11. History of St. Thomas Christians Lal Varghese, Esq

HISTORY OF DIASPORA ST. THOMAS CHRISTIANS AND MALANKARA MAR THOMA SYRIAN CHURCH FROM KERALA

Lal Varghese, Esq.

The following is a brief overview of the history, faith practices, and liturgy of St. Thomas Christians and Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian Church, different schisms among St. Thomas Christians, reformation in Malankara Church and to know more about the roots of Mar Thoma Church. St. Thomas Christians have been influenced by the Church in Antioch, Persia, Rome and England. But Mar Thoma Church has followed the faith and practices of St. Thomas Christians as an independent church under the Sea of St. Thomas and uses a refined liturgy of St. James as a reformed eastern, oriental Church.

St. Thomas Christians have migrated to various countries: beginning in early fifties to Malaysia and Singapore, late sixties and seventies to North America and Europe, Africa and Middle East and most recently to New Zealand and Australia. Abraham Mar Thoma prayed: ‘Lord please scatter my people.’ Now it appears that the Lord has responded to his prayers and scattered the people from Kerala to almost all continents of the world. Wherever you go, you can see a good presence of Kerala Diaspora Christians. But the question is whether it will continue as a separate Diaspora community by itself or tend to mingle with the local communities and lose its identity of Kerala Christians.

Traditionally, it is believed that St. Thomas, one of the Apostles of Jesus Christ, came to Kerala in A. D. 52 and established seven churches at Kodungallor, Chavakad, Paravur, Gokkamangalam, Niranam, Nilackal and Quilon. It is believed that St. Thomas was martyred in A. D. 72 at Mylapore, Madras. The Malankara Church was in ecclesiastical relationship with or communion with the Church of Persia from 4th to 15th century. There is not much historical record about Malankara Church during this period.

Portuguese came to Kerala in 1498 and Archbishop Alexios De Menzes and convened the Udayamperoor Synod in 1599 and brought Malankara Church under the Roman Church. The old records and prayer books were burned. Under the leadership of Archdeacon Thomas, in 1653, people assembled in front of the stone cross at the Mattancherry Church in Cochin and took an oath severing all connections with the Roman Church. This is known as the 'Coonan Cross' (bent cross) oath. 12 priests joined together and installed Archdeacon Thomas as Mar Thoma 1. Thus, the Malankara Church divided

into two: one group supporting the Roman Church and the other remained as an independent Malankara Church. The Dutch arrived in Kerala in 1663 and the Roman Catholic Church's influence in Kerala began to decline. In 1665, Mar Gregorios Metropolitan of Jerusalem, under Jacobite Patriarch of Antioch came to Kerala. He consecrated Mar Thoma 1 and thus the validity of his Episcopal succession was confirmed. Thus, Malankara Church came under the influence of the Jacobite Church and thus the West Syrian liturgy was introduced in the Malankara Church.

Nine Metrans under the title Mar Thoma and four with the title Dionysius held ecclesiastical authority over Malankara Church from 1665 to the first half of 19th century. In 1772, Mar Gregorios, another Bishop from West Asia came into Kerala and consecrated a priest as Metran with name Coorilos (Cyril) without the knowledge or authority from Mar Thoma VI. Mar Coorilos left Travancore and left for Malabar at Anjoor (Thozhiyoor) and established Malabar Independent Syrian Church (Thozhiyoor Church). Metropolitan and the Suffragan Bishop of the Thozhiyoor Church consecrated Titus 1 of the Mar Thoma Church.

In the beginning of 19th century, British came to Kerala and began a relationship with the Church of England. Colonel Macauly, who was the first British resident, and Colonel Munroe took much interest in the Malankara Church and wanted to reform the Church. Colonel Macauly made available for the Metropolitan of the Malankara Church an amount of Rs. 10,500, the interest from it is to be used for the benefit of Syrian Church. This led to the famous 'Vattipanam' case between the Metropolitans of the Syrian Churches. The old seminary was built in 1813 in Kottayam in the land donated by the Queen of Travancore.

At the request of Colonel Munro, Church Missionary Society (CMS) and Revd Thomas Norton came to Kerala in 1816; this was followed by Revd Benjamin Bailey in 1816; Revd Joseph Fenn in 1818 and Henry Baker in 1819. Metropolitan Pulikottil Mar Dionysious established a seminary in Kottayam in 1813, under the leadership of Revd Joseph Fenn.

