History of Syro-Malabar Catholic Churches in Malankara Saint Thomas Christian denominations

1 history of syro-malabar catholic churches in malankara

1.1 visits rome malabar
1.2 medieval period
1.3 colonialism , st thomas christians

1.3.1 portuguese

history of syro-malabar catholic churches in malankara

open air rock cross called nasrany sthambams in front of martha mariam syro malabar church @ kuravilangadu, kerala

when portuguese arrived in 1498, christians of st. thomas (syrian christians) in kerala had free exercise of religion.

345 kuravilangad marth mariam syro malabar church built first settlers came kodungalloor.
1125 st mary s church, kudamaloor, kottayam. king of chembakasherry build settlers moved kuravilangad.
1305 st. hormis church, angamaly founded.
1325 enammavu church founded.
1328 george church edappally founded.

visits rome malabar

there many accounts of visits rome, before arrival of portuguese.

john of monte corvino, franciscan missionary traveled persia , moved down sea india, in 1291

odoric of pordenone arrived in india in 1321. visited malabar, touching @ pandarani (20 m. north of calicut), @ cranganore, , @ kulam or quilon.

father jordanus, dominican, followed in 1321-22. reported rome, apparently somewhere on west coast of india, had given christian burial 4 martyred monks. jordanus, between 1324 , 1328 (if not earlier), visited kulam , selected future work. appointed bishop in 1328 , nominated pope john xxii in bull venerabili fratri jordano see of columbum or kulam (quilon) on 21 august 1329. diocese first in whole of indies, jurisdiction on modern india, pakistan, afghanistan, bangladesh, burma, , sri lanka.

in 1347, giovanni de marignolli visited malabar.

another prominent indian traveler joseph, priest on cranganore. journeyed babylon in 1490 , sailed europe , visited portugal, rome, , venice before returning india. helped write book travels titled travels of joseph indian disseminated across europe.

medieval period

prior portuguese arrival in india in 1498, church of east s see of seleucia-ctesiphon provided prelates saint thomas christians in india. practise continued after arrival of portuguese till synod of diamper (held in udayamperoor) in 1599.

there many accounts of missionary activities before arrival of portuguese in , around malabar. john of monte corvino franciscan sent china become prelate of peking year 1307. traveled persia , moved down sea india in 1291, south india region or country of st. thomas . there preached thirteen months , baptized 1 hundred persons. there monte corvino wrote home, in december 1291 (or 1292). 1 of earliest noteworthy accounts of coromandel coast furnished western european. traveling sea mailapur, reached china in 1294, appearing in capital cambaliech (now beijing)

odoric of pordenone arrived in india in 1321. visited malabar, touching @ pandarani (20 m. north of calicut), @ cranganore, , @ kulam or quilon, proceeding thence, apparently, ceylon , shrine of st. thomas @ mailapur, south india. writes had found place thomas buried.

father jordanus, dominican, followed in 1321–22. reported rome, apparently somewhere on west coast of india, had given christian burial 4 martyred monks. jordanus, between 1324 , 1328 (if not earlier), visited kulam , selected best centre future work; appear revisited europe 1328, passing through persia, , perhaps touching @ great crimean port of soidaia or sudak. appointed bishop in 1328 , nominated pope john xxii in bull venerabili fratri jordano see of columbum or kulam (quilon) on 21 august 1329. diocese first in whole of indies, jurisdiction on modern india, pakistan, afghanistan, bangladesh, burma, , sri lanka.

either before going out malabar bishop, or during later visit west, jordanus wrote mirabilia, internal evidence can fixed within period 1329–1338; in work furnished best account of indian regions, products, climate, manners, customs, fauna , flori given european in middle ages – superior marco polo s. in triple division of indies, india major comprises shorelands malabar cochin china; while india minor stretches sindh (or perhaps baluchistan) malabar; , india tertia (evidently dominated african conceptions in mind) includes vast undefined coast-region west of baluchistan, reaching neighborhood of, not including, ethiopia , prester john s domain.

in 1347, giovanni de marignolli visited shrine of st thomas in south india, , proceeded calls kingdom of saba, , identifies sheba of scripture, seems various particulars have been java. taking ship again malabar on way europe, encountered great storms.

another prominent indian traveler joseph, priest on cranganore. journeyed babylon in 1490 , sailed europe , visited portugal, rome, , venice before returning india. helped write book travels titled travels of joseph indian disseminated across europe.

when portuguese arrived on malabar coast, christian communities found there had had longstanding traditional links see of seleucia-ctesiphonin mesopotamia.

