Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian Church
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Mar Thoma Church)
| Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian Church |
Logo of the Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian Church |
| Founder |
Saint Thomas the Apostle. |
| Independence |
Apostolic Era |
| Recognition |
Independent Hierarchical Church |
| Primate |
His Grace The Most Rev. Dr. Joseph Mar Thoma Metropolitan |
| Headquarters |
Tiruvalla, Kerala, India |
| Territory |
Universal |
| Possessions |
Australia, Canada, Germany, Middle East (Gulf Region), Ireland, Malaysia, New Zealand, Scotland, Singapore, South Africa, United States, United Kingdom, Switzerland. |
| Language |
Malayalam, English, Hindi, Tamil, Kannada, Syriac (Western). |
| Adherents |
1 million (worldwide)[1] |
| Website |
www.marthoma.in |
The
Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian Church (officially the
Malankara Mar Thoma Suryani Sabha) also known as the
Mar Thoma Church is a
Christian denomination based in the state of
Kerala in southwestern
India. It has an entirely different identity when compared to other Churches in
India.
Most Christian churches around the world are divided into Western or
Eastern traditions. Eastern churches are again divided into two: the
Eastern Orthodox and the Eastern Oriental. Mar Thoma Church is an
Eastern Oriental Church. It adheres to the
Syriac tradition and bases its teachings in accordance with Biblical teachings. It is one of the
Saint Thomas Christian churches tracing its origins to the missionary activity of
Thomas the Apostle.
The Mar Thoma Church defines itself as "
Apostolic in origin, Catholic in nature,
Biblical in faith,
Evangelical in principle,
Ecumenical in outlook,
Oriental in worship,
Democratic in function,
Episcopal in character and is a Reformed Church.
[2]
Until the beginning of 20th century Marthomites lived in a few districts of Central
Travancore and
Kunnamkulam in Kerala. Since that time it has spread with the 20th-century Indian diaspora to
North America,
Europe, the
Middle East,
Malaysia,
Singapore,
South Africa,
Australia and
New Zealand, and currently has around one million members worldwide.
[1]. Their mother tongue is
Malayalam, the language of Kerala.
Definitions
Malankara is the ancient name derived from the name 'Maliankara', Maliankara Island on the south-western side of
Indian Peninsula. It was between Gokarnam and
Kanyakumari the southern point of India. Kerala, the present south-western state of
India is only a part of Malankara. It is also thought to be a cognate of this name Maliankara, a place near
Muziris, where Thomas the Apostle first landed in Kerala.
Mar Thoma or Marthoma is
Aramaic, means Saint Thomas. Members of this church are often referred to as Marthomites.
Syrian Church. The original liturgical language used in
Malankara Church was
Aramaic and
Hebrew. Later this was replaced by
Syriac. In 1898 the church decided to continue its old name Malankara Marthoma Church with the addition of Syriac in it.
[3]
Administration
Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian Church has a well defined constitution and
has a democratic pattern of administration. There is an ‘Episcopal
Synod’, a Grand Assembly known as ‘Marthoma Suryani Sabha Prathinidhi
Mandalam’ (House of Representatives), a council to aid the Metropolitan
in administrative matters and a Vaideeka Selection Committee, to select
candidates for the ministry of the Church.
Each diocese has its own council and an assembly. The assembly
members are elected by the individual parishes, and the council members,
by the Assembly.
All members of a parish are members of Edavaka Sangham (General Body)
and they also have the right to elect their representatives to the
Diocesan Assembly and Prathinidhi Mandalam, (Church Parliament).
The title of the head of the Church is “Marthoma” and is addressed as
“Marthoma Metropolitan”. He is installed from among the duly
consecrated bishops (episcopas) of the Church, the choice being
ordinarily that of the senior most among them. The present “Marthoma
Metropolitan” is the Most Reverend Dr.
Joseph Mar Thoma who resides at Poolatheen at Church Headquarters in
Tiruvalla,
Kerala.
If the Metropolitan is personally satisfied that he has difficulty to
continue to perform the duties appertaining to his office, he may,
relinquish the powers and responsibilities as the Metropolitan. Then he
becomes the Senior Mar Thoma Metropolitan and is addressed as “Mar Thoma
Valiya Metropolitan”. The present “Marthoma Valiya Metropolitan” is the
Most Reverend Dr.
