He dethroned Mar Thoma IX and succeeded him by the favour of Col.John Munroe, then British Resident of Travancore.
During his lifetime, he renovated and managed St. Mary's Orthodox Cathedral, Arthat,[2] one of the oldest churches in Kerala, masterminded in opening of the first formal educational institution in Kerala, namely the Orthodox Theological Seminary (Old Seminary)[3] His nephew Tharu Kurien's son Joseph was later ordained as Metropolitan by the Patriarch of Antioch and became Malankara Metropolitan.
Joseph Ittoop was born on 15 January 1742 in Pulikkottil an ancient family which moved from Arthat to Kunnamkulam.
A large number of refugees left Arthat and settled in Kunnamkulam under the leadership of Joseph Kathanar.
After Tippu Sultan left, Joseph Kathanar returned to the parish and renovated the church, removing that area of the sanctuary where the man was killed.
As per the decision of the meeting of the representatives from parishes at Kandanad, on 14 September 1809, Pulikkottil Joseph Ittoop Kathanar was ordained as a Ramban.
With tears in his eyes Mar Thoma IX left the seminary premises at kottayam and retired to home parish Kadamattom palli, spending rest of the life in prayer and fasting, as a monk.
The government of Travancore provided tax free land and the foundation stone was laid in February 1813.
They were Maramon Palakunnathu Abraham Malpan (Syriac), Konattu Varghese Malpan (Syriac), Kozhikode Kunjan Assan (Sanskrit), Poet Laureate Chekottu Kuruvilla Assan (Malayalam) and from Kochi Mose Esarphathi (Hebrew & Greek) were the first teachers of this first education institution in Kerala.