Sunday 12 September 2010

The Catholicism of Saint Thomas Christians of AD1555-1559

How much Catholic, the Malabar Nasranis were from AD 1555 to AD 1599 is debatable. We had Mar Joseph Sulaqa and Mar Elias arrived from the Chaldean Patriarchate in AD 1555. (Even before him, one of the four Bishops arrived from Babylon with Joseph, the Indian in AD 1504, Mar Jacob Abuna had been certified as in conformity with the Roman Church by saint Francis Xavier in AD 1545.)

After Joseph Sulaqa, . Mar Abraham came from Non Catholic East Syriac Patriarcate in AD 1557 and was based at Angamali. Mar Abraham was arrested and deported but he joined the Chaldean Patriarchate and returned in AD 1568. So, in effect, both had received pallium from the Popes of Rome. In AD 1578, Mar Simon arrived from Non catholic East Syrian Patriarcate as Mar Abraham became Chaldean. He occupied his seat at Kaduthuruthy with a rival arch deacon Jacob while Mar Abraham and Arch deacon George of Christ based at Angamaly. In 1585, Mar Simon was arrested and deported. During the period 1578-1585, Saint Thomas Christian community appeared to be divided between Mar Abraham and Mar Simon with two rival arch Deacons.

Did they use the Pope’s name in the Qurbana ? It is documented that the Chaldean Patriarch’s name was replaced with the Pope’s name after the Synod of Diamper.
Do Eastern Catholic Churches remember the Pope’s name in their Qurbana or just the names of the Heads of their particular churches ? The story of Syro Malabar Church is different. SMC has been functioning as mere Roman Catholic dioceses with a different rite until only in 1996 when it was recognised as a Sui iuris Church with Major Arch Bishop as the Head of the Church. As SMC did not have a Father and head of the Church on its own, they remembered the Pope in the Qurbana. That may not be the case for other Eastern Catholic Churches.

After the Synod of Diamper, even though the Synod anathematised the Chaldean Patriarch (wrongly), the Saint Thomas Christians continued to remember the Patriarch’s name in the Qurbana along with the Pope’s name! Even the Syro Malabar Church continued to remember the Chaldean Patriarch’s name along with the Pope’s name in the Qurbana until recently in AD 1962 !

Realising that many of the decisions of the Synod of Diamper was unbearable to Saint Thomas’ Christians, Arch Bishop Roz convened a Synod at Angamali in 1603 to make amendments. In 1606, further relaxations to the Angamli Synod by making the Rozian statutes in AD 1606. Usage of the Patriarch’s name continued probably due to these relaxations.

During the time of Mar Jacob Abuna (1504- 1552), we were not in communion with the Roman Church, but Saint Francis Xavier has attested that Mar Jacob was in conformity with the Roman Church. It was during the time of Joseph Sulaqa(1555-1568) that Latin vestments were introduced among saint Thomas’ Christians and usage of unleavened bread for Eucharist. Mar Abraham (1568-1597) introduced Gregorian calendar as in Latin rite and banned marriage of Priests after ordination by his Synod of Angamali in 1583. But Mar Abraham resisted the decisions of the Goan Synod in 1585 which decided to translate the Latin liturgy into Syriac for saint Thomas Christians and to introduce celibacy for all priests.

So, the history of Saint Thomas’ Christians during AD 1555 period and after is very fluctuant. Pazhayacoor was separated from the Chaldean Patriarch forcefully and kept under the Roman Curia with arrangements to continue East Syriac liturgy and rites as modified by the missionaries. The laity and Priests continued the fight for restoration of the ancient Syro Chaldeac rite and even until 1900s, for restoration of connections to Chaldean Church. We can see Mar Thomas Rokos and Elias Melus arrived here on the request of the Catholic Syriac Nasranis. I think it was only after the native Prelates took over the leadership that they wanted to become independent of Chaldean Church and get rid of the Syriac traditions.

ABOUT NSC network article on VARTHAMANA PUSTHAKAM

Varthamana pusthakam gives an account of the affairs of Catholic Syriac group during a period when our community was proud of our identity and traditions.

