Liturgy of Addai and Mari Thomas Christians are popularly and traditionally called as
Syrian Christians, in view of the Syriac liturgy (a variant of the classical form of Aramaic) used in church services since the early days of Christianity in India. The Saint Thomas Christians remained as Church of Malabar with fraternity relationship with Church of East,
Church of Antioch, Church of Alexandria, etc. till the Advent of Portuguese and Jesuits of Roman Catholic church in the 15th century. Thereafter, the Christians of St Thomas had been influenced by multiple belief streams at different points of time. These influences have later resulted in serious rifts and in the breaking down of the monolithic apostolic church to different fragments under different faith streams. They were organised as a Church in the 8th century, served by foreign bishops, and with a hereditary local chief called
Archdeacon (Arkadiyokon). In the 16th century the overtures of the
Portuguese padroado to bring the Saint Thomas Christians into the
Latin Church of the
Catholic Church led to the first of several rifts in the community and the establishment of
Pazhayakoor (Catholic) and
Puthenkoor factions. Since that time further splits have occurred, and the Saint Thomas Christians are now divided into several denominations, each with their own liturgies and traditions.
Liturgy of St James First century BC On the southwestern side of the Indian peninsula; between the mountains and the Erythraean Sea (now the Arabian Sea); stretching from
Kannur to
Kanyakumari was the land called
Cherarajyam, which was ruled by local chieftains. Later this land came to be known as the
Malabar region and (now
Kerala).
Muziris (near
Kochi) 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. According to the Bible, during the time of Moses and
Solomon, the
Malabar Coast traded spices and luxury articles with Israel (
I Kings 9:26–28, 10:11, 22;
2 Chronicles 8:18, 9:21). Excavations carried out at
Pattanam (near Kochi) from 2005 provided evidence that the maritime trade between
Kerala and the Mediterranean ports existed even before 500 BC or earlier. It is possible that some of those traders who arrived from the west, including Jews, remained in Kerala. While
Augustus (31 BC- 14 AD) was the
Roman emperor and
Herod the Great (37–4 BC) was
King of Judea, ambassadors from Malabar visited the Emperor according to an account of
Nicolaus of Damascus. Certain nasrani writings hypothesize that these ambassadors were the
Biblical Magi of Matthew 2:1, as a tradition.
First 15 centuries Arrival of Saint Thomas Saint Thomas Christians believe that
Thomas the Apostle arrived in the
Malabar Coast around AD 52. He landed at
Muziris (now estimated as
Pattanam, near Kochi on the Malabar Coast), after his first mission in the Parthian empire, during the era of King
Gondophares It is believed that St. Thomas itinerated for 30 years in Kerala and proceeded to the East coast of India from Malankara and died a martyrs' death at a place called
Mylapore-Chinnamalai in Tamil Nadu. The Nazarenes in Malabar were either proselytized from mainstream Judaism by 'Mar Thomas' or 'Mar Bartholomeu'. Pantaneius's reference to the gift of 'Gospel of Matthew in Hebrew' by Bartholomeu to the Nazereans in Malabar is a clear pointer to the fact that Mar Thomas did evangelize Malabar, It could be further stated that either Mar
Nathanael () aided in Mar Thomas' mission in India for a brief time before heading to Armenia or bar-Tau'ma, Son of Thomas assisted in his father's missionary activities per norms in , this could also explain why most of the priests in the order of St. Thomas were later allowed to be married, which led to the prerogative of sacerdotalism to certain groups/families and to people supported by them.
First Christians In early Christian times, 'Nazranis' was 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 (Acts 11:26). 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 shows that some who joined them were Jews. But in Kerala, this name was replaced by the word 'Christians' in the 20th century. The earliest families within the Jewish community to accept the path of Christianity through St. Thomas, later intermarried with the ethnic local community and Brahmins of the 6th century. This led to the upbringing of marginal class or 'sambandham' Brahminic family clans like
Pakalomattom, Sankarapuri and Kalli to a different socioeconomic status, they are now widely accepted as the first families who adopted an emigre way of life or 'Christianity' in Kerala. According to recent DNA research by Dr. Mini Kariappa, a significant number of Knanaya's share their ancestral roots with the West Eurasian gene pool of Jews.
