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{{Short description|Church of South India bishop}}
{{Infobox Christian leader
| type = Bishop
| honorific-prefix = [[The Right Reverend]]
| name = Sam Mathew
| honorific-suffix =
| title = Bishop of [[Madhya Kerala Diocese]]
| image = Sam Mathew.jpg
| alt =
| appointed =
| term_start = 1 September 1993
| term_end = 8 October 2001 (retired)
| church = [[Church of South India]]
| predecessor = M. C. Mani
| successor = Thomas Samuel
| other_post = Executive member of [[Church of South India Synod|CSI Synod]] Secretary of Nilakkal Ecumenical Trust President of [[Kerala Council of Churches]]
| 
| ordination = 1965 (deacon), 1966 (priest)
| ordained_by =
| consecration = 1 September 1993
| consecrated_by = CSI Moderator [[Vasant P. Dandin]] Dy. Moderator [[Jason Dharmaraj (bishop)|Jason Dharmaraj]] [[Mar Thoma Syrian Church| Mar Thoma]] bishop [[Zacharias Theophilus]]
| 
| birth_name =
| birth_date = 8 October 1936
| birth_place = [[Kodukulanji]], [[Alappuzha district]]
| death_date = 16 April 2016 (aged 79)
| death_place = [[Kottayam]], [[Kerala]]
| buried = CSI Holy Trinity Cathedral, [[Kottayam]]
| religion = [[United Protestant]] ([[Anglican Communion]])
| residence =
| parents =
| spouse = Kunjamma Vettasseril
| children = Christy, Santhi & Annie
| occupation =
| profession =
| previous_post =
| alma_mater = [[N. S. S. College, Pandalam]] [[Bishop's College, Calcutta]]
| signature =
}}

'''Sam Mathew''' (8 October 1936 – 16 April 2016) was the bishop of the [[Diocese of Madhya Kerala of the Church of South India|Madhya Kerala Diocese]] of the [[Church of South India]] (CSI) from 1993 to 2001.<ref name="TNIE">{{cite news |title=Bishop Sam Mathew Passes Away |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2016/Apr/17/bishop-sam-mathew-passes-away-925256.html |work=The New Indian Express |date=21 April 2016 |language=en}}</ref><ref name="Manorama">{{cite news |title=Bishop Sam Mathew passes away |url=https://www.onmanorama.com/news/kerala/bishop-sam-mathew-passes-away.html |work=OnManorama}}</ref> The CSI is a [[United Protestant]] church that is part of the [[Anglican Communion]].<ref name="AC">{{cite web |title=Anglican Communion–Member Churches |url=https://www.anglicancommunion.org/structures/member-churches/member-church.aspx?church=south-india |website=Anglican Communion}}</ref>

== Early life and education ==
Mathew was born the son of V. M. Mathai and Mariamma to the [[Anglican Syrian Christians|Anglican Syrian Christian]] family of Valiathottathil in [[Kodukulanji]].<ref name="Manorama" /><ref name="TNIE" /><ref name="Mathew 2014">{{cite book |last1=Mathew |first1=Sam |title=Mulpadarppil Divyaprakasham–The autobiography of bishop Sam Mathew |date=2014 |publisher=Sophia books |location=Kottayam |pages=18–19, 185–186, 266–267 |language=ml}}</ref> He graduated from [[N. S. S. College, Pandalam]].<ref name="TNIE" /> Afterwards, he earned the [[Bachelor of Divinity]] degree from [[Bishop's College, Calcutta]].<ref name="TNIE" />

== Ordinations ==
Sam Mathew was ordained as a [[deacon]] on 06 June 1965 in [[Alappuzha district|Alappuzha]].<ref name="TNIE" /> He was ordained as a [[presbyter]] on 01 April 1966 in [[Puthuppally, Kottayam|Puthuppally]].<ref name="TNIE" /> On 01 September 1993, he was consecrated as the bishop of the [[Diocese of Madhya Kerala of the Church of South India|Madhya Kerala Diocese]] of the [[Church of South India]], at the CSI Holy Trinity cathedral, in [[Kottayam]].<ref name="TNIE" /><ref name="TOI">{{cite news |title=Bishop Sam Mathew passes away |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kochi/bishop-sam-mathew-passes-away/articleshow/51857788.cms |work=The Times of India |date=16 April 2016}}</ref><ref name="Mathrubhumi">{{cite news |title=CSI Bishop Sam Mathew passes away |url=https://englisharchives.mathrubhumi.com/news/kerala/english-news-1.997139 |work=English Archives |publisher=Mathrubhumi |date=16 April 2016 |language=en}}</ref> The then CSI Moderator [[Vasant P. Dandin]], Dy. Moderator [[Jason Dharmaraj (bishop)|Jason Dharmaraj]], [[Mar Thoma Syrian Church| Mar Thoma]] bishop [[Zacharias Theophilus]] and others, performed the consecration.<ref name="Mathew 2014" /> Sam Mathew served as the diocesan bishop for eight years, until his retirement on 08 October 2001.<ref name="TNIE" /><ref name="TOI" /><ref name="Mathrubhumi" />