If we study the history of Catholic Syriac group, we can see a gradual disintegration of the zeal to protect our identity and traditions when they moved from their foreign rulers to native rulers.

The history shows that the united Saint Thomas Christians were resistant to the efforts of Portuguese missionaries in Latinising them. We can see Cathanaar Joseph, the Indian, the chief priest of the church at Crangannore confronting with Alvares Panteado in AD 1516. Even at the time of Synod of Diamper, the Jesuites failed to implement the decisions of the synod. Hence, Arch Bishop Ros had to convene the synod of Angamali in AD 1603, as many of the decisions of the synod of Diamper could not be implemented among Saint Thomas Christians. As those were also not acceptable, Ros had to yield further by the introduction of Rosian statutes in AD 1606.

Mar Simon, the then Chaldean Patriarch, who was explicitly in communion with Rome was anathematised in the Synod of Diamper and his name was banned in remembering in the Qurbana and introduced the name of the Pope instead. We can see in the Syro Malabar Qurbana taksa used until 1960, remembering the Chaldean Patriarch’s name after the name of the Pope which shows the resistance of our community and leaders against tampering our age old traditions and identity.

In 1895, we can see our community sending letters to Rome against the use of the term Syro Malabar as the title of the church reqesting Rome to revert it to Syro Chaldean rite. It seems that Rome accepted the petition and in 1953, when the diocese of Thalassery was established, Rome has used the term Syro Chaldeac.

In the time of Paremmakkal Thomman Cathanaar and Malpan Joseph Cariatti, we can see our community was strong and were proud of our traditions and identity. The 72 palliyogams- general assembly-of Pazhayacoor decided to send Malpan Cariatti and Paremmakkal Thomman cathanaar to Rome to complain about their grievances from the Carmelite Missionaries and to get unity of Puthencoor and Pazhayacoor effected by accepting Mar Thoma IV to Catholic Communion and accepting him as the Metropolitan of the united saint Thomas Christians. (For the Catholic Syriac group, this was the only way they can get a native hierarchy and for the Puthencoor faction, this was the option, without loosing their age old tradition and identity, Mar Thoma IV can become the united leader of the saint Thomas Christians, as Antiochian prelates were forcing them to adopt antiochian rite which was new in Malabar.)The palliyogams raised money for the travel. They were so brave to sent the delegation to Rome against the power of the hierarchy in Malabar at that time.

Later, we can see our community sending delegates to Chaldean Patriarchate and Mar Paulose Pandari was consecrated as a Bishop in AD 1796, upon further requests, Mar Thomas Rokos arrived in AD 1861 and Mar Elia Melus in 1874. Arrival of Rokos and Melus prompted Rome to establish a separate hierarchy for Catholic Syriac group in 1887 with European Prelates initially and in 1896, native prelates.

This is the point where the identity of our community started to disintegrate. We could witness the native prelates competing each other for more latinisations and gaining superior positions and titles. Where is the power and zeal of the General Assembly of 72 parishes in AD 1778 when we are in 2010 with our nominal assembly where we simply raise hands for our leaders who do not know what our identity is.

Varthamana pusthakam gives an account of the affairs of Catholic Syriac group during a period when our community was proud of our identity and traditions.

If we study the history of Catholic Syriac group, we can see a gradual disintegration of the zeal to protect our identity and traditions when they moved from their foreign rulers to native rulers.

The history shows that the united Saint Thomas Christians were resistant to the efforts of Portuguese missionaries in Latinising them. We can see Cathanaar Joseph, the Indian, the chief priest of the church at Crangannore confronting with Alvares Panteado in AD 1516. Even at the time of Synod of Diamper, the Jesuites failed to implement the decisions of the synod. Hence, Arch Bishop Ros had to convene the synod of Angamali in AD 1603, as many of the decisions of the synod of Diamper could not be implemented among Saint Thomas Christians. As those were also not acceptable, Ros had to yield further by the introduction of Rosian statutes in AD 1606.