Administration Saint Thomas Christians were administratively under the single native dynastic leadership of Arkadyaqon (East Syrian term for an ecclesiastical head with extensive administrative powers, deriving from Greek αρχιδιάκονος =
archdeacon) commonly referred as "Jathikku Karthavyan" ( Malayalam term meaning "Leader of The Community"). 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 (
Book of Acts 6:1–6; 8:14–17; 13: 1–3). This was the system used until 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. During the period of Colonialism, (i.e., from the 16th century), the Portuguese
Jesuits began deliberate attempts to annex the community into the Latin Church of the Catholic Church, and in 1599 AD, they succeeded in their attempt through the infamous
Synod of Diamper. Resentment against these forceful measures led the majority of the community under their Arkadyaqon
Thomas to swear an oath never to submit to the Portuguese, known as the
Coonan Cross Oath in 1653. For the first time in 1653, the Church leader was given the title Mar Thoma when Thomas Arkadyaqon was consecrated as Mar Thoma I. The present head of the Mar Thoma Church is the twenty-first Mar Thoma.
Pantaenus from Alexandria In the 2nd century (189-190 AD) AD,
Pantaenus, the Philosopher and Missionary sent by Bishop Demetrius of Alexandria to India, found that there were a number of Christians in India with a
Persian Bishop and that they had a copy of the
Gospel according to Matthew in Aramaic. These Christians were the early evangelists 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, Sapro and Prodh. Together they were known as Knanaya/
Kanai people. They continued to remain partially in 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 Saint Thomas Christians and Knanaya community.
Bishops from Persia Following the arrival of Christians from Persia, their bishops, priests or laymen began visiting them. Most of them were not able to return due to financial difficulties and travelling long distances. The Knanaya people were worshipping together with the St. Thomas Christians. So these visitors also attended these services. It was a matter of ongoing dispute between different churches in Kerala whether the Syrian bishops had any administrative responsibility or jurisdiction over the St. Thomas Nazrani Christians.
Persian crosses Persian crosses were in churches once attended by Nasranis. Out of five Persian crosses, two are in Kottayam Knanaya Valia Palli. According to the archaeologists, 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). 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 (9th century) – One of the reliable documentary evidences of the privileges and influence that Saint Thomas Christians enjoyed in early Malabar. The document contains signatures of the witnesses in
Pahlavi,
Kufic and
Hebrew scripts. It is the oldest documentary evidence available to attest the presence of a Persian Christian community in South India. The existence of this Church in the early centuries is evident in the writings of ancient travelers. • 325 AD – It is recorded that there was a Syro-Chaldean bishop John "from India and Persia" who assisted at the Council of Nicea in 325 AD. • 522 AD – an Egyptian Monk,
Cosmas Indicopleustes in his writings, ‘'Universal Christian Topography'’ mentions that there was this Church with a bishop from Persia. • 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. • 1225 AD –
Chau Ju-Kua a Chinese traveller visited
Kerala. • 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. • 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".
Collection of deeds The rulers of
Kerala, in appreciation of their assistance, had given to the Malankara Nazranis, three deeds on copper plates. These are known as Cheppeds, Royal Grants, Sasanam etc. Five sheets of them are now in the custody of the Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian Church Headquarters at Thiruvalla. • 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. • Tharissa palli Deed II: A continuation of the above deed was given sometime after 849 AD.
Portuguese period 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. 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
Saint Thomas Christians went through changes with the encounter of Portuguese in 1599. In the 16th century the overtures of the
Portuguese padroado to initiate the Saint Thomas Christians into the
Catholic Church led to the first of several rifts in the community and the establishment of Pazhayakoor and Puthenkoor factions. Since that time further splits have occurred.
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 arrived in
Goa in 1595. He then convened a Synod at
Udayamperoor, south of
Ernakulam, from 20 to 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.
