St. Peter & St. Paul's Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Church Oxford

His Holiness Moran Mor Ignatius Aphrem II was enthroned as the 123rd Patriarch of Antioch and All the East on May 29, 2014. He was born on May 3, 1965, in Qamishli, Syria, and completed his theological studies at St. Ephrem's Theological Seminary in Damascus, Syria.

Known as Saʿid Karim was born in Qamishli, north-eastern Syria, on 3 May 1965, the youngest son of Issa and Khanema Karim. In 1985, Saʿid Karim took the vows of a monk, and changed his name to Aphrem. He was ordained deacon, and, later that year, was elevated to the sacred priesthood. From 1988 to 1989, he served as both the secretary to his patriarchal predecessor, Ignatius Zakka I Iwas, and as a teacher at St Ephrem's Theological Seminary in Damascus. Between 1991 - 1995 served as a priest to the Syriac Orthodox Community in the United Kingdom. From 1995 - 2014 served as a Metropolitan Archbishop of the Eastern United State.

H.H. Moran Mor Ignatius Aphrem II was consecrated Mor Baselios Joseph as the Catholicos with the title Baselios Joseph I' at a solemn function held at the St. Mary's Cathedral, Atchaneh, Lebanon. He was enthroned on 30 March 2025, at Mar Athanasius Cathedral, Puthencruz.

Joseph "Jose" was born in Perumpilly, Kerala as the youngest of four children to Srambikkal Pallithitta Geevarghese and Saramma. Joseph had his primary education at Perumpilly Primary School and his high school education from Mulanthuruthy High School.

On 25 March 1974, at the age of 13, Joseph was ordained a deacon by Mor Gregorios Geevarghese of Perumpally at Mor Ignatius Dayro, Manjinikkara. He later served as the secretary to Mor Gregorios for several years. He pursued pre-degree and undergraduate studies at Maharaja's College, Ernakulam, before joining Mor Julius Seminary, Perumpally, for theological studies. On 25 March 1984, Joseph was ordained a priest at Marthoman Church, Mulanthuruthy, by Mor Baselios Paulose II. He went on to earn a master's degree in philosophy from Trinity College, Dublin, and pursued further theological studies in the United States, where he also served as the vicar of multiple churches. He was ordained as Dayroyo by Ignatius Zakka I Iwas in Damascus on 15 January 1994.

Consecrated as a Metropolitan by name Osthatheos on 4th January 2010 by H.B. Baselios Thomas I, assisted by metropolitans from India at the St. Athanasious Cathedral. The metropolitan was given charge of the Mylapore diocese.

Born on January 17th 1976 as the son of Mr. C.I. Thomas and Saramma Thomas, Pachilakkattu Puthuveli, Kottayam. Ordained a Sub-Deacon by late lamented Mor Osthatheos Thomas Metropolitan (his grandfather's brother) on 13th May 1993 and the Fifth order of Priesthood by H.E. Mor Gregorios Joseph. Ordained as a full Deacon by His Grace Mor Athanasious Geevarghese, and as a priest at the St. Peter's & St. Paul's Cathedral in Damascus on 12th November 2006 by H.H. Moran Mor Ignatius Zakka-I Iwas. On 2nd January 2010 consecrated a monk along with Fr. Zachraia Therambil by names Aphroth and Sabor respectively by H.B. The Catholicos.