Malabar Independent Syrian Church
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Malabar Independent Syrian church |
| Classification |
Eastern Church |
| Geographical areas |
Kerala |
| Founder |
Abraham Mar Koorilose |
| Origin |
1772 |
| Separated from |
Malankara Syrian Church |
| Congregations |
16 |
| Members |
35,000 |
| Hospitals |
1 |
| Primary schools |
3 |
| Secondary schools |
1 |
| Other name(s) |
Thozhyur Sabah
Anjoor Church |
The
Malabar Independent Syrian Church, also known as the
Thozhiyur Sabah (Church), is a
Christian church centred in
Kerala,
India. It is one of the churches of the
Saint Thomas Christian community, which traces its origins to the evangelical activity of
Thomas the Apostle in the 1st century.
Considered part of the
Syriac Orthodox Group of churches in India, the church split from the main body of India's
Malankara Church in 1772. The church obtained its current name after a court verdict in 1862.
Today the church remains small, with about 35,000 members, and maintains good relations with the other Malankara churches.
History
The Saint Thomas Christians trace their origins to
Thomas the Apostle, who according to tradition
proselytized in India in the 1st century. By the 7th century they were part of the
Church of the East, centred in Persia.
[1] The entire community remained united until the 17th century, when disputes with the
Portuguese padroado in India led to the
Coonan Cross Oath of 1653 and the division of the Saint Thomas Christians into
Catholic and independent branches.
[2][3] The independent branch, known as the
Malankara Church, forged a relationship with the
Syriac Orthodox Church of Antioch.
[4]
However, relations between the Syriac Orthodox hierarchy and the
native clergy were sometimes strained. In 1772 Bishop Mar Gregorios, a
representative of the Syriac Orthodox hierarchy from the Middle East,
had grown dissatisfied with how the Metropolitan
Mar Dionysius I
had treated him. Against Dionysius' wishes, Gregorios consecrated as
bishop a leading dissenter, the monk Kattumangatt Kurien, in a secret
but canonically legitimate ceremony. The new bishop took the name Mar
Cyril (Koorilos), and he was designated Gregorios' sole heir.
[5]
Cyril claimed authority over the parishes of
Cochin, and initially received the support of the
Raja of Cochin. However, Dionysus saw him as a threat to his power, and in 1774 he appealed to the Raja and to the
British authorities in India to suppress the rival bishop.
[5][6] Cyril left for
Thozhiyur, outside their jurisdiction, and established what would become an independent church.
[7] This was the first of several churches to split off from the Malankara Church.
[6]
Cyril's church was always small, but maintained stability by
attracting devoted priests and emphasizing regularity in the
ecclesiastical order. In 1794 Cyril consecrated his brother Geevarghese
as bishop; Geevarghese succeeded Cyril as Mar Cyril II in 1802, and the
succession has proceeded unbroken since.
[5] As a result of an 1862 court case, the
Madras
High Court confirmed the Thozhiyur church was independent Malankara
church, and it has subsequently been known as the Malabar Independent
Syrian Church.
[7]
Ecumenical relations
The Malabar Independent Syrian Church maintains good relations with
the other Malankara churches. Despite its small size, it has had a
significant impact on the history of the Saint Thomas Christian
community. On several occasions Thoziyur bishops have stepped in to
consecrate bishops for the other churches when the episcopal succession,
and therefore the churches themselves, were in danger.
[5] Mar Philoxenos II Kidangan (1811–1829) of the Thozhiyur Church consecrated three successive bishops in the Malankara Church:
Mar Dionysius II on March 22, 1816,
Mar Dionysius III on October 19, 1817, and
Mar Dionysius IV on August 27, 1825.
[8]
Malabar Independent Syrian Church is a member of the
Christian Conference of Asia,
the Council of Churches in India, and the Kerala Council of Churches.
Other ecumenical links have been developed, not least with the
Anglican and
Lutheran Churches. This has been facilitated through a support group based in
England, where the Church is a registered charitable trust.
Metropolitans
Following is the list of Metropolitans of the Malabar Independent Syrian church.
[9][10]
- Mar Cyril I (Kattumangatt Kurien)– (1772–1802).
Cyril was the first Metropolitan of the church. As a boy he impressed
the visiting Bishop Mar Ivanios of Jerusalem by correcting a deacon's
liturgical mistake at Mulanthuruthy Church. Ivanios later ordained both
Kurien and his brother Geevarghese as deacons, then priests, before
returning to Jerusalem in 1751.
[11][12] He later became a
monk under Mar Baselios and Mar Gregorios, and was a leader in the local opposition to
Malankara Metropolitan Mar Dionysius I.
He was consecrated as Bishop by Gregorios, fomenting the tensions with
Dionysius that ultimately resulted in the formation of the independent
Thozhyur church. He died on July 10, 1802.
[5]
- Mar Cyril II (Kattumangatt Geevarghese) – (1802–1807).
Known as the Younger Bava, Geevarghese was the younger brother of Mar
Cyril I. He was ordained as a deacon and then priest along with his
brother by Mar Ivanios. Cyril I consecrated him as bishop and named him
his successor in 1794, and he succeeded his brother as Mar Cyril II in
1802.
[5]
He consecrated Skaria Mar Philexenos and Joseph Mar Ivanios as
suffragans. Geevarghese Mar Koorilose died on May 29, 1809, and was laid
to rest at Vettical Dayara, Mulanthuruthi.
