Maphrian in the context of "Syriac Catholic Church"

Basileus (Ancient Greek: βασιλεύς) is a Greek term and title that has signified various types of monarchs throughout history. In the English-speaking world, it is perhaps most widely understood to mean 'monarch', referring to either a 'king' or an 'emperor'. The title was used by sovereigns and other persons of authority in ancient Greece (especially during the Hellenistic period), the Byzantine emperors, and the kings of modern Greece. The name Basileios (Basil), deriving from the term basileus, is a common given name in the Eastern Orthodox Church and Syriac Orthodox Church for the Maphrian.

The feminine forms are basileia (βασίλεια), basilissa (βασίλισσα), basillis (βασιλίς), or the archaic basilinna (βασιλίννα), meaning 'queen' or 'empress'. The related term basileia (βασιλεία) has meanings such as 'sovereignty', 'royalty', 'kingdom', 'reign', 'dominion' and 'authority'.

Mor Baselios Joseph (Syr: ܡܳܪܝ̱ ܒܰܣܺܝܠܺܝܳܘܣ ܝܰܘܣܶܦ݂; Mal: മോർ ബസേലിയോസ് ജോസഫ്; Born 10 November 1960) is the current and 81st Maphrian of Syriac Orthodox Church, 4th Catholicos of India and 26th Malankara Metropolitan of the Malankara Syriac Orthodox Church (Malankara Church). He also serves as the Metropolitan of the Kochi Diocese and Angamali Diocese.

He was elevated to the position of Catholicos on March 25, 2025 at St. Mary's Cathedral, Atchaneh, Lebanon in a service presided by Ignatius Aphrem II, the Syriac Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch.

The Catholicos of India, also referred to as the Catholicos of the East or the Maphrian is the head of the Jacobite Syrian Christian Church. He is ordained by the Patriarch of Antioch and functions within the Syriac Orthodox Church at an ecclesiastical-rank second to him. He presides over the Holy Synod of the Jacobite Syrian Christian Church. The current Catholicos of India is Baselios Joseph, who was elevated on March 25, 2025.

The Catholicate is considered the continuation of the historical Maphrianate of the East which was established in the 7th century, to oversee the affairs of the Syriac Orthodox Church in Persia under the jurisdiction of the Patriarchate of Antioch. It was abolished in 1860 by the Holy Synod of the Syriac Orthodox Church, and reestablished in Kerala in 1964 with the title "Catholicos" with jurisdiction over India. The Catholicos is seated at Mar Athanasius Cathedral, Puthencruz, Kerala.

The Syro-Malankara Catholic Church, also known as the Malankara Syrian Catholic Church, is an Eastern Catholic sui iuris particular church that employs the West Syriac Rite and is in full communion with the worldwide Catholic Church possessing self-governance under the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches. It is one of the major archiepiscopal churches of the Catholic Church. It is headed by Major Archbishop Baselios Cardinal Cleemis Catholicos of the Major Archdiocese of Trivandrum based in Kerala, India. With more than 1096 parishes, it is one of India's biggest church evangelical establishments.

The Malankara Syrian Catholic Church traces its origins to the missions of Thomas the Apostle in the 1st century. The Church employs the West Syriac Rite Divine Liturgy of Saint James. It is one of the two Eastern Catholic churches in India, the other being the Syro-Malabar Church which employs the East Syriac Rite liturgy.

The Jacobite Syrian Christian Church, also known as the Malankara Syriac Orthodox Church, Malankara Jacobite Syrian Church, or the Syriac Orthodox Church in India is an autonomous maphrianate of the Syriac Orthodox Church of Antioch based in Kerala, India and a part of the Oriental Orthodox Churches. It is headed by the Catholicos of India, Mor Baselios Joseph, within the hierarchy of Syriac Orthodox Church.

According to tradition, it was founded by Saint Thomas the Apostle. It is currently the only church in Malankara that maintains the hierarchy of the Syriac Orthodox Church under the Holy See of Antioch. The church employs the West Syriac Rite's Liturgy of Saint James.