Mar Thoma I, also known as Valiya Mar Thoma (Mar Thoma the Great) and Arkkadiyakkon Thoma (Archdeacon Thomas) in
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 ...
, and referred to as Thomas de Campo in
Portuguese, was the first native-born
Metropolitan
Metropolitan may refer to:
Areas and governance (secular and ecclesiastical)
* Metropolitan archdiocese, the jurisdiction of a metropolitan archbishop
** Metropolitan bishop or archbishop, leader of an ecclesiastical "mother see"
* Metropolitan ar ...
bishop of 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 ...
in the 17th century. He was the last Archdeacon of the undivided
St. Thomas Christians of Malankara.
Following the death of
Archdeacon George of the Cross
Gīwargīs of the Cross (, Gīvargīs d'slīva), also spelled Geevarghese of Cross and George of Cross, was an archdeacon (''arkkadyakon'') and leader of the Saint Thomas Christian community of India. He was the son of the elder brother of Giwarg ...
on 25 July 1640, Parambil Thoma Kathanar was elected and enthroned as the new Archdeacon while still under 30 years old. He played a significant role in leading the Church during 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 ...
on 3 January 1653, an event that led to a schism within the Nasrani Church. After the Oath, Thoma was elected as a Bishop by the Malankara Yogam (Association) and was consecrated at St. Mary's Church, Alangad, by the laying on of hands by 12 priests on 22 May 1653. However, certain factions within the community, including two Southist churches in
Kaduthuruthy
Kaduthuruthy is a town in Kottayam District in the state of Kerala, India. The State Highway 15 connecting Ettumanoor to Vytila passes through the town.The town is located 27 km from Kottayam the district collectorate. The Vaikom Road Railway ...
and
Udayamperoor
Udayamperoor is a town situated in Ernakulam district, 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 Reorganisa ...
, did not recognize his episcopal authority.
Despite this, Thoma began to exercise episcopal powers and sought to regularize his consecration with the Church of Antioch. His episcopal consecration was formally recognized in 1665 by
Mar Gregorios Abdal Jaleel, a delegate of the
Syriac Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch
The Syriac Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch and All the East ( Syriac: ܦܛܪܝܪܟܐ ܕܐܢܛܝܘܟܝܐ ܘܕܟܠܗ̇ ܡܕܢܚܐ ''Paṭriarḵo ḏ-Anṭiuḵia waḏ-kuloh madnho'') is the Bishop of Antioch, and head of the Syriac Orthodox Church ...
, though the exact date and location of this event remain unknown.
During his tenure, Mar Thoma was advised by
Palliveettil Mar Chandy
Parambil Chandy (''Alexandre de Campo'' in Portuguese; 1615 – 2 January 1687) was an Indian Catholic prelate who served as Archbishop of Cranganore from 1663 to 1687. He was the first known native Indian bishop.
As archbishop, Chandy hea ...
,
Kadavil Chandy Kathanar
Kadavil Chandy Kathanar (), also known as Alexander the Indian () was a ''Kathanar'' (priest) and a celebrated scholar, orator, hymnographer and syriacist from the Saint Thomas Christian community in India. He was a prominent face of the Saint Tho ...
, Vengoor Geevargese Kathanar, and Anjilimoottil Ittithomman Kathanar.
Early life
Kuravilangad
Kuravilangad is an Indian town located in the northern part of the Kottayam district in Kerala. It is situated in the Meenachil taluk, about 22 km north of the district capital Kottayam and 17 km west of the municipal town Pala.
Ku ...
is a town located in the
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 ...
district of
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 ...
,
South India
South India, also known as Southern India or Peninsular India, is the southern part of the Deccan Peninsula in India encompassing the states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Telangana as well as the union territories of ...
. The town is situated in the
Meenachil
Meenachil is the north-eastern region of Kottayam district in Kerala, south India. The name originates from Meenakshi, the Hindu Goddess. Pala is the main city in Meenachil. The arterial river of the district is also named Meenachil.
Geogra ...
Taluk, about 22 km north of
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 ...
.
