Rev. Fr. Shinoj (Mathew) Thomas is from Nilambur in Malappuram district, Kerala, India. He is the third son of the late Mr. P. V. Thomas and Mrs. Leelamma Thomas of Panampattayathu. His home parish is St. Gregorios Orthodox Church, Perumkulam in his hometown.

Fr. Shinoj Thomas spent his pre-seminary life with H.G. Thomas Mar Timothiose (Valiya Bava Thirumeni) and Very Rev. Poulose Ramban at Mount Hermon Aramana. He was ordained as a sub-deacon on April 12, 2007, by the blessings of H.G. Zachariah Mar Theophilos and served as the secretary of H.H. Baselios Marthoma Didymus the First, the Catholicos of the East and the Malankara Metropolitan. He also served H.G. Mathews Mar Barnabas, the former metropolitan of the American Diocese.

Fr. Shinoj Thomas was ordained as a full deacon on January 20, 2011, and elevated to priesthood by the blessing of H.G. Zachariah Mar Theophilos on January 22, 2011. He served as the vicar of St. Gregorios Orthodox Church in Underhill, Yonkers, NY, and St. Gregorios Orthodox Church in Clifton, New Jersey. Fr. Thomas was appointed as the vicar of St. Mary’s Indian Orthodox Church in Philadelphia, PA, in January 2022.

He is married to Mrs. Divya Thomas, and they have been blessed with two children: Heba Elizabeth Thomas and Nathan Shinoj Thomas.