Orthodox Theological Seminary, Kottayam

The Orthodox Theological Seminary also known as Old Seminary (Pazhaya Seminari) or M.D Seminary is a seminary of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church. It was founded in 1815 by Colonel John Munro with the help of the priest-monk Pulikkottil Joseph Ittoop Ramban(later Mar Dionysius II) to serve the then-unified Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church and to invite CMS missionaries to teach theology. At that time deacons were ordained as priests without an organized theological education. After the arrival of CMS missionaries, theological education was organized for the priests. It is the first theological school in Kerala and is regarded as first Theological Seminary in Asia.[1]

Orthodox Theological Seminary
Pazhaya Seminary
പഴയ സെമിനാരി / പഠിത്തവീട്
A 2015 stamp dedicated to the 200th anniversary of the Orthodox Theological Seminary
Location	Kottayam, Kerala
Country	India
Denomination	Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church
Website	http://www.ots.edu.in
History
Former name(s)	Kottayam Seminary, Kottayam College, Syrian Seminary
Founded	1815
Founder(s)	Pullikottil Dionysius I (Mar Dionysius II)
Relics held	Tombs of Pullikottil Dionysius I - 10th Malankara Metropolitan Pulikkottil Joseph Mar Dionysious II - 14th Malankara Metropolitan Saint Vattasseril Dionysius VI - 15th Malankara Metropolitan Paulose Mar Gregorios - Former Principal of the Seminary and Metropolitan of Delhi diocese of Malankara Church
Events	Significance : Former Official residence of the Malankara Metropolitan and Former Head Quarters of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church Unique facts: the first locale to start English education in Kerala the first to have Englishmen as teachers the first in Kerala to have printing press the first venue to the translation of Bible into unified and standardized Malayalam vernacular the first venue of the composition of Malayalam-English, English-Malayalam dictionaries.
Clergy
Bishop(s)	Patron and Custodian of the Seminary is the Malankara Metropolitan Presently Baselios Mar Thoma Paulose II
Priest in charge	Fr. Dr. Johns Abraham Konat ( Principal)

Colonel John Munro, the British Resident in the Kingdom of Travancore offered his unreserved support for the initiative and upon his insistence the Queen of Travancore granted 16 acres (65,000 m²) of tax-free land, Rs.20,000 and the necessary timber for the construction of the Seminary.[2][3] The work started in 1813 and the building was completed and classes began in March 1815.

As per Col Munro's invitation the Church Missionary Society (C.M.S) Missionaries arrived in Kerala, to help as teachers in the Seminary.[3] For some years the relationship between the missionaries and the Church was one of cordial co-operation. The missionaries taught the Bible and biblical languages in the Seminary. The early principals were Rev. Benjamin Bailey and Rev. Henry Baker.

After some time the relationship of the Church with the later missionaries became strained as they wanted to introduce Anglican doctrines in the Church which eventually led to disputes and litigation. The missionaries got separated from the Malankara Church and they established the Anglican Church in Kerala.

It was the residence and headquarters of the Malankara Metropolitan, the chief Metropolitan of the Malankara Orthodox Church. The academic importance of the Seminary suffered when it became the centre of church administration. It continued the programme of training ordinands. Eminent Malpans (teachers of theology and liturgy) rendered service to the institution. Some of the distinguished teachers include Abraham malpan, Gheevarghese Mar Gregorios of Parumala, Geevarghese Mar Dionysius of Vattasseril, Konat Mathan Corepiscopa, Skaria Cheriamadam, Skaria Elavinamannil, Alexander Mattakkal, Augen Mar Timotheos (later Catholicos Baselios Augen I), Mr. V.K.Mathews (later Catholicos Baselios Mar Thoma Mathews I), Philipose Mar Theophilus and Paulos Mar Gregorios.[1]

In 1942, the Seminary was modernized. A systematised course of studies was introduced. A new generation of qualified professors of theology and biblical studies took responsibility for running the Seminary. Classes and students' residence were moved to the new buildings in the campus of the M.D. Seminary at Kottayam. When the Malankara Metropolitan moved his residence from the Old Seminary to the present site in Devalokam, Kottayam, theological education was once again brought back to the Old Seminary. In 1964 the Seminary became affiliated to the Serampore University for its B.D. degree course. In 1965, the 150th year of its founding, was celebrated on a grand scale in the presence of ecclesiastical dignitaries and church leaders.

The foundation stone of the new building was laid by Vasken I, Supreme Catholicos of the Armenian Apostolic Church of Etchmiadzin on 23 December 1963 during his visit to the Malankara Church. Justinian, the Patriarch of Romania, declared open the new building on 7 January 1969, during his visit to the Malankara Church. Other eminent visitors to the Seminary include Emperor Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia, Patriarch Pimen I of Moscow of Moscow and All Russia, Patriarch Ilia of Georgia and the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I.

The M. D. Syrian Orthodox Seminary, in an ecumenical collaboration with the C.S.I Seminary(KUT) Trivandrum and the, Marthoma Seminary,Kottayam, runs the prestigious Master's and Doctoral programmes under the banner of the Federated Faculty for Research in Religion and Culture.[1]

On 21 April 2015 a postage stamp commemorating the 200 years of the Orthodox Theological Seminary was released by the President of India Pranab Mukherjee.[4]