during subsequent period, in 1552, split occurred within assyrian church of east forming chaldean church, latter entered communion rome. after split each church had own patriarch; chaldean church headed patriarch mar yohannan sulaqa (1553–1555). both claim rightful heir east syrian tradition. difficult see precise influence of schism on church of malabar there overtones rome in earlier centuries. apparently, both parties sent bishops india.

the last east syrian metropolitan before schism, mar jacob (1504–1552), died in 1552. catholicos simeon vii denkha sent prelate india, in person of mar abraham, later last syrian metropolitan of malabar, after having gone on chaldaean side. not known when arrived in malabar, must have been there 1556. approximately @ same time, chaldaean patriarch abdisho iv (1555–1567), successor of yohannan sulaqa (murdered in 1555), sent brother of john, mar joseph, malabar chaldaean bishop; although consecrated in 1555 or 1556, mar joseph not reach india before end of 1556, nor malabar before 1558. accompanied chaldaean bishop, mar eliah.

colonialism , st thomas christians
portuguese

the portuguese erected latin diocese in goa (1534) , @ cochin (1558) in hope of bringing thomas christians under jurisdiction. in goan synod held in 1585 decided introduce latin liturgy , practices among thomas christians.

aleixo de menezes, archbishop of goa 1595 until death in 1617 decided bring kerala christians obedience after death of bishop mar abraham (the last syrian metropolitan of malabar, laid rest @ st. hormis church, angamaly), obedience conceived complete conformity roman or ‘latin’ customs. meant separating nasranis not catholicosate of seleucia-ctesiphon, chaldaean patriarchate of babylon, , subjecting them directly latin archbishopric of goa.

the portuguese refused accept legitimate authority of indian hierarchy , relation east syrians, , in 1599 @ synod of diamper (held in udayamperur), portuguese archbishop of goa imposed large number of latinizations. portuguese succeeded in appointing latin bishop govern thomas christians, , local christians’ customs officially anathematised heretical , manuscripts condemned either corrected or burnt. portuguese padroado (’patronage’) extended on them. 1599 1896 these christians under latin bishops appointed either portuguese padroado or roman congregation of propaganda fide. every attempt resist latinization process branded heretical them. under indigenous leader, archdeacon, thomas christians resisted, result disastrous.

the oppressive rule of portuguese padroado provoked violent reaction on part of indigenous christian community. first solemn protest took place in 1653, known koonan kurishu satyam (coonan cross oath). under leadership of archdeacon thomas, part of thomas christians publicly took oath in matancherry, cochin, not obey portuguese bishops , jesuit missionaries. in same year, in alangad, archdeacon thomas ordained, laying on of hands of twelve priests, first known indigenous metropolitan of kerala, under name mar thoma i.

after coonan cross oath, between 1661 , 1662, out of 116 churches, catholics claimed eighty-four churches, , archdeacon mar thoma thirty-two churches. eighty-four churches , congregations body syro malabar catholic church have descended. other thirty-two churches , congregations body syriac orthodox (jacobites & orthodox), thozhiyur (1772), mar thoma (reformed syrians) (1874), syro malankra catholic church have originated. in 1665, mar gregorios abdul jaleel, bishop sent syriac orthodox patriarch of antioch arrived in india. visit resulted in mar thoma faction claiming spiritual authority of antiochean patriarchate , gradually introduced west syrian liturgy, customs , script malabar coast.

the arrival of mar gregorios in 1665 marked beginning of association west syrian church.those accepted west syrian theological , liturgical tradition of mar gregorios became known jacobites. continued east syrian theological , liturgical tradition , stayed faithful synod of diamper known syro-malabar catholic church in communion catholic church. got own syro-malabar hierarchy on 21 december 1923 metropolitan mar augustine kandathil head of church.

st. thomas christians process got divided east syrians , west syrians.

on 4 may 1493, pope alexander vi granted portugal right develop , send missions east of demarcation line. when india had been reached, portugal assumed india theirs develop.

on 20 may 1498, vasco de gama landed @ kappad near kozhikode (calicut). in 1499, explorer pedro Álvares cabral landed @ kozhikode. in 1500, joseph, priest, told pope alexander vi, in audience, indian christians accept patriarch of babylon spiritural leader. on 26 november 1500, franciscan friars landed @ cochin. on 7 november 1502 de gama lands @ cochin.