Mar Simon, the then Chaldean Patriarch, who was explicitly in communion with Rome was anathematised in the Synod of Diamper and his name was banned in remembering in the Qurbana and introduced the name of the Pope instead. We can see in the Syro Malabar Qurbana taksa used until 1960, remembering the Chaldean Patriarch’s name after the name of the Pope which shows the resistance of our community and leaders against tampering our age old traditions and identity.

In 1895, we can see our community sending letters to Rome against the use of the term Syro Malabar as the title of the church reqesting Rome to revert it to Syro Chaldean rite. It seems that Rome accepted the petition and in 1953, when the diocese of Thalassery was established, Rome has used the term Syro Chaldeac.

In the time of Paremmakkal Thomman Cathanaar and Malpan Joseph Cariatti, we can see our community was strong and were proud of our traditions and identity. The 72 palliyogams- general assembly-of Pazhayacoor decided to send Malpan Cariatti and Paremmakkal Thomman cathanaar to Rome to complain about their grievances from the Carmelite Missionaries and to get unity of Puthencoor and Pazhayacoor effected by accepting Mar Thoma IV to Catholic Communion and accepting him as the Metropolitan of the united saint Thomas Christians. (For the Catholic Syriac group, this was the only way they can get a native hierarchy and for the Puthencoor faction, this was the option, without loosing their age old tradition and identity, Mar Thoma IV can become the united leader of the saint Thomas Christians, as Antiochian prelates were forcing them to adopt antiochian rite which was new in Malabar.)The palliyogams raised money for the travel. They were so brave to sent the delegation to Rome against the power of the hierarchy in Malabar at that time.

Later, we can see our community sending delegates to Chaldean Patriarchate and Mar Paulose Pandari was consecrated as a Bishop in AD 1796, upon further requests, Mar Thomas Rokos arrived in AD 1861 and Mar Elia Melus in 1874. Arrival of Rokos and Melus prompted Rome to establish a separate hierarchy for Catholic Syriac group in 1887 with European Prelates initially and in 1896, native prelates.

This is the point where the identity of our community started to disintegrate. We could witness the native prelates competing each other for more latinisations and gaining superior positions and titles. Where is the power and zeal of the General Assembly of 72 parishes in AD 1778 when we are in 2010 with our nominal assembly where we simply raise hands for our leaders who do not know what our identity is.

Comment at www.nasrani.net about the article about Varthamana Pusthakam

ABOUT THE NAME SYRO MALABAR

The term Syro Malabar is a relatively new invention. The Catholic Syriac Christians in Kerala were called Syro Chaldeacs. They were proud of that name. They were very proud to be associated with the Church of the East which was originated in the Biblical times.

Our proud forefathers who did not want to change the rich traditions of their ancestors even against the might of the strong Portuguese colonialists. We can see in the history that Arch Bishop Alexis Dom Menesis could not succeed in Latinising us, but it was our own native leaders who betrayed our forefathers by diluting our apostolic Christianity in our local cultural milieu to please the foreign masters. Even today, we can see many examples.

It is not very clear when the term Malankara was evolved. We cannot see the term Malankara in any of the ancient letters or documents. Patriarch Timothy I uses the term ‘the Archan of the hendo’ not Malankara. The famous letters of the four Bishops in 1504 also does not use the term Malankara.

The Catholic Syrians also used the term Malankra. Even Mar Augustine Kandathil, the first Arch Bishop of Ernaculum (1874- 1956) used the title ‘The Metropolitan of Malankara’.

The term syro Malabar was first used in 1895 period. Our forefathers fought against it. The following is taken from a memorandum submitted by our forefathers to the Pope to this effect in AD 1895.

