Marthoma Metropolitans

Marthoma Metropolitan refers to primate of Marthoma Syrian Church of Saint Thomas Christians in India from 1893 . Mar Toma is Syriac for Saint Thomas.

History

After the great swearing in ceremony of Coonan Cross Oath, the parish elders (Idavaka Mooppens) of the Church met together and elected Kuravilangad Parampil Thomas Kathanar as Malankara Elder (Malankara Mooppen). Following an indigenous way, twelve Idavaka Mooppens laid their hands on him( Kaiveppu) and appointed him as Mar Thoma I.This was an emergency step. The Catholics considered this illegitimate, because this was not their practice. So the Malankara Church was forced to send letters to various Churches asking to send a bishop. In 1655 Mar Gregorios Abdul Jaleel, the Syriac Orthodox Bishop of Jerusalem arrived in Malankara . Thus Mar Gregorios Abdul Jaleel was able to regularise the consecration of Mar Thoma I as per the traditional standards of apostolic Kaiveppu of a valid Bishop.

Marthoma is the honorific title given to the Bishops who are consecrated to rule over the great parish of St. Thomas in Malankara. The followers call this bishops affectionately as Marthoma thirumeni. Malankara throne is the chair seated by the Primate of the Malankara Church.It is believed that the Dutch model chair was gifted by Raja of Thekkumkoor Dynasty who was against the Portuguese hegemony and it was said that it was built in the same design of the throne of the king of Thekkumkoor.

The lineage

Historically the primate or the leader of St Thomas Christians were known as Jathikku Karthavyan (leader of Community), Malankara moopen (Elder of the Community), Archdeacon or Arkadyokon (High Priest).In 16th century to resist the latinization attempts of the Jesuits it became necessary to elevate the Archdeacon to a position of 'Metropolitan Bishop' named as Marthoma. In 1653 the Archdeacon position was elevated to Bishopric by laying hands of twelve priests in the absence of a valid Bishop. This was an emergency step. Then onwards the Metropolitan Bishop assumed the honorific ecclesiastical title Marthoma. This title was used from 1653 to 1815. Later a valid 'Bishopric' was established in Malankara with the help of Gregorios Abdul Jaleel. Until a few hundred years back, the leadership of St Thomas Christian Community was dynastically held by members of the Pakalomattom family.

Mar Thoma I – In 1653, Thomas of Pakalomattam Thravadu was consecrated with the title Marthoma I by Mar Gregorios. Marthoma I survived a number of assassination attempts. He died on 25 April 1670 and was interred in Angamaly St Mary's Jacobite Syrian Church.[1]

Mar Thoma II – (1670–1686) Consecrated by Marthoma I and Mar Gregorios. Died on 14 April 1686 and was interred at St. Mary's Syriac Orthodox Church, Niranam.[2]

Mar Thoma III – (1686–1688) Consecrated by Mar Ivanios Hirudyathulla (from Antioch), died on 21 April 1688. Laid to rest at St.Thomas Syriac Orthodox Church, Kadampanad.

Mar Thoma IV – (1688–1728). Consecrated by Mar Ivanios Hirudyathulla. Died on 24 March 1728 and was interred at Kandanad Martha Mariam Syriac Orthodox Church.

Mar Thoma V - (1728–1765) – Consecrated by Marthoma IV. Died on 8 May 1765 and laid to rest at St. Mary's Syriac Orthodox Church, Niranam.[2]

Mar Thoma VI – (1765–1808) Consecrated by Marthoma V. Died on 8 April 1808 and laid to rest at St. Mary's Syriac Orthodox Cathedral, Puthenkavu.[3] Important events:

Mar Thoma VII – (1808–1809) Consecrated by Marthoma VI in 1796. During his time on 1 December 1808, a sum of 3000 Star Pagoda (in 2002 one Star Pagoda coin had a market value of £475) was given as loan in perpetuity to the British resident Colonel Maccaulay. This is known as Vattipanam. Marthoma died on 4 July 1809 and was interred at St. Peter's & St. Paul's Syriac Orthodox Church, Kolencherry.

Mar Thoma VIII – (1809–1816) Consecrated on 2 July 1809 by Marthoma VII. During his time Kottayam Suryani Seminary was opened and modern education began in Kerala. Marthoma died on 26 January 1816 and was interred at St. Mary's Cathedral, Puthencavu, Chengannur.[2]

Mar Thoma IX – (1816–1817). Consecrated by Marthoma VIII without the consent of the people. So he retired to St.George Orthodox Church, Kadamattom,[4] and spent the rest of his days in prayer and fasting.

Thereafter the Metropolitans didn't assume the ecclesiastical title- Marthoma even though people affectionately call them as Marthoma.

Mar Thoma X (Malankara Metropolitan)– (1816). Also known as Pulikottil Joseph Mar Dionysius, was consecrated by Mar Philoxenos II, of the Malabar Independent Syrian Church (Thozhiyoor Sabha). Died on 25 November 1816 and laid to rest at Orthodox Old Seminary, Kottayam. (He didn't use the official title Marthoma even though people affectionately called him Marthoma X.)

Mar Thoma XXI Joseph Mar Thoma

There after Marthoma Syrian Church got separated from Malankara Church and started using the term Marthoma Metropolitan title for the church's prelate from 1893 onwards.

During the time of Mathews Mar Athanasious of Palakkunnathu ,there were serious litigation between two factions of Malankara church because of the reformation and other administrative changes initiated by him in the Malankara Church . Pulikkottil Joseph Mar Dionysious II and Patriarch faction under him in Malankara Church was against the reformation. Mulanthuruthy Padiyola brought the Patriarch Faction of Malankara church under the complete ecclesiastical authority of Patriarch of Antioch . Mathews Mar Athanasious the then Malankara Metropolitan and his successor Thomas Mar Athanasious neither attended the synod nor agreed to the decisions of the synod of Mulanthurathy which brought the Malankara Church Under the supremacy of Patriarch .The supporters of Malankara Metropolitan Thomas mar Athanasious (Metran Faction) organised themselves into an independent Malankara church known as Malankara Marthoma Syrian Church under the Apostolic see of Malankara .The usage of the ecclesiastical title Marthoma Metropolitanof Malankara was adopted in Marthoma Syrian Church from the consecration of Titus I Marthoma onwards. The Marthoma episcopacy continued ordinations of Marthoma Metropolitans in the Apostolic Throne of St.Thomas.

See also

References

  1. ↑ http://stmarysangamaly.org/
  2. 1 2 3 "Niranam St. Mary's Orthodox Syrian Church - Niranam Valiyapally". Niranamchurch.com. Retrieved 2015-02-27.
  3. ↑ Archived 30 January 2010 at the Wayback Machine.
  4. ↑ "St.George Orthodox Syrian church,Kadamattom,Kerala,India,Kadamatttathu Kathanar,Kadamattom pally,churches in Kerala,orthodox church". Kadamattomchurch.org. Retrieved 2015-02-27.
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