Placid J. Podipara

Mar Podippara Ouseph Placid Malpan, also known as Placidachan (3 October 1899 – 27 April 1985) was an Indian Syriac Catholic priest and scholar of the St. Thomas Christian community. He was a scholar in East Syriac language and liturgy. A book published on the tenth anniversary of his death calls him one of the greatest ecclesiastical luminaries of the 20th century in India.^[1] He was a member of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church and was ordained a priest from the religious institute of the Carmelites of Mary Immaculate (C.M.I.). He was also a theologian, liturgist, orator, professor, ecumenist, and author.

He worked hard to remove the liturgical latinisation of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church and played a significant part in the establishment of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church in the Catholic Church. He wrote more than thirty seven books and numerous articles on Saint Thomas Christians in languages including English, Malayalam, German and Latin. He was a Member of the Pontifical commission for codifying Canon Law, Syriac Language examiner of Kerala University, Consultant to the Congregation for the Oriental Churches, Member of Pontifical commission for restoring the Holy Qurbana of Syro Malabar Church, Professor of Pontifical Oriental Institute and Pontifical Urbaniana University, Rome, Consultant for preparing the agenda of Second Vatican Council. He had doctorates in Philosophy, Theology and Canon Law which he acquired during his time in Rome.^[2]