- Skaria Mar Philexenos (Cheeran) – (1807–1811)
He was consecrated by Geevarghese Mar Koorilose.
- Geevarghese Mar Philexenos II (Kidangan) (1811–1829)
He was consecrated by Skaria Mar Philexenos. During his period
Mar Thoma IX
was the Metropolitan of the Malankara Church, but because he was not
accepted by the people and clergy, the Reverend Ittoop Kathanar from
Kunnamkulam
was selected to succeed him. However, there was no bishop to consecrate
him, so members of the Malankara Church invited Mar Philexenos from
Thozhyoor for the consecration. Even though his ancestors were driven
out of the Malankara Church, without a grudge he accepted the
invitation. The Reverend Ittoop Kathanar was consecrated on March 22,
1816, and was given the episcopal title Pulikottil Joseph Mar Dionysius.
However, in November that same year, Joseph Mar Dionysius died. Because
there were no other metropolitans in Malankara at that time, Mar
Philoxenos was accepted as Malankara Metropolitan and the concerned
governments issued Royal Proclamation. This proclamation was life-long.
On October 19, 1817, he consecrated Punnathara Mar Dionysious and
returned to Thozhyoor, but Punnathara Mar Dionysious died on May 17,
1825. Mar Philoxenos was again invited and he consecrated Cheppad Mar
Dionysios for the Malankara Church. Mar Philoxenos died on February 7,
1829.
- Geevarghese Mar Koorilose (Kuthoorey) (1829–1856).
Mar Philexenos did not appoint any successors. So Thozhyoor church
invited Cheppad Mar Dionysios of the Malankara church and it was he who
consecrated Geevarghese Mar Koorilose.
- Joseph Mar Koorilose (Alathoorey) (1856–1888).
Geevarghese Mar Koorilose died without appointing a successor. So
Mathews Mar Athanasius,
metropolitan of the Malankara Church consecrated the Reverend Joseph
Kathanar and gave him the episcopal title Joseph Mar Koorilose. At that
time Euyakim Mar Koorilos, a bishop sent by the Patriarch of
Antioch,
was also in Kerala. In 1857, he filed a civil case stating that he was
the Malankara Metropolitan and he had the rights to the Thozhyoor Church
and its properties. In 1862, the Madras High Court issued the final
verdict stating that the Church was an Independent Syrian Church in
Malabar
and that Euyakim Mar Koorilos had no claim on the Church or its
properties. Because of this case Thozhyoor Church was given the name
Malabar Independent Syrian Church.
- Joseph Mar Athanasius. (Maliyakal) (1888–1898)
Joseph Mar Koorilose consecrated his successor, Joseph Mar
Athanasius. At this time, the Malankara church was split into two, the
Jacobites and the Metran faction. Thomas Mar Athanasius, appointed by
Mathews Mar Athanasius, died in August 1893 without appointing a successor. So Joseph Mar Athanasius consecrated Titus I as metropolitan of the
Mar Thoma Church.
- Geevarghese Mar Koorilose (Karumamkuzhi Pulikkottil) (1898–1935)
He was consecrated by Joseph Mar Athanasios. He consecrated Poulose Mar Athanasius, assisted by Thomas Mar Athanasius of the
Mar Thoma Church
as suffragan. Two schools were opened during his time. He also sent
deacons to study at the Cambridge National Institute and at the
Serampore College. He was there for the consecrations of three Metropolitnas of the
Mar Thoma Church.
As a priest he attended the consecration of Titus I Mar Thoma and as
metropolitan, the consecrations of Titus II and Abraham Mar Thoma.
- Kuriakose Mar Koorilose (Kuthoorey) (1935–1947)
He was consecrated by Titus II Mar Thoma, assisted by Abraham Mar Thoma of the
Mar Thoma Church.
- Geevarghese Mar Koorilose (Cheeran) (1948–1967)
He was consecrated by Dr.
Juhanon Mar Thoma assisted by Mathews Mar Athanasius of the
Mar Thoma Church.
- Paulose Mar Philexenos (Ayankulangara) (1967–1977)
He was consecrated by Dr.
Juhanon Mar Thoma of the
Mar Thoma Church. While Metropolitan, he joined the
Syro-Malankara Catholic Church, in union with the Pope.
- Mathews Mar Koorilose (Kuthoorey) (1978–1986)
When the previous Metropolitan Paulose Mar Philexenos, joined the
Syro-Malankara Catholic Church, MISC was left without a hierarchy. Mathews Mar Koorilos was consecrated by Dr. Alexander Mar Thoma, of the
Mar Thoma Church to replace him.
- Joseph Mar Koorilose (Alathoorey) (27 August 1986)
He was consecrated by Dr. Alexander Mar Thoma, of the
Mar Thoma Church. The Most Reverend Metropolitan Joseph Mar Koorilose retired on 28 May 2001.
- Cyril Mar Baselius Metropolitan.
The Sabha Mandalam (church synod) of the Malabar Independent Syrian
Church held on 10 December 2000 unanimously elected Rev. Fr. K. C. Sunny
as the metropolitan-elect. On 3 March 2001 he was consecrated as
ramban. The Very Reverend Sunny Ramban was consecrated
bishop on 10 March 2001 and named Cyril Mar Baselius. On 28 May 2001 he was installed as Metropolitan Mar Baselius. .
[13]
On the same day (28 May) the then Metropolitan Joseph Mar Koorilose
handed over all his worldly and spiritual powers to the new metropolitan
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