The Metropolitan was not happy about the Anglicization of the Malankara Church and decided to sever all connections with the missionaries in 1838. But some people continued to support the Anglican Church and thus the first Anglican Diocese of Travancore (CMS Church) was formed in 1878, which is now part of the Church of South India (CSI).

1836 was an important year for the Malankara Church. The reformation strategy was formed by a group of 12 senior clergy under the leadership of Palakunnathu Abraham Malpan and Kaithayil Geevarghese Malpan. They submitted a memorandum known as ‘Trumpet call of reformation to the British Resident Colonel Fraser. Finally, it was in 1836 that Abraham Malpan and Geevarghese Malpan who already prepared a revised liturgy omitting everything which one could not find scriptural warrant as part of reformation and celebrated Holy Communion in Malayalam at Maramon and Kollad churches.

In the reformed liturgy, all prayers to the departed, to the Blessed Mary and Saints were omitted. All elements in the prayers which overemphasized the sacrificial aspect in the Eucharist were eliminated. All prayers which had references to the tran-

substantiation of the bread and wine were revised. Holy Communion had to be administered in both kind separately and Holy Communion not to be celebrated when there was no one to receive it. Confession in private to the priest was also abolished. The service had to be conducted in Malayalam. Abraham Malpan even threw the statue of 'Muthappan', used at the festival at Maramon Church, into the well in the compound of the Church, thus eliminating idol worship practices which had crept into Malankara Church.

The Metropolitan Mar Dionysius was not happy about the use of the revised liturgy and changes in the traditional practices and even refused to ordain deacons trained by Abraham Malpan and Geevarghese Malpan in the seminary. Abraham Malpan sent his nephew Deacon Mathew of Palakunnathu to Madrin, Syria in 1841 to the Patriarch of Antioch. Patriarch ordained Deacon Mathew and named him Mathews Mar Athanasius and he returned to Malankara in 1843.

The old Metropolitan Mar Dionysius opposed the new Metran as Malankara Metran. In 1852 Mathews Mar Athanasius was confirmed by Royal Proclamation as Metropolitan of the Malankara Church. Abraham Malpan passed away in 1845. The old Metropolitan, Cheppattu Mar Dionysius, was getting old; he sent Revd Joseph Pulikottil to Madrin. He returned in 1865 as Metropolitan Mar Dionysius. in 1868 Metropolitan Mar Athanasius consecrated the son of Abraham Malpan with name, Thomas Mar Athanasius. The reformed section of Malankara Church was in possession of the old Seminary at Kottayam and Thomas Mar Athanasius was living in the Seminary.

In 1876, Peter III, the Patriarch of Antioch, came to Malankara. Mathews Mar Athanasius ruled as Metropolitan of the Malankara Church from 1852 to until 1876 when the Royal proclamation was withdrawn and the two factions in the Malankara Church were asked to approach the Courts to sort out their claims. In 1876, the Patriarch convened the Synod at Mulamthuruthi and divided the See of Malankara in to seven Dioceses and consecrated four new Bishops.

Mathews Mar Athanasius passed away in 1877. Thomas Mar Athanasius succeeded as the Mar Thoma Metropolitan and led the reformed section of Malankara Church. This followed by several cases between the two factions including the famous 'Seminary Case' and the appeal was decided by the Royal court in 1889, wherein two of the three judges decided that Joseph Dionysius was the rightful Metropolitan of the Malankara Church. The one English Judge, Justice Omby, ruled in favor of Thomas Mar Athanasius, stating that Malankara Church was always an independent Church, not subject to the Antiochian Patriarch. Thomas Mar Athanasius had to leave the Seminary and the reformed section lost everything in the litigations, except few churches. Thus, the undivided Malankara Church was The beginning of the famous Maramon convention can be traced to 1873, but officially it began in 1896 at the banks of river Pampa in Maramon, which is the biggest Christian convention, after the Keswick convention. Mar Thoma Evangelistic Association was founded in 1888. Mar Thoma Sunday school was established in 1904/1905. Mar Thoma Suvisesha Sevika Sanghom was founded in 1919 and Mar Thoma Voluntary Evangelistic Association in 1924. Mar Thoma Yuvajanasakyam was established in 1933. Department of Sacred Music and Communication (DSMC) was founded in 1969.

Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian Church, officially known as is an eastern reformed oriental church, accepts Bible consisting of 66 (39 in Old Testament and 27 in New Testament) books and also the Nicene Creed approved in A. D. 325. Mar Thoma Church recognizes seven sacraments: baptism, confirmation, confession, Holy Communion, Marriage, Ordination and extreme unction (anointing the sick). Mar Thoma Church also practices the following feasts: Danaha (Epiphany on 6th January) commemorating the day of the wisemen from the East visiting baby Jesus; Annunciation on March 25th, the day the Gabriel, angel of the Lord announced the birth of Jesus to Mary; Palm Sunday; Maundy Thursday; Good Friday; Easter Sunday; the day of Ascension, which comes 40 days after the Easter; and the day of Pentecost, the day Holy Spirit came upon the disciples, the day of transfiguration.

The Mar Thoma Church uses leavened bread during the Holy Communion. The churches are built facing east and Holy Communion is administered form the Madbaha where there is a consecrated place known as Thronos, where the Kasa and Pilasa are kept on a wooden plank, reminding that Qurbana is a sacrifice without blood, in opposition to the worship in the Old Testament. Kasa with wine is placed in the east and piles with bread is placed in the west on the Tabaleetha. Kasa and Pilasa are covered with an ornamental cloth known as Kabalan and both Kasa and Pilasa are covered with Sosappa. The Mar Thoma Church uses Muron in the second part for confirmation during baptism as a symbol of conferring Holy Spirit. Sythe is consecrated olive oil is used in the first part of baptism, consecration of churches and houses and for anointing the sick. Mar Thoma Church uses Easter Cross (cross without crucifix). Mar Thoma Church uses St. James Liturgy in its revised form for Holy Communion. The beginning of the Holy Communion is known as 'Thooyaba', which is normally conducted before opening the curtain of the Madbaha for the laity.

The seating in the sanctuary is separate for men and women and women sit on the right side (south) and men sits on the left side (north) in the sanctuary known as 'Haikala'. The curtain of the Madbaha opens from south to north (remember church faces east) so that the women seated on the right side can see first the Thronos reminding that it is the women who saw the risen Jesus first at the tomb of Jesus Christ on Sunday morning.

Mar Thoma Church believes that Holy Communion is a mystery which cannot be explained by human beings, thus rejects the theories of transubstantiation (bread and wine changed after cosec ratio) as believed by Catholic Church, Consubstantiation (bread and wine do not change but the body and blood of Jesus Christ is united into the bread and wine, followed by Lutheran Church, Receptionalism (faith is the essential ingredient for the

believer to realize the significance of Holy Communion) followed by Calvinists and Memorialism (bread and wine are symbols of the body and blood of Christ, thus it awakens a memory in the believer the atoning death of Christ on the cross, a theory by Zwingley, one of the reformers of the Protestant Church.

Mar Thoma Church follows a democratic pattern for its administration both at parish, diocese and central level. The highest body of the church is Pradhinidhi Mandalam, consisting of representatives from all parishes and the executive body is the Sabha Council. The Episcopal Synod is the highest ecclesiastical body and Metropolitan is the supreme authority of the Church. The policy decisions regarding temporal matters of the Pradhinidhi Mandalam take into effect only after approval of the Episcopal Synod. The ecclesiastical matters of the Church are decided and administered by the Episcopal Synod. The discipline of the clergy and bishops rests with the Episcopal Synod. Thus, the administration of the church is a combination of episcopal polity and democratic procedures.

Thomas Mar Athanasius passed away in 1893 without consecrating a successor. Geevarghese Mar Koorilose of Thozhiyoor consecrated Revd Titus Palakunnathu, younger son of Abraham Malpan and brother of Thomas Mar Athanasius as Titus I Mar Thoma in 1894 at Cheriyapplly, Kottayam inspite of opposition from Jacobites. In 1899, Titus I consecrated his nephew as Titus II, with assistance from Geevarghese Mar Koorilose of Thozhiyoor. In 1911, Titus I passed away and Titus II became the Mar Thoma Metropolitan. In 1917 Bishop Abraham was consecrated as the Suffragan Metropolitan.