when portuguese first discovered christians, felt satisfied centuries-old dream of discovering eastern christians had been fulfilled. set great hopes on st.thomas christians. these christians on part experienced spontaneous relief , joy @ arrival of powerful christians west , desired newcomer’s strengthen own privileges in india. arrival enthusiastically welcomed local church. in fact, when vasco da gama arrived @ cochin on second voyage (1502), delegation of thomas christians went , met him , implored protection. in 1503, dominican priests, catholic missionaries, in kochi. in 1503, mar yabella, mar denaha , mar yakoob persia went kerala. in 1503 portuguese commenced work on cochin fort , santa cruz church.

there thirty thousand st. thomas families in malabar in 1504. letter written east syrian bishops announces arrival of portuguese , friendly relationship between them , st.thomas christians.

cordial relations continued 2 decades. however, portuguese penetrating interior came face-to-face st. thomas christians, realized these christians neither subject rome, nor following church traditions. dismay found these christians followers of east syrian church, , bishops looked after them, , patriarch in babylonia considered ecclesiastical superior. since pope had granted portuguese crown sovereign rights on eastern lands come under sway, portuguese thought, right bring thomas christians under control. achieve aim, portuguese worked among local church 1 , half centuries.

the portuguese missionaries ignorant of oriental traditions of indian church. convinced different western church schismatic , heretical. hence wanted latinize syrian christians of india. visitors appalled @ tolerance other religions displayed locals.

in 1514, portuguese padroado began. in 1514 jewish people migrated kodungalloor kochi. on 12 june 1514 portuguese colony @ funchal began dominion on christians in india. on 23 december 1524 de gama buried @ st. francis church, fort cochin. in 1534 goa catholic diocese erected. parishes of kannur, cochin, quilon, colombo , sao tome (madras) part of it. in 1540 franciscan fr. vincent de lagos started cranganore seminary train native priests. on 6 may 1542 st. francis xavier, apostolic nuncio in east, reached goa. in travancore between 1544 , 1545. in 1548 dominican monastery founded in cochin. in 1549 mar abuna jacob, chaldean bishop, stayed @ st. antonio monastery, cochin. in 1550, first jesuit house erected in kochi. xavier died on 3 december 1552.

mar jacob, last east syrian bishop, led church until death in 1552. after death, roman catholics tightened efforts subdue church. directed energy towards terminating arrival of bishops babylon. came disguised caught , executed or tortured embracing roman catholicism. 2 or 3 bishops did arrive east syrian church after death of jacob , harassed. mar abraham, among them, led local church until 1599.

during subsequent period, in 1552, split occurred within church of east. part of joined rome, besides catholicosate of east another, chaldean patriarchate founded, headed patriarch mar yohannan sulaqa (1553–1555). both claim rightful heir east syrian tradition. difficult see precise influence of schism on church of malabar there overtones rome in earlier centuries. apparently, both parties sent bishops india.

the last east syrian metropolitan before schism, mar jacob (1504–1552), died in 1552. catholicos simeon vii denkha sent prelate india, in person of mar abraham, later last syrian metropolitan of malabar, after having gone on chaldaean side. not known when arrived in malabar, must have been there 1556. approximately @ same time, chaldaean patriarch abdisho iv (1555–1567) sent brother of john, mar joseph, malabar chaldaean bishop. although consecrated in 1555 or 1556, mar joseph not reach india before end of 1556, nor malabar before 1558. accompanied chaldaean bishop, mar eliah.

the portuguese erected latin diocese in goa in 1534 , @ cochin in 1558 in hope of bringing thomas christians under jurisdiction. in goan synod held in 1585 decided introduce latin liturgy , practices among thomas christians.

the portuguese built mattancherry palace king of cochin in 1555. pope paul iv erected diocese of cochin in 1557. canonization process of francis xavier began @ cochin. pope erected 1565 archdiocese of angamaly in 1565. jesuits started seminary @ vaippicotta in 1577. roman catholic order of augustinians reached cochin in 1579. in 1583, bishop mar abraham convoked synod @ angamaly.

aleixo de menezes, archbishop of goa 1595 until death in 1617 decided bring kerala christians under obedience after death of bishop mar abraham (the last syrian metropolitan of malabar, laid rest @ st. hormis church, angamaly), obedience conceived complete conformity roman or ‘latin’ customs. meant separating nasranis not catholicosate of seleucia-ctesiphon, chaldaean patriarchate of babylon, , subjecting them directly latin archbishopric of goa.

in 1597, bishop mar abraham, last foreign archbishop, died , buried @ st. hormis church, angamaly.