Patronal Feast Special Edition for
Saint Andrew's Malankara Orthodox Mission

ABOUT OUR THE CHIEF CELEBRANT FOR OUR PATRONAL FEAST

His Grace, Metropolitan Zachariah Mar Nicholovos was born on August 13, 1959 to the famous Poothicote family in Mepral. His boyhood name was Cheriyachen, and was the fourth of five children.  Much of his spiritual upbringing centered around his home parish, Saint John's Orthodox Church in Mepral, Kerala, India.  It is at this church, His Grace Thoma Mar Dionysius, Metropolitan of Niranam Diocese, called young Cheriyachen to the service of the Holy Altar at the young age of 9.  

This initiated a strong interest in aspects of Orthodox spirituality, and the overall life of the Church.  Not only was he blessed to spend time with Metropolitan Thoma Mar Dionysius of Blessed Memory, but also with spiritual giants like His Grace, Metropolitan Thomas Mar Thimithios (later His Holiness Catholicos Didymus I of Blessed Memory), and famous convention speaker, and retreat father, Reverend Father M. V. George (later Metropolitan Dr. Geevarghese Mar Osthathios of Blessed Memory).  Seeing the spark for his keen interest in the life of the Church, his uncle, Reverend Father George Kurian (later Metropolitan Kuriakose Mar Coorilose) began mentoring him.

Upon finishing his high school education, he enrolled in Malabar Christian College for his undergraduate education.  Later, he moved with his family where he completed his Bachelors in Arts, (English) from Saint Joseph College, in Calicut  After successfully completing his undergraduate studies, he joined United Theological College in Bangalore, India where he completed his Bachelor of Divinity, and his Master of Theology degree.  His uncle and mentor, Metropolitan Kuriakose Mar Coorilose ordained him to the Holy Diaconate on January 4th, 1986 and to the Priesthood on May 16, 1990 at his home parish St. John's Church, Mepral.  As a priest, he served parishes in the Diocese of Kandanad, as the Ecumenical Secretary of the Malankara Syrian Orthodox Church, and taught as a professor at the Malankara Syrian Seminary at Mulanthuruthy, until he was called to be consecrated to the holy episcopacy. 

On August 5, 1993, the eve of the Feast of the Transfiguration of our Lord, His Beatitude Mar Baselios Paulose II tonsured him as a monk at Saint Thomas Orthodox Cathedral, in Moovattupuzha, Kerala, India.  On the Feast of the Falling Asleep of Saint Mary, the Mother of God, His Holiness Moran Mar Ignatius Zakka Iwas I, Patriarch of the Syriac Orthodox Church, consecrated him as Metropolitan on August 15, 1993. 

In 2002, His Holiness Moran Mar Baselios Marthoma Mathews II,  appointed Metropolitan Mar Nicholovos as the Assistant Metropolitan of the American Diocese, which was led by His Grace Mathews Mar Barnabas, Metropolitan of Blessed Memory.  Later, in April 2009, after the American Diocese was divided, His Grace Mar Nicholovos continued assisting Metropolitan Mar Barnabas until his retirement in January 2011.  On February 26th 2011, His Holiness Moran Mar Baselios Marthoma Paulose II, Catholicos of the East & Malankara Metropolitan appointed Metropolitan Zachariah Mar Nicholovos as the ruling Metropolitan of the Northeast American Diocese, and was later enthroned ion May 21 2011.

In addition to Metropolitan Nicholovos' responsibilities to his Diocese, His Grace functions in various capacities which impact the Malankara Church, the Northeast American Diocese, and the greater ecumenical world:

- President of the Department of Ecumenical Relations of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church

- Working Committee & Executive Committee Member to the World Council of Churches (WCC)

- Member of the Permanent Commission on Concensus & Collaboration of the WCC

- Governing Board member of the National Council of Churches in the United States (NCCUSA)

- Member to the Board of Trustees of Saint Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary 

- Member of the Board of Directors for Church World Services (CWS)

ABOUT OUR SPEAKER & GUEST OF HONOR

Born to Panamanian immigrants, Martin and Mayra Davis, March 25, 1980 in Brooklyn, NY. Samuel has a younger sister Rebekah, a graduate of Kean University, who lives in Somerset, NJ. The Davis family moved out to Somerset NJ in the Summer of 1984. His parents, nurtured him in their faith by their example and service. 

He graduated from Franklin High School June 1998, and set out to pursue his dream to serve alongside his father by attending the University of Valley Forge. After two years, Samuel enlisted in the USAF where he served as a Security Forces Member at the NAS Keflavik, Iceland. While enlisted in the USAF, he reconnected with childhood friend Julitssa Dixon. They were engaged the following year, and were married on June 24, 2003. 

One evening, after hearing a sermon, entitle “Prerequisites of His Presence” by Archbishop Veron Ashe, Samuel made a commitment to the Lord to serve the Holy Church in whatever capacity God would lead him. It was not until September 21, 2010 that Samuel was baptized into the Orthodox Faith. After receiving the blessing of his then hierarch, Samuel prayerfully began St Simon of Cyrene Orthodox Mission as a homeless outreach to meet the needs of the city of New Brunswick’s “untouchables.” 

After administration changes, looking for a new home for the mission, Fr Jonathan Ivanhoff head of the Diocese of NY and NJ’s Missions and Evangelism proposed to Samuel for the mission to be received in the Orthodox Church of America. Samuel his wife Julitssa (Photini) and their children, Isaac, Morgan (Perpetua), and Ava (Felicity) were received into the Orthodox Church of America at SS Peter and Paul Manville, NJ. The Davis Family would embrace their second son, Alexander (Samuel) the following January. 

His Eminence Archbishop Michael tonsured Samuel a Reader on December 17, 2016. After completing his studies at the Diaconal Formation Program and graduating from Pillar College with a degree in Biblical Studies Samuel was ordained to the Holy Diaconate, Saturday July 1, 2017. This was an historic event in the life of the Diocese of New York and New Jersey. While diaconal ordinations are not necessarily historic, Deacon Samuel is the first Afro-Latino to be ordained to this office in the history of the Diocese. 

Deacon Samuel enrolled in a one year program of studies at St Tikhon’s Orthodox Theological Seminary this past Fall and decided to complete the whole three year degree program, was ordained to the Holy Priesthood by His Eminence Archbishop Michael, Archbishop of the Diocese of New York and New Jersey on April 21, 2018. Fr Samuel is the first Afro Latino priest to be ordained to this office in the history of the Diocese and the second Black priest in the Orthodox Church in America, preceded by Fr Moses Berry. Fr Samuel was ordained in what has been a mission parish in the diocese, St Simon of Cyrene Orthodox Mission in New Brunswick, NJ. 

Father Samuel is a familiar face for our church community as he shared about his conversion to the Orthodox faith in our Saul to Paul Series.