Pathanamthitta (Kerala), Apr 27 (IANS): Philipose Mar Chrysostom, the senior most metropolitan of the Thiruvalla-headquartered Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian Church and also Kerala's oldest man, celebrated his 102nd birthday on Saturday.
The Bishop, who was awarded the Padma Bhushan last year, was born in 1918. Although he has now retired, Chrysostom even now participates in services and moves around the church in a wheel chair.
He was ordained as a priest in 1944 and became a bishop in 1953 and went on to head the Church as its Metropolitan in 1999 before voluntarily stepping down as the head of the church in 2007.
On Saturday, numerous bishops from his Church and other denominations visited him and extended their greetings.
To mark the occasion, Chrysostom cut a specially made 'appam' (type of traditional pancake made with rice flour).