Pakalomattom family
The Pakalomattam family is an ancient Saint Thomas Christians family in Kerala, India. According to an article written by P. J. Thomas, Parakunnel, a member of the Parakkunnel-Pakalomattom family, in Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and I ...
was one of the oldest families at
Kuravilangad
Kuravilangad is an Indian town located in the northern part of the Kottayam district in Kerala. It is situated in the Meenachil taluk, about 22 km north of the district capital Kottayam and 17 km west of the municipal town Pala.
Ku ...
. Thomas who later became the first Mar Thoma, was born in this family.
Archdeacon
Pakalomattom Geevarghese Kathanar, the Archdeacon (Arkkadiyakkon) of the Saint Thomas Christians, passed away in 1637. Following his death, Thomas, a relative of Geevarghese, was appointed as the next Archdeacon by Archbishop
Stephen Britto. In 1653, Thomas and his followers took the Coonan Cross Oath, declaring that they would no longer obey Archbishop Garcia or any other prelate from the
Society of Jesus
The Society of Jesus (; abbreviation: S.J. or SJ), also known as the Jesuit Order or the Jesuits ( ; ), is a religious order of clerics regular of pontifical right for men in the Catholic Church headquartered in Rome. It was founded in 1540 ...
, and they vowed to exclude the Jesuits from Malabar and their churches.
[
After the Coonan Cross Oath, on 5 January 1653, the church elders gathered at St. Mary's Church in Edapally (now dedicated to ]Saint George
Saint George (;Geʽez: ጊዮርጊስ, , ka, გიორგი, , , died 23 April 303), also George of Lydda, was an early Christian martyr who is venerated as a saint in Christianity. According to holy tradition, he was a soldier in the ...
) and proclaimed Archdeacon Thoma as the Governor of the Church. Four priests— Anjilimoottil Itty Thomman, Kadavil Chandy
Kadavil Chandy Kathanar (), also known as Alexander the Indian () was a ''Kathanar'' (priest) and a celebrated scholar, orator, hymnographer and syriacist from the Saint Thomas Christian community in India. He was a prominent face of the Saint Tho ...
, Vengoor Geevarghese, and Palliveettil Chandy
Parambil Chandy (''Alexandre de Campo'' in Portuguese language, Portuguese; 1615 – 2 January 1687) was an Catholic Church in India, Indian Catholic prelate who served as Archdiocese of Cranganore, Archbishop of Cranganore from 1663 to 1687. H ...
—were selected as his advisors. Of these, three later returned to the Catholic
The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...
faction of the St. Thomas Christians.
Four months after the Coonan Cross Oath, on 22 May 1653, twelve priests ordained Thomas as the first Bishop of the Malankara See through the act of laying hands on him collectively. However, the Catholic faction disputed the validity of this consecration, arguing that it was irregular. It is claimed that the consecration was regularized by Gregorios Abdal Jaleel
Mor Gregorios Abdal Jaleel Bawa (died 27 April 1681) was the Syriac Orthodox Bishop of Jerusalem, Syriac Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem from 1664 until his death in 1681. He is chiefly remembered for his 1665 mission to India, by which he establ ...
, a delegate 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 ...
, in 1665, although the exact place and date remain unknown. Thomas adopted the name Mar Thoma, asserting his role as the successor of St. Thomas the Apostle.
This consecration was not accepted by two Southist churches, one at Kaduthuruthy
Kaduthuruthy is a town in Kottayam District in the state of Kerala, India. The State Highway 15 connecting Ettumanoor to Vytila passes through the town.The town is located 27 km from Kottayam the district collectorate. The Vaikom Road Railway ...
and another at Udayamperoor
Udayamperoor is a town situated in Ernakulam district, 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 Reorganisa ...
. Later, Bishop Sebastiani, who was ordained on 15 December 1659, convinced many priests and laypeople, including the three advisors who had initially supported Mar Thoma, that the consecration was irregular. Due to political and financial pressures exerted by the Carmelite
The Order of the Brothers of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel (; abbreviated OCarm), known as the Carmelites or sometimes by synecdoche known simply as Carmel, is a mendicant order in the Catholic Church for both men and women. Histo ...
fathers through the Portuguese and native kings, many churches and laypeople withdrew their allegiance to Mar Thoma. They requested that he relinquish his episcopal dignity, but Mar Thoma continued to perform episcopal functions.
