Dionysius IV, Mar Thoma XII (born Cheppad Peelipose (
Aramaic
Aramaic (; ) is a Northwest Semitic language that originated in the ancient region of Syria and quickly spread to Mesopotamia, the southern Levant, Sinai, southeastern Anatolia, and Eastern Arabia, where it has been continually written a ...
and
Malayalam
Malayalam (; , ) is a Dravidian languages, Dravidian language spoken in the Indian state of Kerala and the union territories of Lakshadweep and Puducherry (union territory), Puducherry (Mahé district) by the Malayali people. It is one of ...
: ''Piyliypaos'', in
English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Culture, language and peoples
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
* ''English'', an Amish ter ...
''Philip'') (1781 – 9 October 1855), was 12th
Malankara Metropolitan
The Malankara Metropolitan, or the Metropolitan of Malabar, is an ecclesiastical title given to the head of the Malankara Syrian Church. It evolved from the sixteenth-century East Syriac metropolitans of India who were also styled as the Metro ...
from 27 August 1825, until he abdicated in 1852.
His tenure was a period of turmoil in the
Malankara Church
The Malankara Church, also known as Malankara Syrian Church, was the unified body of '' Puthankur'' Saint Thomas Christians who claim origins from the missions of Thomas the Apostle. This community, under the leadership of Thoma I, oppos ...
. When the Anglican Missionaries tried to interfere in the faith and administration of the Malankara church, the Church severed its relations with the Anglican missionaries through the historic Mavelikkara Synod of 1836. A negligible number of the members of the Church joined the C.M.S. Church. The remaining members were divided into two factions, one upholding the traditions that entered the Church, and the other in support of restoration based on principles propagated during the missionary activity of the Church Mission Society (CMS).
Early life
Philipose Dionysius was born in 1781 at the Aanjilimootil family in Pallippad. Cheppad is a scenic village located at Karthikapally
Taluk
A tehsil (, also known as tahsil, taluk, or taluka () is a local unit of administrative division in India and Pakistan. It is a subdistrict of the area within a district including the designated populated place that serves as its administrative ...
of Alapuzha district in
Kerala
Kerala ( , ) is a States and union territories of India, state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile ...
State,
India
India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...
. It is halfway between
Kochi
Kochi ( , ), List of renamed Indian cities and states#Kerala, formerly known as Cochin ( ), is a major port city along the Malabar Coast of India bordering the Laccadive Sea. It is part of the Ernakulam district, district of Ernakulam in the ...
and
Thiruvananthapuram
Thiruvananthapuram ( ), also known as Trivandrum, is the Capital city, capital city of the Indian state of Kerala. As of 2011, the Thiruvananthapuram Municipal Corporation had a population of 957,730 over an area of 214.86 sq. km, making it the ...
on the National Highway 47.
Malankara Metropolitan
Punnathara Dionysius Metropolitan (Dionysius III) died 17 May 1825. To select a successor, representatives of the parishes met together at Pallikara palli under the leadership of Philixinos II of Thozhyoor Church who was the Acting Malankara metropolitan at that time when the throne was vacant. The names of Pallippad Anjilimootil Philipose Malpan, Kalloopara Adangapurathu Joseph Malpan and
Kottayam
Kottayam () is a city in the Kottayam district of Kerala, India. It is the district headquarters of the district and is located about north of the state capital Thiruvananthapuram. As per the 2011 Indian census, Kottayam has a population of ...
Eruthickal Markose Kathanar were proposed. Eruthickal Markose Kathanar withdrew his candidacy during the process and that left 2 strong contesters. After prayer, they cast lots (
cleromancy
Cleromancy is a form of sortition (casting of lots) in which an outcome is determined by means that normally would be considered random, such as the rolling of dice ( astragalomancy), but that are sometimes believed to reveal the will of a deit ...
), and the lot fell to Philipose Malpan. The title Malpan represents those who teach in the Theological Seminary. Adangapurathu Joseph Malpan later became the Vicar General of 72 Parishes at Malankara Syrian Church. Ittup Rampan Malpan (the Senior person among the 3 teachers of the Seminary "Ittup Rampan- who became Malankara Metropolitan as Dionysius II", "Adangapurathu Joseph Malpan", "Punnathra Kurien Malplan") was the source for the Orthodox Seminary "Old Seminary", as he took the initiative to submit an application to the proper authority in AD 1813, and the construction was completed in AD 1815. Palakkunnathu Abraham Malpan joined the Seminary at a later stage to teach the Syriac language there. At first, there were only 5 students, and in the following years the number of students grew significantly. Back then the Angamali Seminary was also available to educate students from the northern part of Malankara.