In 1925, the Mar Thoma Theological Seminary was established at Kottayam. Titus II passed away in 1944 and Abraham Mar Thoma Suffragan Metropolitan succeeded as the Metropolitan. Two more Bishops were consecrated in 1937, namely Juhannon Mar Timotheos and Mathews Mar Athanasius. In 1947, Abraham Mar Thomas passed away and Juhannon Mar Thomas succeeded. In 1953, three more Bishops were consecrated namely Alexander Mar Theophilus, Thomas Mar Athanasius and Philipose Mar Chrysostom. Mathews Mar Athanasius passed in 1973. Two more Bishops Joseph Mar Ireneaus and Easo Mar Timotheos were consecrated in 1976. Juhannon Mar Thoma passed away in 1976 and Alexander Mar Thoma succeeded. In 1980, Zacharias Mar Theophilus was consecrated as Bishop. Thomas Mar Athanasius passed away in 1984 and Easo Mar Timotheos in 1988. In 1989, three more Bishops were consecrated, namely Geevarghese Mar Athanasius, Geevarghese Mar Theodosius and Euyakim Mar Coorilos. In 1993, three more Bishops were consecrated, namely Joseph Mar Barnabas, Thomas Mar Timotheos and Isaac Mar Philoxenos. Alexander Mar Thoma passed away in 2001. Philipose Mar Chrysostom became the Mar Thoma Metropolitan in 2000.

In 2001, Abraham Mar Paulos was consecrated as a Bishop. In 2007, Joseph Mar Thoma became the 21st Mar Thoma. In 2011, three more Bishops namely Mathews Mar Makarios, Gregorios Mar Stephanos, and Thomas Mar Theethos were consecrated as episcopal. Since 2011, the Church was not able to consecrate any bishops due to opposition and court cases. Currently, the Mar Thoma church has 13 dioceses and three dioceses are without any Episcopa due to the deaths of Zacharias Mar Theophilus Suffragan Metropolitan in 2015, and Geevarghese Mar Athanasius Suffragan Metropolitan in 2018. Joseph Mar Thoma passed away in 2020 followed by Philipose Mar Chrysostom in 2021. Following the death of Joseph Mar Thoma, Theodosius Mar Thoma succeeded as the 22nd Mar Thoma. Both Euyakim Mar Coorilos and Joseph Mar Barnabas Episcopas were consecrated as Suffragan metropolitans in 2022. The Sabha Pradhinidhi Mandalam in 2022 have decided to select four more bishops and appointed Episcopal Nomination Board for the same. For the first time in the history of Mar Thoma Church, women are also allowed to be appointed as lay persons (readers) to assist priests in the Madbaha during Holy Communion.

Mar Thoma Church is a global church with its members scattered across all the continents in the world and by establishing parishes and Dioceses outside Kerala, where St. Thomas believed to be established seven churches in A. D. 52. In recognition of this global expansion, the church is now publishing its official documents such as Mandalam Reports, Mandalam study, and the official journal, Malankara Sabha Tharaka in English. Currently, the Mar Thoma Church has 1.6 million members, nine bishops including the Metropolitan, 1,239 parishes, 13 dioceses, 947 active priests and 267 retired priests. The headquarters of the Mar Thoma Church is in Thiruvalla, Kerala, India. The motto of the church is "lighted to lighten” and the link to the Church web site is given below, where you can find more details about the church and its activities. www.marthoma.in

Books Referred:

1) An introduction to Indian church history, C. B. Firth ISPCK 1961 2) The faith and practices of Mar Thoma Church, Rev. Dr. K. V.

Mathew, 1985 3) The Mar Thoma Church, heritage and mission, Alexander

Mar Thoma Metropolitan, 1985 4) The Mar Thoma Church, A study of its growth and contribution, Rev. Dr. K. T. Joy, 1986 5) Gleanings, The Mar Thoma Church: Its faith, Practices and

Mission, Madras-Calcutta Diocese, 1994 6) St. Thomas and Syrian Christians of India, K. V. Koshy, 1999 7) Glimpses of Mar Thoma Church history, Dr. Zac Varghese

Kanisseril, Mr. Mathew Kallumpram, 2003 8) Christian faith for our times, Rev. Dr. K. A. Abraham, 2004 9) The faith and sacraments of the Mar Thoma Church, Rev.

George Mathew Kuttiyil, 2004 10) Christian faith for our times, Rev. Dr. K. A. Abraham, 2004 11) The Indian Churches of Saint Thomas, C. P. Mathew and M.

M. Thomas, 2005 12) Liturgy for our times, Rev. Dr. George Mathew Kuttiyil, 2006 13) St. Thomas Christians and their Eucharistic Liturgy, George

Poikail, 2010 14) Holy Qurbana, Response to 175 questions, Rev. Dr. Abraham P. Athyal, 2011 15) Our faith and practices, Rev. Abraham P. Athyal, 2016 16) History of Christianity in India: An Introduction, F.

Hrangkhuma, Theological Book Trust, 1918