Philipose Mar Chrysostom Valiya Metropolitan.
To assist the Metropolitan there are episcopas, the senior most among
them is called Suffragan Metropolitan. The present members of the
Episcopal Synod are:
- The Most Rev. Dr. Philipose Mar Chrysostom Valiya Metropolitan.
- The Most Rev. Dr. Joseph Mar Thoma Metropolitan
- The Rt. Rev. Dr. Zacharias Mar Theophilus Suffragan Metropolitan.
- The Rt. Rev. Geevarghese Mar Athanasius Episcopa.
- The Rt. Rev. Dr. Geevarhese Mar Theodosius Episcopa.
- The Rt. Rev. Dr. Euyakim Mar Coorilos Episcopa.
- The Rt. Rev. Joseph Mar Barnabas Episcopa.
- The Rt. Rev. Thomas Mar Timotheos Episcopa.
- The Rt. Rev. Dr. Isaac Mar Philoxenos Episcopa.
- The Rt. Rev. Dr. Abraham Mar Paulos Episcopa.
- The Rt. Rev. Dr. Mathews Mar Makarios Episcopa
- The Rt. Rev. Gregorios Mar Stephanos Episcopa
- The Rt Rev. Dr. Thomas Mar Titus Episcopa
Clergy – ministers
‘’Semmasan’’ (Deacons): The Sabha Prathinidhi Mandalam elects a
Vaideeka Selection board to select candidates for the ministry of the
Church.
‘’Kassessa’’ (Clergy): Persons receiving ordination as ministers
shall be duly ordained deacons. They all have had their theological
training at the Mar Thoma Theological Seminary,
Kottayam,
Kerala.
Vicars general: From among the clergy who have completed 25
years of service in the ordained ministry and not less than sixty years
of age are selected and ordained as
vicars general. In the absence of the diocesan bishop, they may be appointed as head of the diocese.
Administrative divisions
For administrative purpose, the Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian Church is
divided into 12 dioceses w.e.f. January 1, 2010, headed by a
Metropolitan or by an Episcopa. They are:
History
First century BC
On the south western side of the Indian peninsula; between the
mountains and the Erythraean Sea (now Arabian Sea); stretching from
Kannoor to
Kanyakumari was the land called Cherarajyam, which was ruled by local chieftains. Later this land came to be known as
Malabar and (now
Kerala).
Muziris (now known as
Pattanam near
Cochin) was the important entry port. After the discovery of
Hippalus, every year 100 ships arrived here from various parts of the then known world, including Red Sea ports.
[4]
During the time of Moses and
King Solomon, the
Malabar Coast traded spices and luxury articles with
Israel.
[5] Excavations carried out at
Pattanam from 2005 provided evidence that the maritime trade between
Kerala and the Mediterranean ports existed even before 500 BC or earlier.
[6] It is possible that some of those traders who arrived from the west, including Jews, remained in Kerala.
[7]
While
Augustus Caesar (31 BC- 14 AD) was the Emperor of Rome and
Herod the Great (37–4 BC) was King of
Judea, ambassadors from
Malabar visited the Emperor Augustus.
[8] Nasranis believe that these ambassadors were
The Wise Men From the East, of the Bible.
[9] People who believe they are descendants of these Wise Men gather every year in
Kerala.
[10] In the 1st century map
Tabula Peutingeriana (see the map) a temple of
Augustus is clearly visible near
Muziris showing the close relation between Rome and Malabar in the 1st century BC.
Arrival of Saint Thomas
Saint Thomas Christians believe that
Thomas the Apostle arrived in
Kerala around AD 52. He landed at
Muziris (now known as
Pattanam, near
Cochin on the
Malabar Coast). The Jews and a few of the Wise Men, who had been to Bethlehem to worship Jesus
[11] listened to his preaching and became followers of Jesus of Nazareth.
[12]
It is believed that after leaving Malankara, St. Thomas proceeded to
the East coast of India and died a martyrs’ death at a place called
Mylapore in
Tamil Nadu.
?The claim that 'The Wise Men' were from Malabar is ridiculous, unless
supported by facts.? However, it must be conceded that the Nazarenes in
Malabar were and are either 'Mar Thomites' or Mar Barthomolites, i.e.