Philipose Ramban was consecrated by
Geevarghese Mar Philexenos II (Kidangan) of the
Malabar Independent Syrian Church
The Malabar Independent Syrian Church (MISC), also known as the Thozhiyur 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 ac ...
on 27 August 1825 at Kottayam Cheria palli. Philipose Ramban was given the episcopal title Cheppad Philipose Mar Dionysius. He was the fourth bishop in the Malankara Church to get this title Dionysius
Consecrations
In 1829, Dionysius IV consecrated Geevarghese Koorilose (Kuthoorey) (1829–56), as the Metropolitan of Thozhyoor church.
Obstacles during his reign
Problems with C.M.S. Missionaries
The relationship between the missionaries who came from England was cordial during the first few years. But soon they began to interfere in the internal affairs of the church. They tried to change the liturgy and practices of the Malankara church to their system. Without permission, they began worshipping using Anglican liturgy in the Old Seminary chapel. A letter from the bishop of Calcutta in 1835 suggested
#to ordain only those who completed their studies from the
Seminary
A seminary, school of theology, theological college, or divinity school is an educational institution for educating students (sometimes called seminarians) in scripture and theology, generally to prepare them for ordination to serve as cle ...
and received the certificate from the Principal,
#to raise a fund to increase the salary of the priests,
#to submit the accounts of the Church every year to the British Resident for annual auditing and
#to conduct the
church services
A church service (or a worship service) is a formalized period of Christian communal worship, often held in a church building. Most Christian denominations hold church services on the Lord's Day (offering Sunday morning and Sunday evening servic ...
in vernacular,
Malayalam
Malayalam (; , ) is a Dravidian languages, Dravidian language spoken in the Indian state of Kerala and the union territories of Lakshadweep and Puducherry (union territory), Puducherry (Mahé district) by the Malayali people. It is one of ...
.
The Metropolitan rejected all these suggestions outright. Soon Dionysius convened a meeting of the representatives of the parishes at
Mavelikara
Mavelikkara () is a municipality in the Onattukara Region of Alappuzha district of Kerala, India. It is located south of the district headquarters in Alappuzha and about north of the state capital Thiruvananthapuram. As per the 2011 ...
(16 January 1836) and officially rejected the suggestions of the Anglican Bishop, stating that decisions on such a matter about faith was within the ambit of the
Patriarch of Antioch
The Patriarch of Antioch is a traditional title held by the bishop of Antioch (modern-day Antakya, Turkey). As the traditional "overseer" (, , from which the word ''bishop'' is derived) of the first gentile Christian community, the position has ...
. Even though the Association rejected those suggestions then, each of them was implemented in the Malankara Church in time. It can be concluded that the reason behind the rejection of the suggestions of the Anglican Bishop was that the Church was ready to accept timely changes only with the consent of an established authority & within a disciplined structure, and not simply based on a demanding letter from a Bishop of a foreign Church.
Soon the C.M.S. missionaries formed the C.M.S. Church. By a government award known as Cochin Award, they were given a few properties of the Malankara Church. The Association at Mavelikara gave official recognition to the Patriarch of Antioch as the spiritual head of the Malankara Church. Hence, it was at this time Malankara Church came to be referred to as Jacobite Church.
Problems with Abraham Malpan
Dionysius IV did not support reformation movement initiated by
Abraham Malpan
Palakunnathu Abraham Malpan, (30 May 1796 – 9 September 1845) was an Indian cleric and theologian known for the Reformation movement within the Malankara Church during the 19th century. He was born in the ancient Syrian Christian Palakun ...
and his supporters.
Abraham Malpan
Palakunnathu Abraham Malpan, (30 May 1796 – 9 September 1845) was an Indian cleric and theologian known for the Reformation movement within the Malankara Church during the 19th century. He was born in the ancient Syrian Christian Palakun ...
did not attend the Mavelikara Synod of 1836. When
Abraham Malpan
Palakunnathu Abraham Malpan, (30 May 1796 – 9 September 1845) was an Indian cleric and theologian known for the Reformation movement within the Malankara Church during the 19th century. He was born in the ancient Syrian Christian Palakun ...
used the revised liturgy and brought about changes in practices, that offended and disappointed Dionysius IV, and suspended Malpan from religious duties & refused priesthood to the deacons trained under him. Dionysius remained staunch in his stand of upholding the traditional faith and liturgy of the Church.
