archdiocesan Clergy Council.
On May 17, 2003, St. Mary's Syrian Orthodox Church celebrated Fr. Joseph's 25th Priesthood Ordination Silver Jubilee. Holy Qurbana, led by His Beatitude Aboon Mor Baselios Thomas I Catholicose, and assisted by His Eminence Dr. Yuhanon Mor Philexinos, and His Eminence Dr. Mathews Mor Ivanios, During the Holy Qurbana a golden pectoral cross chain was blessed, and His Beatitude presented the chain to Fr. Joseph for his dedicated service to the Malankara Archdiocese of the Syrian Orthodox Archdiocese in North America for the past 25 years. With Apostolic blessing from His Holiness Moran Mor Ignatius Zakka I Iwas Patriarch of Antioch and all the East Supreme Head of the Universal Syriac Orthodox Church, on April 29, 2006, Fr. Joseph was elevated to Corepiscopo by His Eminence Mor Titus Yeldho, the Archbishop of North America.
Very Rev. Fr. Joseph’s entire priesthood has been one of dedicated service. His attributes of selfless service, compassion and love is a model for each of us. We pray that God Almighty continue to give Achen strength, good health, and joy in the continued service of our Lord to the parish and to our Archdiocese.