Nazarenes brought from mainstream Judaism by the missionary efforts of
Mar Thoma and Mar Bartholomeu. Pantaneius's reference to the gift of
'Gospel of Matthew in Hebrew' by Mar Bartholomeu to the Nazereans in
Malabar is a clear pointer to the fact that Mar Bartholemeu did
evangilize Malabar. Possibly the 'tho' in Bartholomeu led to the
assumption that Mar Thoma visited Malabar.
The first Christians
In early Christian times, 'Nazraanis' were not a separate religion,
but a sect in the Jewish community. The term was used to denote
followers of Jesus of Nazareth. (Acts. 24:5; 28:22). 'Khristianos' (or
Christians) was initially used largely to refer non-Jewish people who
followed Christ.
[13]
In Kerala, the sect was known as 'Nazraani Margam'. Margam in Malayalam
means, ‘The Way’. (Acts 9:2; 19:9, 23; 22:4; 24:22). Thus, the word
Nazraani clearly shows that many who joined them were Jews. But in
Kerala this name was replaced by the word 'Christians' in the 20th
century.
[14]
First 15 centuries
Administration
The Malankara Church believes that St. Thomas appointed elders at
every place he preached to lead the believers. He prayed and laid his
hands upon them, in the same way as the other disciples did.
[15] This was the system used till the arrival of
Portuguese.
By 1500, Malankara Church had Parish elders and a Church leader. Before
the arrival of Portuguese, Latin was unknown to Malankara people. In
the ‘’Decrees of The Synod of Udayamperoor’’ presented to the St. Thomas
Christians in their mother tongue Malayalam, Malankara Mooppen was the
name used to refer the Church leader, except on three occasions.
[16]
For the first time in 1653 the Church leader was given the title Mar
Thoma. The present head of the Mar Thoma Church is the twenty first Mar
Thoma.
Pantaenus from Alexandria
In the 2nd century AD,
Pantaenus the Philosopher visited India and found that there were many evangelists in
India. They had a copy of the
Gospel according to Matthew in Hebrew.
[17] These evangelists were the early Christians of Malankara Church.
Arrival of Knanaya Nazranis
During the time of King
Shapur II (310–379) of
Persia, a group of 400 immigrants (72 families) from
Persia arrived in Malabar under the leadership of merchant
Knai Thomman. They were engaged in trade and settled down in
Kodungallur.Another
immigration from Persia occurred around 825 under the leadership of
Persian merchant Marwan Sabriso, with two Bishops, Mar Sapro and Mar
Prodh. Together they were known as Knanaya (
Kanahi people. They continued to remain an
endogamous group
within the Nasrani community. They cooperated with the Malankara
Church, attended worship services together but remained a separate
identity. By the 10th century, in Malabar there were two Nazrani groups,
the St. Thomas Christians and Knanaya community.
[18]
Bishops from Persia
Following the arrival of Christians from Persia, their bishops, priests or laymen began visiting them
[citation needed].
Most of them were not able to return due to financial difficulties and
traveling long distances. The Knanaya people were worshipping together
with the St. Thomas Christians
[citation needed].
So these visitors also attended these services. It is a matter of
ongoing dispute between different churches in Kerala whether the Syrian
bishops had any administrative responsibility or jurisdiction over the
Nazrani Christians.
Persian crosses
Persian crosses were in churches once attended by Knanaya Nasranis.
Out of five Persian crosses two are in Kottayam Knanaya Valia Palli.
According to the archeologists, the earliest one was made in the 7th
century. The cross became a symbol of Christianity in the west, during
the time of Constantine (272–337).
[19]
Saint Thomas Christians of Malabar had hardly any contact with other
Christians before the arrival of Knanaya people from Persia. Moreover,
two of the oldest church buildings that still exist in South India do
not have any marking of a Cross on their original structure. So most
probably it was during the 7th century that the cross became a symbol of
St. Thomas Christians.
Visits corroborating the existence of the Malankara Church
The existence of this Church in early centuries is evident in the writings of ancient travelers.
522 AD – an Egyptian Monk, Cosmas Indicopleustes in his writings, ‘’Christian Topography’’ mentions that there was this Church.
[20]
883 AD. –
Alfred the Great (849–899), King of Wessex, England reportedly sent gifts “in India to St. Thomas and to St. Bartholomew”, through Sighelm,
bishop of Sherborne.