Palakunnathu Deacon Mathews, a deacon trained under
Abraham Malpan
Palakunnathu Abraham Malpan, (30 May 1796 – 9 September 1845) was an Indian cleric and theologian known for the Reformation movement within the Malankara Church during the 19th century. He was born in the ancient Syrian Christian Palakun ...
and was his nephew; through Malpan's encouragement and spiritual nurturing but without the permission of the Malankara Church and the Malankara Metropolitan, he went to Antioch. He was consecrated with the episcopal title
Mathews Athanasius by
Patriarch of Antioch
The Patriarch of Antioch is a traditional title held by the bishop of Antioch (modern-day Antakya, Turkey). As the traditional "overseer" (, , from which the word ''bishop'' is derived) of the first gentile Christian community, the position has ...
, Ignatius Elias II (1838–47), in 1843.
In 1846, the
Patriarch
The highest-ranking bishops in Eastern Orthodoxy, Oriental Orthodoxy, the Roman Catholic Church (above major archbishop and primate), the Hussite Church, Church of the East, and some Independent Catholic Churches are termed patriarchs (and ...
sent a Metropolitan Euyakim Kurilos to Malankara. In 1852 Dionysius IV abdicated due to poor health.
[Royal proclamation of 30 August 1852, in favour of Mathews Athanasius.] At this time it was necessary for the government to find the successor of Dionysius for the purpose of paying the interest to a fixed deposit (Vattipanam) with the government.
Mathews Athanasius and Kurilos made claims. The Maharajah of Travancore appointed a committee of four senior government officers (known as Kollam Panchayat), They decided that a foreign bishop could not be regarded as the Malankara Metropolitan. So the Maharajah proclaimed in favour of
Mathews Athanasius on 30 August 1852. Even though Athanasius lacked the support of the general assembly of the Church (Malankara Palli-Yogam), the fact that he was a native favoured him.
Last days
After abdicating, Valia Methrachen (Dionysius IV) was bedridden due to ill health. The people who were with him all these years left him for the changes that had happened. When Mathews Athanasious became aware of this he immediately came to Cheppadu and had done all things necessary for Cheppadu thirumeni. He stayed with him for more than two months and he arranged aide and medical help from Thiruvalla. On 9 October 1855, Cheppad Philipose Dionysius died and was laid to rest at
Cheppad
Cheppad is a scenic village near Haripad in Alappuzha district in Kerala State, India. It is about halfway between Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram on the National Highway 47 (now NH 66).
Etymology
Cheppad was known as "Cheppukadu" in ancient tim ...
Valiya palli (St. George Orthodox Church). The last ceremonies were done by Mathews Athanasious.
The Church remembers Dionysius on 12 October.
Succession
See also
*
Mar Thoma Syrian Church
The Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian Church, often shortened to Mar Thoma Church, and known also as the Reformed Syrian ChurchS. N. Sadasivan. A Social History of India''. APH Publishing; 2000. . p. 442. and the Mar Thoma Syrian Church of Malab ...
*
Indian Orthodox Church
The Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church (MOSC) also known as the Indian Orthodox Church (IOC) or simply as the Malankara Church, is an autocephalous Oriental Orthodox church headquartered in Devalokam, near Kottayam, India. It serves India's ...
*
List of Catholicoi of the East and Malankara Metropolitans
The Malankara Metropolitan, or the Metropolitan of Malabar, is an ecclesiastical title given to the head of the Malankara Syrian Church. It evolved from the sixteenth-century East Syriac metropolitans of India who were also styled as the Metrop ...
*
List of Syrian Malabar Nasranis
This is a list of prominent Syrian Christians of Kerala.
Government of India
* P. J. Thomas, Parakunnel, an economist who served as first economic advisor of independent India (1942–1948), member of Indian delegation that signed the UN Char ...
References
Further reading
*#Rev. Dr. Joseph Cheeran, Adv. P. C. Mathew Pulikottil, K. V. Mammen Kottackal. (2002). ''Orthodox Sabha Charitravum samskaravum'' (History and Culture of the Orthodox Church).
*#Ittoop Writer (1869). ''Malayalathulla Suryani Chistianikauleday Charitram'' (History of Syrian Christians in the land of Malayalam).
{{DEFAULTSORT:Dionysius 04 of Cheppad
Christian clergy from Alappuzha district
1781 births
1855 deaths
19th-century Oriental Orthodox archbishops
Jacobite Syrian Christian Church bishops
19th-century Indian Christian clergy