“ That we who have been known from time immemorial as Malabar Chaldeic Syrians and belonged to the same rite, are now called by the vicar apostolic as Malabar Syrians and an address to this effect has been sent to the Holy See and a reply is said to have been received under the new appellation. This change of our national name is quite contrary to the apostolic letter addressed to us by Your Holiness on the 30th of November 1894 headed ‘The Glory of the Oriental Churches’ which we received with the greatest submission and hold in great veneration and besides such a change is contrary to the missal printed and given to us in 1874 for the use in our churches.
Under the foregoing circumstances and in consequence of the daily increasing schism in Malabar especially in this vicariate we make our last prayer with the deepest sentiments of veneration and filial love that Your Holiness will be graciously pleased, in the plentitude of Your Holiness’s Paternal wisdom and solicitude, to give us a Bishop of our own nationality from the Patriarcate of Babylon, and thus put an effectual end to the strifes and dissensions that have for a long time, been characterising the existence of the Catholic church in this part of Christendom” ( An account of a very important period of the history of the catholic Syrian Christians of Malabar- Rt Rev Mgr. Aloysius Pareparambil, DD, 1920, p 199-200)

It is to be noted that in 1953, when the diocese of Thalassery was established for the Syro Chaldeac migrants to Malabar state, the bull from Vatican uses the term Ecclesia Ritus Chaldaici Malabarensium.

The real sons and daughters of the Catholic Saint Thomas Christians should decide whether they want to keep the name Syro Malabar or not.

Posted as a comment at www.nasrani.net.

Kodungalloor Cross

The so called Kodungalloor Cross described by Gouvea in AD 1606 was erected in the city. Gouvea talks about a Church which belongs to the fort at that time and comments that it was the church that the Christians had in olden times. He says, the Christians had a lot of affection for this church as well as a cross in the same city, the cross of Christians. He describes, the cross has been kept in the middle of a chapel which is open on one side with railings. Arch Bishop Menesis celebrated a solemn mass in this chapel on his visit to the city. Gouvea also witnesses that the gentiles also had a lot of affection for it. He describes that the gentile king, when he lost something precious, sent some oil to this cross and he found the lost thing. This shows that there was facility for burning oil in front of this cross. Was this an open air Rock Cross with facility to burn oil? .
Kottayam Valiyapalli was founded in AD 1550 as per the tradition of the church. It seems that Christians from Kodungalloor had to migrate to south in the early 16th century because of the power struggle between Portuguese and the Muslims. As I have mentioned in the comment on 13/10/2010, Southists took their cross from Kodungalloor and migrated to Kaduthuruthy and later to Kottayam valiyapalli and erected the cross in the altar. Fr Kollamparambil writes ‘ The Kottayam Crosses are said to have been brought from Cranganore via Kaduthuruthy.The crosses were taken from Cranganore probably in AD 1524, when in a war with the King of Cranganore, Samoothiri of Calicut assisted by Muslim soldiers conquered, sacked and destroyed Cranganore. All the three churches of Cranganore- Saint Mary’s, Saint Thomas’ and saint Kuriackose’s were burned down. The Christians fled with the valuable relics they could take with them’. Fr Kollamparabil in Christian Orient March 1994,quoting Mundadan, The arrival of Portuguese in India and the Thomas Christians under Mar Jacob, pp99-100.
Fr Kollamparambil says, the crosses were first brought to Kaduthuruthy and in 1550, they were moved to Kottayam due to another war between the King of Wadakkumkoor and the King of Cochin helped by the Portuguese where the King of Wadakkumkoor was killed by Portuguese commander Francesco Silveira de Menesis. The Wadakkumkoor army then formed chaver squads- suicide squads-attacked and killed the Saint Thomas Christians, the co religionists of the murderer.(Fr Kollamparambil in Christian orient March 1994 quoting C J Wicki, Documenta Indiaca, Vol III 796, G Schurhammer, Die Zeitgenossischen Quellenzur Geschichte Portugiesisch- Asiens, Rome, 1962, No 4530) .
Fr Kollamparambil refers to the traditional songs of the Southist community like Kottayam valiyapalli paattukal to support this argument.
It looks like the Cranganore Cross described by Gouvea is not one of the Kottayam valiyapalli crosses. It may be destroyed or hidden after the Coonan Cross oath. People who know Kodungalloor may be able to locate its site.