[21]
1225 AD. –
Chau Ju-Kua a
Chinese traveller visited
Kerala.
[22][23]
1282 AD. –
Kublai Khan (1215–1294) Emperor of
China sent an emissary to
Kollam, It was followed by an emissary from
Kollam under the leadership of a St. Thomas Christian.
[24][25]
1292 AD. – Marco Polo (1254–1324) on his return journey from China
visited Kerala, mentions that, "The people are idolaters, though there
are some
Christians and
Jews among them".
[26]
Collection of deeds
The rulers of
Kerala,
in appreciation of their assistance, had given to the Malankara
Nazranis, three deeds on copper plates. Five sheets of them are now in
the custody of St. Thomas Christians.
- Iravi Corttan Deed: In the year 774 AD. Sri Vira Raghava Chakravarti, gave a deed to Iravi Corttan of Mahadevarpattanam.
- Tharissa palli Deed I: Perumal Sthanu Ravi Gupta (844–885) gave a
deed in 849 AD, to Isodatta Virai for Tharissa Palli (church) at
Curakkeni Kollam. According to historians, this is the first deed in
Kerala that gives the exact date.[27]
- Tharissa palli Deed II: A continuation of the above deed was given sometimes after 849 AD.
Portuguese period
By 1500, Malankara Church was spread from
Kannur in the North to
Kollam in the South. It included the Saint Thomas Christians and the endogamous group,
Knanaya Christians.
The
Portuguese started settling in India with the arrival of
Vasco da Gama in 1498. For the next 200 years they took control over the sea routes and were powerful in the western parts of India.
Synod of Diamper
The
Malankara Church had hardly any contact with the Western Church. The Portuguese used their power to bring the
Malankara Church under Latin jurisdiction. A powerful Archbishop
Aleixo de Menezes[28] arrived in
Goa in 1595. He then convened a Synod at
Udayamperoor, south of
Ernakulam, from 20–26 June 1599, known as the
Synod of Diamper.
Here the Archbishop demanded complete submission to the Latin
jurisdiction. The representatives sent from various parishes in and
around
Cochin were forced to accept the decrees read out by the Archbishop.
Oath of the Bent Cross
Under the leadership of their elder Thomas,
Nazranis around
Cochin gathered at
Mattancherry
church on Friday, January 24, 1653 (M.E. 828 Makaram 3) and made an
oath that is known as the Great Oath of Bent Cross. The following oath
was read aloud and the people touching a stone-cross repeated it loudly.
-
- By the Father, Son and Holy Ghost that henceforth we would not adhere to the Franks, nor accept the faith of the Pope of Rome[29]
(
The Missionary Register
for 1822 seems to be the earliest reliable document available) Those
who were not able to touch the cross tied ropes on the cross, held the
rope in their hands and made the oath. Because of the weight it is
believed by the followers that the cross bent a little and so it is
known as ‘’Oath of the bent cross (Coonen Kurisu Sathyam) ’’
Four months after this event, according to the beliefs, 12 elders of
the church ordained the elder Thomas as their prelate with the
ecclesiastical title Mar Thoma I.
Beliefs and practices
Their beliefs and practices before the arrival of the
Portuguese as evident in the canons of the
Synod of Diamper.
[30][31]
Malankara Church,
- denied the doctrine of Transubstantiation.
- maintained the spiritual presence of the body and blood of Christ in the sacrament.
- condemned the adoration of images as idolatrous.
- were not aware of the intercession of the saints.
- were not aware of prayers for the dead.
- had no knowledge of purgatory.
- had no knowledge of extreme unction.
- had no knowledge of auricular confession.
- did not follow celibacy of the clergy.
Dutch period
The
Dutch was on the Malabar Coast from November 11, 1604 1795.
Mar Thoma I to
Mar Thoma VI were the prelates during this period.
British period
The English defeated the
Dutch in 1795 and took over
Cochin during the time of
Mar Thoma VI. In 1806, Rev. Dr.
Claudius Buchanan, an Anglican missionary visited Malankara and met Marthoma VI .
[32] But, soon after this meeting,
Mar Thoma VI
convened a meeting of representatives of the parishes and declared that
the Malankara Church should not follow the teachings of the churches of
Rome or Antioch or any other foreign churches.
[33] The Bible that was translated from the original
Aramaic into Malayalam by two Malpans (Syriac Professors) was printed with the help of Buchanan.
