Kariyattil Mar Yawsep, variantly spelled as Joseph Kariattil, José Cariatti, Ousep Kariatti, (5 May 1742 – 10 September 1786) was the first native Indian to be appointed as Metropolitan of Kodungalloor (Cranganore) for Chaldean Syrian Catholics in the territory now comprising

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 ...

, India.

Early life

Kariattil was born on 5 May 1742, in Alangad, Kerala. He began his religious education at the local seminary in Alangad before being sent to the

Pontifical Urban University The Pontifical Urban University, also called the ''Urbaniana'' after its names in both Latin and Italian, is a pontifical university that was under the authority of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples. The university's mission is to ...

, in

Rome Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...

in 1755. At the age of 13, he pursued advanced studies in

philosophy Philosophy ('love of wisdom' in Ancient Greek) is a systematic study of general and fundamental questions concerning topics like existence, reason, knowledge, Value (ethics and social sciences), value, mind, and language. It is a rational an ...

theology Theology is the study of religious belief from a Religion, religious perspective, with a focus on the nature of divinity. It is taught as an Discipline (academia), academic discipline, typically in universities and seminaries. It occupies itse ...

, and

canon law Canon law (from , , a 'straight measuring rod, ruler') is a set of ordinances and regulations made by ecclesiastical jurisdiction, ecclesiastical authority (church leadership) for the government of a Christian organization or church and its membe ...

. He was ordained a priest in Rome and earned doctoral degrees in these disciplines, becoming one of the first Indian nationals to achieve this distinction in the 18th century.

Vocation

Return to India

Kariattil returned to India in 1766, where he was appointed as a Malpan (religious instructor) at the Alangad Seminary. He was known for his efforts to reconcile the divisions within the

Saint Thomas Christian The Saint Thomas Christians, also called Syrian Christians of India, ''Marthoma Suriyani Nasrani'', ''Malankara Nasrani'', or ''Nasrani Mappila'', are an ethno-religious community of Indian Christians in the state of Kerala ( Malabar region) ...

community, which had split following the

Coonan Cross Oath The Coonan Cross Oath (alternatively spelled Koonan Cross Oath), also known as the Great Oath of Bent Cross or Leaning Cross Oath, was taken on 3 January 1653, in Mattancherry, by a significant portion of the Saint Thomas Christian community ...

. Working closely with prominent lay leader Thachil Mathu Tharakan, Kariattil supported the efforts of Francis De Sales, the Apostolic Vicar of

Varapuzha Varappuzha, , ( formerly known as Verapoly) is a northern suburb of the city of Kochi. It is a census town in Paravur Taluk, Ernakulam district in the Indian state of Kerala. Situated around 15 km (9 mi) from the city centre and 8&nbs ...

, to settle in Alangad Church in 1776.

Efforts Toward Unification

In 1777, Kariattil traveled to St. Mary's Church,

Niranam Niranam is a village in Thiruvalla, Kerala, India. It was a port in ancient Kerala, on the confluence of the Manimala River, Manimala and Pamba River. It is almost 7 km from Tiruvalla in Pathanamthitta District of Kerala, lies to the wester ...

to meet with Mar Thoma VI, the leader of the Puthenkoor (Jacobite) faction, to discuss potential reunification with the Pazhankoor (Catholic) faction. His mission for unity was not fully embraced by all, as the

Padroado The ''Padroado'' (, "patronage") was an arrangement between the Holy See and the Kingdom of Portugal and later the Portuguese Republic, through a series of concordats by which the Holy See delegated the administration of the local churches and g ...

missionaries opposed the reunification of the Nasranis (Saint Thomas Christians), and Propaganda missionaries did not actively promote it either.

Journey to Rome

In 1778, Kariattil embarked on a significant journey to Rome with

Paremmakkal Thoma Kathanar Paremmakkal Thoma Kathanar (1736–1799) is the author of '' Varthamanappusthakam'' (1790), the first ever travelogue in an Indian language. Also known as ''Roma Yatraa Varthamanapusthakam'', it postulates that the foundation of Indian nationa ...

to present the issue of unification to church authorities. During this journey, he also met Queen

Maria I of Portugal '' Dona'' Maria I (Maria Francisca Isabel Josefa Antónia Gertrudes Rita Joana; 17 December 1734 – 20 March 1816) also known as Maria the Pious in Portugal and Maria the Mad in Brazil, was Queen of Portugal from 24 February 1777 until her de ...

, the royal patron of the Padroado. Impressed by his humility, intellect, and religious dedication, the Queen appointed Kariattil as the Archbishop of Kodungalloor (Cranganore) on 16 July 1782, in

Lisbon Lisbon ( ; ) is the capital and largest city of Portugal, with an estimated population of 567,131, as of 2023, within its administrative limits and 3,028,000 within the Lisbon Metropolitan Area, metropolis, as of 2025. Lisbon is mainlan ...

. He was consecrated as the Archbishop on 17 February 1783, at the São Bento Monastery Church in Lisbon. Pope Pius VI later confirmed his appointment, making Kariattil the first native Indian Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Kodungalloor. He also received the

pallium The pallium (derived from the Roman ''pallium'' or ''palla'', a woolen cloak; : pallia) is an ecclesiastical vestment in the Catholic Church, originally peculiar to the pope, but for many centuries bestowed by the Holy See upon metropolitan bish ...

, a symbol of his office as Metropolitan Archbishop, from the Pope on 17 March 1783. Kariattil was given full authority to pursue the unification of the Saint Thomas Christians, including the Puthenkoor faction led by Mar Thoma VI.

Death

Kariattil Mar Iousep died on 10 September 1786, in

Goa Goa (; ; ) is a state on the southwestern coast of India within the Konkan region, geographically separated from the Deccan highlands by the Western Ghats. It is bound by the Indian states of Maharashtra to the north, and Karnataka to the ...

while en route back to India. His initial burial took place in Goa, but in 1961, his remains were transferred to St. Mary's Syro-Malabar Catholic Church in Alangad.

Writings

Kariattil authored two notable works: ''Vedatharkkam'' (Dialectics on Theology) in 1768 and ''Noticias do Reino do Malabar'' in 1780. Additionally, he issued an official letter as Archbishop on July 16, 1783.Mar Joseph Kariattil

References

Citations

Sources

Mar Joseph Kariattil
* St Thomas Christian Encyclopaedia of India – Edited by George Menachery, Vol.2 (1973). * History of Christianity in India – Mundadan, A. Mathias (1984). * Indian Church History Classics, Vol 1, Ed. George Menachery: The Nazranies (1998). * Vathamaanappusthakam, Thomas Paremakkal (Malayalam) Various Editions. Eng. Tr. by Placid Podipara, Rome. *Sanghasmrithi(Vol II). Nazrani Pazhama(Part-1). Author: Dr Ignatious Payyapilly (2019). {{DEFAULTSORT:Kariattil, Mar Joseph Syro-Malabar Catholic Archbishops of Ernakulam-Angamaly 18th-century Roman Catholic archbishops in India People from Aluva Christian clergy from Ernakulam district 1786 deaths 1742 births Syro-Malabar archbishops 18th-century Indian scholars