As a result, the Malankara Church split into two factions: one led by Mar Thoma I and the other by Bishop Palliveettil Mar Chandy
Parambil Chandy (''Alexandre de Campo'' in Portuguese; 1615 – 2 January 1687) was an Indian Catholic prelate who served as Archbishop of Cranganore from 1663 to 1687. He was the first known native Indian bishop.
As archbishop, Chandy hea ...
, also known as Alexander de Campo. Both claimed to have Apostolic briefs of appointment as Bishop. To resolve the dispute, the case was referred to the King of Cochin. On 20 September 1661, the King requested that both parties present their Apostolic briefs in his court. The Apostolic Commissary was able to produce briefs from the Pope of Rome
The pope is the bishop of Rome and the visible head of the worldwide Catholic Church. He is also known as the supreme pontiff, Roman pontiff, or sovereign pontiff. From the 8th century until 1870, the pope was the sovereign or head of sta ...
, while the Archdeacon's party failed to present any. On 9 October 1661 Bishop Sebastiani attempted to capture Mar Thoma with the assistance of Portuguese forces and local allies, but Mar Thoma and his followers managed to escape the night before, disguising themselves as soldiers to avoid recognition.
Rise of Dutch power
The Dutch East India Company
The United East India Company ( ; VOC ), commonly known as the Dutch East India Company, was a chartered company, chartered trading company and one of the first joint-stock companies in the world. Established on 20 March 1602 by the States Ge ...
(''Vereenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie'' or VOC in old-spelling Dutch
Dutch or Nederlands commonly refers to:
* Something of, from, or related to the Netherlands
** Dutch people as an ethnic group ()
** Dutch nationality law, history and regulations of Dutch citizenship ()
** Dutch language ()
* In specific terms, i ...
, literally "United East Indian Company") was established in 1602. By 1652, VOC trading posts were established in Malabar Coast
The Malabar Coast () is the southwestern region of the Indian subcontinent. It generally refers to the West Coast of India, western coastline of India stretching from Konkan to Kanyakumari. Geographically, it comprises one of the wettest regio ...
in India. On 7 January 1663, Cochin was attacked and the king of Cochin surrendered to the Dutch on 20 March 1663.
Regularization of consecration
By 1665, Cochin was under Dutch control. That year Gregorios Abdal Jaleel
Mor Gregorios Abdal Jaleel Bawa (died 27 April 1681) was the Syriac Orthodox Bishop of Jerusalem, Syriac Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem from 1664 until his death in 1681. He is chiefly remembered for his 1665 mission to India, by which he establ ...
, a delegate 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 ...
came to Malankara as per the request of Mar Thoma and regularized his Metropolitan consecration.[
]
Death
He died on 25 April 1670 and was buried in St. Mary's Jacobite Soonoro Cathedral, Angamaly.
See also
*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 ...
*List of Malankara Metropolitans
Malankara Metropolitan is a title formerly given to the head of the Malankara Church by the Government of Travancore and the Kingdom of Cochin in South India. Malankara Metropolitan is the temporal head of the Malankara Church and is elected by ...
References
Further reading
* Mathew N. M. (2003). ''St. Thomas Christians of Malabar Through Ages'', C.S.S. Tiruvalla. and CN 80303.
* Mathew, N. M. ''Malankara Marthoma Sabha Charitram'' (History of the Marthoma Church), Volume 1 (2006), Volume II (2007), Volume III (2008). Pub. E.J.Institute, Thiruvalla.
* Pallath, Paul. ''The Grave Tragedy of the Church of St. Thomas Christians and the Apostolic Mission of Sebastiani'', HIRS Publications.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Thoma 01, Mar
Christian clergy from Kottayam
Indian bishops
Pakalomattam family
1670 deaths
Year of birth unknown
Syriac Orthodox Church bishops
Oriental Orthodoxy in India
17th-century Indian people
Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church Christians
Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church bishops
Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church saints
Saint Thomas Christians