[34]
In 1808, a sum of 3000 Star Pagoda
[35] (known as Vattipanam) was handed over to Col. Macaulay, the British Resident in
Travancore by
Mar Thoma VII
with the condition that the interest be paid to the Metropolitan of the
Syrian Church of Malabar. Col Munro the British Resident in
Travancore
gave the interest of the deposit to Joseph Ramban ignoring the
agreement. In order to avoid the quandary in 1815, Joseph Ramban was
consecrated by Mar Philexenos of the Thozhyoor Church and was given the
ecclesiastical title Mar Dionysious. To make the Malankara Church accept
him as their head, Col. Munroe had to get the rulers of Travancore and
Cochin issue Royal proclamations ordering Christians to render obedience
to Mar Dionysious.
[36]
Ignoring this interference by the British, Mar Thoma VIII consecrated his successor Mar Thoma IX.
[37]
But soon after, Pulikkottil Mar Dionysious dethroned him. The next two
prelates were also selected by Col. Munroe and Royal proclamations were
issued to them also.
[38]
Cheppad Philipose Mar Dionysius (Mar Thoma XII) did not like the interference of the Anglican Missionaries. So he convened a Synod at
Mavelikkara in 1836, in which the Synod declared that, “We, the Jacobite Syrians are under the rule of the Patriarch of Antioch.”
[39] But it is historically untenable to assert that the Malankara Church had always been under the Patriarch of Antioch.
[40] Abraham Malpan leader of the Reformation did not attend this meeting.
After this the missionaries continued their work on their own. By
1878, CMS Church (Anglican Church) was established in Kerala with those
who joined them and with those whom they converted.
Both Mar Thoma Church and the Anglican Church are reformed Churches.
[41]
Cleansing of the Church – Reformation
From 1498 India was under the Colonial rule of three European powers.
They all brought in their beliefs, practices and traditions into
Malankara Church. Cleansing of the Church was an attempt to eliminate
certain such practices and bring back those prevalent in the Church of
their fathers’.
[42]
The reformation was carried out after a prolonged study by a
committee of 12 scholarly clergy, appointed at a meeting of
representatives of the Malankara Church by
Punnathara Mar Dionysious (Mar Thoma XI) at
Mavelikkara on December 3, 1818. No foreigner was involved in this committee or in its deliberations.
Abraham Malpan
Though
Maramon Palakunnathu
Abraham Malpan
was conservative in his temperament he never hesitated to introduce
reforms in both teaching and practice. He also insisted on a high moral
standard of conduct for laity and clergy alike. All this created a
ferment in the Malankara Church and its effects are still discernible in
the Church as a whole.
[43]
Principal reforms
-
-
- ‘’Changes carried out during reformation’’ :[44]
- Icons, pictures, statues, and drawings of saints were removed from homes, churches, and places of worship.
- All prayers for the dead and to the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Saints were omitted.
- Insisted that Sunday services are to be held in a very reverent and
spiritual way. During that time reading and expounding Scriptures is to
be done.
- Conducted Worship services including Holy Communion in the mother tongue, Malayalam.
- Holy Communion was not celebrated when there were none to receive.
- Mandated that Communion under both kinds should be distributed separately.
- Considered the practice of praying for the dead and of doing obeisance at their graves with lighted candles as abhorrent.
- Intercession of saints and prayers for the dead were discarded.
- Auricular confession was discontinued.
- Believed that those who come for confession should ask for
forgiveness with fasting and prayer, instead of offering oil, incense
and candles.
- Insisted that Bishops should ordain only candidates who have been examined by them and the malpans (Syriac professors).
- Repudiated the custom of smearing charcoal on the forehead on Ash Wednesday.
-
-
- ‘’Doctrines upheld’’ :[45]
- The Church unequivocally hold the doctrine of the Trinity as interpreted by the creed of Nicea, Constantinople and Ephesus.
- The Church is neither Nestorian nor Monophysite.
Course of events
The first printed
Malayalam
Bible, translated from Syriac was published in 1811. Known as Ramban
Bible it contained ony the four Gospels. By 1841, the whole Bible was
translated, printed and released. Realizing the need for a thorough
cleaning, in 1818 Mar Thoma XI convened a meeting of representatives of
the Malankara Church at
Mavelikkara. In that meeting a committee was appointed to recommend reforms.