Divisions among Saint Thomas Christians A protest took place in 1653 with the Coonan Cross Oath. Under the leadership of Archdeacon Thomas (
Mar Thoma I), the Thomas Christians publicly took an oath that they wouldn't obey the Jesuit bishops. The Pazhayakūr Catholic faction persistently challenged the validity of the ordination of
Mar Thoma I by laying hands of 12 priests. It led some people to believe what they said and chose to rejoin with the catholic faction. Between 1661 and 1662, out of the 116 churches, the Carmelites reclaimed eighty-four churches, leaving Archdeacon Mar Thomas I with thirty-two churches. The eighty-four churches and their congregations were the body from which the Syro Malabar Church and the Chaldean Syrian Church have descended. The other thirty-two churches and their congregations represented the nucleus from which the Syriac Orthodox (Jacobites & Orthodox), Thozhiyur, Mar Thoma (Reformed Syrians), Syro Malankara Catholics have originated. In 1665 with the request of the Archdeacon,
Gregorios Abdul Jaleel a Bishop sent by the Syriac Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch, arrived in India. A faithful group under the leadership of the Archdeacon welcomed him. The arrival of the Bishop Gregory of the Syriac Orthodox Church in 1665 marked the beginning of a formal schism among the St. Thomas Christians. Those who accepted the West Syrian theological and liturgical tradition of the Syriac Orthodox Church of Antioch of Gregory became known as the Jacobite, while the Syrian Catholics remained in communion with Rome and later came to be known as the Syro Malabar Church. 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. Their beliefs and practices before the arrival of the Portuguese as evident in the canons of the
Synod of Diamper. Malankara Church, • maintained the spiritual presence of the body and blood of Christ in the sacrament. • had no knowledge of the term
purgatory, but prayed for the dead. • had irregular practice of auricular
confession. • only had a few
celibacy clergy in monastic rank, while celibate bishops visited periodically from the Middle East.
Dutch period The Dutch East India Company defeated Portuguese for the supremacy of spice trade in Malabar in the year CE 1663. Malankara Nazranis used this opportunity to escape from Latin persecution with the help of the Dutch East India Company. The Dutch brought Bishop
Gregorios Abdul Jaleel of
Jerusalem of the Syrian Orthodox Church in their trading vessel in CE 1665. Thomas Arkadyaqon who was consecrated as Mar Thoma I entered into a relationship with the
West Syriac Orthodox Church and gradually adopted
West Syriac liturgy and practices. The Dutch were on the Malabar Coast from 11 November 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 Mar Thoma VI. The Bible that was translated from the original
Aramaic into Malayalam by two Malpans (Syriac Professors) was printed with the help of Buchanan. The early
British Residents happened to be people of evangelical persuasions and were curious about the native church. In 1808, a bond for the sum of 3000 Star
Pagoda (Rs. 10,500) was handed over by General
Colin Macaulay, the British Resident in
Travancore to the Govt. for
Mar Thoma VII with the condition that the interest (known as Vattipanam) be paid to the Metropolitan of the Syrian Church of Malabar. The next Resident Colonel
John Munro was approached by a monk (Ramban) Pulikkottil Joseph Ittoop, with the idea of setting up a seminary for the Malankara church. The idea appealed to Munro and under his patronage, the Ramban got the construction completed by 1815. At the resident's behest, the Anglican
Church Mission Society sent its missionaries on a
Mission of Help, to educate the seminarians. In 1815, Joseph Ramban was consecrated by Philexenos of the Thozhyoor Church and was given the ecclesiastical title
Dionysius II. To make the Malankara Church accept him as their head, Col. Munro had to get the rulers of Travancore and Cochin issue Royal proclamations ordering Christians to render obedience to Dionysius II. The next two prelates were also selected by Col. Munro and Royal proclamations were issued to them also. The British missionaries believed that a reformation of the Malankara Church was imperative (since, for instance, they found in the Indian church "those doctrines which we threw off at the Reformation: "Purgatory ... worshipping and adoration of images and relics, and also invocation of saints'") whose presence made reform imperative, and ventured to bring it about through a process of theological instruction and subtle persuasion. By and by, they prodded Metropolitan
Punnathra Dionysius III into convening an assembly of his leading
kathanars and missionaries at
Mavelikkara to discuss the matter. This meeting which took place on 3 December 1818, appointed a committee of six elder kathanars to come up with scheme for reformation, in consultation with the metropolitan and missionaries. Some priests like
Abraham Malpan, Kaithayil Gheevarghese Malpan etc., who worked along with the missionaries at the
Kottayam seminary were part of this committee. They were especially receptive to Anglican ideas. Before the committee brought their findings Punnathra Dionosyus died and Cheppad Dionosyus became the Malankara Metropolitan. Cheppad Dionosyus rejected the committee findings and went on with actions that was against the reforms made by his predecessors. Later, as Anglicans such as Joseph Peet tried to dominate the Pazhaya Seminary and started to create other issue in the Church, Malankara metropolitan
Dionysius IV convened a synod at
Mavelikkara on 16 January 1836, where-in the participants resolved not to deviate from their Oriental Orthodox faith or traditions and to remain faithful to the Patriarch of Antioch. This ended the official partnership between the missionaries and the Malankara Syrian Church. == Reformation in Malankara Church ==