== Public life ==
Bishop Sam Mathew was an executive member of the [[Church of South India Synod|CSI Synod]], as well as the chief editor of the [[Njananikshepam]] magazine.<ref name="TNIE" /> A torchbearer of [[ecumenism]], he was the secretary of the Nilakkal Ecumenical Trust.<ref name="TNIE" /><ref name="Manorama" /> He also served as the president of the [[Kerala Council of Churches]] for six years.<ref name="Manorama" /><ref name="TOI" /> He was a champion of the [[temperance movement]].<ref name="TH">{{cite news |title=Bishop Sam Mathew passes away |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/bishop-sam-mathew-passes-away/article8485193.ece |work=The Hindu |date=16 April 2016 |language=en-IN}}</ref><ref name="TNIE" /><ref name="Manorama" /> He was a campaigner for the [[environmental movement]] too.<ref name="TH" /><ref name="Mathrubhumi" /> In recognition of Mathew's pastoral ministry, ecumenical leadership and missionary zeal, the [[California]]-based [[Vision International University]] conferred on him an honorary [[Doctor of Divinity]] degree on 03 September 1995.<ref name="Mathew 2014" />

== Family ==
Mathew married Kunjamma of the Vettasseril family of [[Keezhuvaipur]]. They had three children. Santhi and Annie are their daughters, and Christy is their son.<ref name="TNIE" /><ref name="Manorama" /><ref name="TOI" />

== Death and burial ==
After a period of sickness, Sam Mathew died on 16 April 2016 at the age of 79.<ref name="Mathrubhumi" /><ref name="TH" /><ref name="Manorama" /> The funeral took place at the CSI Holy Trinity Cathedral, [[Kottayam]] on 20 April 2016.<ref name="TNIE" /><ref name="Manorama" /><ref name="TNIE2">{{cite news |title=Bishop Sam Mathew Laid to Rest |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2016/Apr/21/bishop-sam-mathew-laid-to-rest-927090.html |work=The New Indian Express |date=21 April 2016 |language=en}}</ref> Rt. Rev. Dr. [[Thomas K. Oommen]], the then Dy. Moderator of the Church of South India led the service.<ref name="TNIE2" /> Bishops of other churches like Zacharias Mar Polycarpos and Thomas Mar Timotheos participated in the service.<ref name="TNIE2" /> Bishop Thomas K. Oommen read out the condolence message sent by [[Justin Welby]], the [[Archbishop of Canterbury]].<ref name="TNIE2" /> Bishop Mathew was buried in a specially prepared tomb in the cathedral's premises.<ref name="TNIE2" /><ref name="TH2">{{cite news |title=Bishop laid to rest |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/bishop-laid-to-rest/article8501950.ece |work=The Hindu |date=20 April 2016 |language=en-IN}}</ref> Thousands of mourners took part in the funeral procession and rites.<ref name="TNIE2" /><ref name="TH2" />

== See also ==
*[[Christianity in Kerala]]
*[[Saint Thomas Christians]]

== References ==

{{reflist}}

{{S-start}}
{{S-rel}}
{{Succession box
| before=M. C. Mani
| title=[[Bishop]] - in - [[Madhya Kerala Diocese]] [[Church of South India]] |after=Thomas Samuel | years=1993–2001}}
{{S-end}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mathew, Sam}}
[[Category:Malayali people]]
[[Category:Anglican bishops of Madhya Kerala]]
[[Category:21st-century Anglican bishops in India]]
[[Category:Christian clergy from Alappuzha district]]
[[Category:1936 births]]

[[Category:2016 deaths]]
[[Category:20th-century Anglican bishops in India]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian bishops]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian bishops]]

Sam Mathew - Revision history

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