His Holiness Moran Mar Baselios Mar Thoma Mathews I (27 March, 1907 - 8 November, 1996) was the Supreme head of Indian Orthodox Church, which is also known as Malankara Orthodox Church. He was the 88th successor to the Holy Apostolic Throne of St. Thomas and Catholicos of the East and Malankara Metropolitan. On December 31, 1970 Mar Athanasius was elected as Successor to Mar Ougen as Catholicos and Malankara Metropolitan by the Malankara Association. Consequently, the Metropolitan was called upon to assist the Catholicos in the administration of the Church from 1972 onwards.