Malankara Throne

Malankara throne also Mar Thoma Metropolitan Throne is the chair seated by the head of the Malankara Syrian Church when he is enthroned as the primate and given the title of Metropolitan of Malankara . Affectionately St Thomas Christians of Malankara Church call their leader as Mar Thoma since he is the successor of St.Thomas who preached christianity in India and founded the Malankara Church. Tradition has it that Malankara Church was established by St. Thomas the Apostle in the 1st century in Malankara (Kerala). During the first fifteen centuries, the heads of the church were elders selected or elected from among elders of various parishes. No throne-like chairs or ottomans were known to have been in use for their enthronement. The first person to have been enthroned on this chair was Parampil Thomas Kathanar as Mar Thoma I, in 1653; and hence this chair is also known as MarThoma's Throne . The Dutch model chair was said to be gifted by Raja of Thekkumkoor Dynasty who was against the Portuguese hegemony.[1]

First Marthoma

Soon after the Coonan Cross Oath (Koonan Kurishu Satyam കൂനൻ കുരിശ് സത്യം), in 1653 AD, it became necessary to appoint a bishop as the head of the Malankara Church. They elected the then leader Parampil Thomas Kathanar as their first bishop. For this consecration it is believed that they made a special throne-like chair. On May 22, 1653, Thomas Kathanar was seated on it and twelve kathanars (priests) placed their hands on him and elevated him to the office of the first Metropolitan of Malankara. This throne used in 1653 was later used for the consecration of other hierarchs & primates of the Malankara Syrian Church and they all carried the title Mar Thoma.[1]

The usage of the title continued till the end of nineteenth century. In AD 1889 Malankara Syrian Church culminated in a split with the Travancore Royal court verdict . Following the Royal Court verdict of 1889 Mar Thoma faction of the Malankara Syrian Church got separated and started functioning as an independent Malankara faction and later became known as Malankara Marthoma Syrian Church. The Metran (Reformist) faction got the possession of this chair from the old Syrian Seminary, Kottayam after the eviction of Thomas Mar Athanasius as Malankara Metropolitan with the Travancore Royal Court verdict in 1889. Mean while the Patriarch Faction (Bava Faction) was systemically organised in Syrian Orthodox Church with demarcation of seven new diocese and and ordinations of new Metropolitans.

Malankara Church and its leadership

Christians of St Thomas and Malankara church has a history of 2000 years . But the history was not properly documented ,and whichever documents was left was burned in Synod of Diamper 1599 and in the accidental fire of Angamali Seminary.However it was widely believed that the Church administration till the advent of Portuguese was vested in a leader who is duly selected by the Palliyogam . On that basis it can be assumed that Malankara Church was governed by leaders with the following titles in various periods

  1. Jathikkukarthavyan (meaning Leader of the community)
  2. Malankara Moopen (meaning Elder of Community)
  3. Arkadyokon or Archdeacon
  4. Marthoma (from Marthoma I to Marthoma IX)
  5. Marthoma X with Royal proclamation as Malankara Metropolitan (then on wards the prelates of the Malankara Church used the title-Malankara Metropolitan instead of Marthoma).However people affectionately called them Marthoma since they are considered successors of St.Thomas. Royal proclamation ended with Mathews Mar Athanasious.

Marthoma enthroned on this throne

Name Other name Year
Mar Thoma I Parampil Thomas Kathanar 1653–1670
Mar Thoma II -- 1670–1686
Mar Thoma III -- 1686–1688
Mar Thoma IV -- 1688–1728
Mar Thoma V -- 1728–1765
Mar Thoma VI Mar Dionysius I 1765–1808
Mar Thoma VII -- 1808–1809
Mar Thoma VIII -- 1809–1816
Mar Thoma IX -- 1816–1817
Mar Thoma XI Punnathra Mar Dionysius / Mar Dionysious III 1817–1825
Mar Thoma XII Cheppad Mar Dionysius / Mar Dionysious IV 1825–1852
Mar Thoma XIV Thomas Mar Athanasius 1877–1889

The following Metropolitans of the Malankara Church were not seated on this throne while their ordination as Malankara Metropolitan.

There after the Marthoma Methrapolitans of Malankara Marthoma Syrian Church were seated on this throne.

The present Marthoma is the 21st in the line of succession after the establishment of Marthoma Episcopacy in 1653

References

  1. 1 2 P.V. Mathew. Keralathille Nazrani Kristhianikal (Nazrani Christians of Kerala) Vol. 2. Page 5

For further reading

See also

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