Abraham Malpan,
Kaithayil Geevarghese Malpan, Eruthikkal Markose Kathanar,
Adangapurathu Joseph Kathanar were members of this committee. This was
the first step in carrying out Reformation in Malankara Church.
On September 5, 1856, the reformation was planned. Strategy was
determined by a group of 12 senior clergy under the leadership of
Abraham Malpan. They issued a letter describing what they believed were
the wrong teachings and a statement listing twenty-four practices of the
Church which they believed were "evil" and had crept in by its
association with other Churches and religions.
[46][47]
Maramon Mar Thoma Church (2005)
Abraham Malpan on Sunday, August 27, 1837 conducted the Holy Communion service in the mother tongue
Malayalam at his home parish at
Maramon. Clergy, who supported him also did the same thing in various other parishes on the same day.
Connected with a saint, every year on the first week of October, there was a church festival at
Maramon.During
that time a wooden image of that saint (they called it ‘Muthappen’) was
taken around in procession and people used to venerate that saint by
offering prayers and ask for intercession. In 1837,
Abraham Malpan
took the image and threw it into a well saying, “Why consult the dead
on behalf of the living?” (Isaiah 8:19). So when the festival came there
was no image to be taken out for procession.
The use of the revised liturgy and the changes he brought about in practices offended Marthoma XII. So deacons trained under
Abraham Malpan were refused priesthood. But
Abraham Malpan was not disheartened. He continued with the reforms. He returned to
Maramon.
Many of his students joined him to continue their studies. All those
who believed that the Church need to revitalize also joined him. Members
of parishes in
Kozhencherry,
Kumbanad,
Eraviperoor,
Thumpamon,
Elanthoor,
Kundara,
Kottarakara,
Mavelikkara,
Mallapally, and many other places made trips to
Maramon to attend the service in
Malayalam and listen to his sermons. Doors were also opened for reformation in other places by clergy who supported him.
At this stage he had three choices in front of him. Repent and go back to the old beliefs under Antioch; join the
Anglican
Church with western beliefs; or go forward with the reformation
restoring the Church to what he thought was its pristine position. He
selected the third one.
Abraham Malpan died in 1845.
Mathen, a nephew of
Abraham Malpan also followed his uncle’s steps. He went to
Antioch and returned after two years. While there, he was consecrated by the
Patriarch of Antioch with the title
Mathews Mar Athanasius
Metropolitan. After Cheppattu Philipose Mar Dionysius abdicated due to
ill health, to collect the interest of the Vattipanam (Fixed Deposit),
Mar Athanasius was approved as Malankara Metropolitan by the governments
of Kerala and Cochin on August 30, 1852..<Royal Proclamation by
Uthram Thirunal Maharaja of Travancore</ref>
[48] Mar Athanasius published the liturgy without the prayer to St. Mary.
[49] He consecrated Ouseph Mar Koorilos, Metropolitan (bishop) for Malabar Independent Church.
[50]
These actions angered many clergy and Pulikkottil Ouseph Kathanar went
to Antioch in 1864. He returned as Joseph Mar Dionysius in 1865.
Independence of the Church
Joseph Mar Dionysius and his supporters filed a case on March 4,
1879. (Case O.S.No. 439 of 1054) demanding the possession of the
seminary and the control of assets of the Church.
Thomas Mar Athanasius was then the Metropolitan.
During the course of this litigation (1879–1889), answering a question
Thomas Mar Athanasius Metropolitan said,
- “ The Episcopal throne of Patriarch is the throne of St. Peter,
while the throne of Malankara Church is that of St. Thomas. Malankara
Church is as old as the Church in Antioch, equal in status, and both are
independent.”
A meeting was convened by the Maharaja of Travancore, before the final verdict was given, Mar Athanasius testified that,
- Malankara Church
was never under any foreign rule and that he was unwilling to move away
from the teachings or give the authority and the Church possessions to a
foreign Patriarch.
The final verdict came on July 12, 1889, after ten years, was against the Metran Kakshi (supporters of Thomas Mar Athanasious)
The Metran Kakshi decided to remain as an independent Malankara
Church, and to give primary authority to the Holy Bible. In 1898 this
group chose the name Malankara Mar Thoma Suryani Sabha.
