Thoma I

Mar Thoma I, also known as Valiya Mar Thoma (Mar Thoma the Great) and Arkkadiyakkon Thoma (Archdeacon Thomas) in Malayalam, and referred to as Thomas de Campo in Portuguese, was the first native-born Metropolitan bishop of the Malankara Church in the 17th century. He was the last Archdeacon of the undivided St. Thomas Christians of Malankara.^[3]

His Grace Mar Thoma I Malankara Metropolitan
Malankara Church
Diocese	Malankara Syrian Church
Installed	22 May 1653[1]
Term ended	1670
Predecessor	post created
Successor	Mar Thoma II
Orders
Ordination	1637
Consecration	regularized in 1665[1]
Personal details
Born	Palamattom Thoma Kadamattom
Died	25 April 1670 Angamaly
Buried	St. Mary's Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Church, Angamaly[2]
Parambil Thoma Archdeacon of All India of the Archdiocese of Cranganore Appointed by Stephen Britto[3] Predecessor Arkadeacon Givargis of the Cross Successor post abolished

Following the death of Archdeacon George of the Cross 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 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.^{[citation needed]} However, certain factions within the community, including two Southist churches in Kaduthuruthy and Udayamperoor, did not recognize his episcopal authority.^{[citation needed]}

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, though the exact date and location of this event remain unknown.^[1] During his tenure, Mar Thoma was advised by Palliveettil Mar Chandy, Kadavil Chandy Kathanar, Vengoor Geevargese Kathanar, and Anjilimoottil Ittithomman Kathanar.^[4]

Early life

Kuravilangad is a town located in the Kottayam district of Kerala, South India. The town is situated in the Meenachil Taluk, about 22 km north of Kottayam. Pakalomattom family was one of the oldest families at Kuravilangad. Thomas who later became the first Mar Thoma, was born in this family.^[5]

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, and they vowed to exclude the Jesuits from Malabar and their churches.^[3]

After the Coonan Cross Oath, on January 5, 1653, the church elders gathered at St. Mary's Church in Edapally (now dedicated to Saint George) and proclaimed Archdeacon Thoma as the Governor of the Church. Four priests—Anjilimoottil Itty Thomman, Kadavil Chandy, Vengoor Geevarghese, and Palliveettil Chandy—were selected as his advisors.^[6][7] Of these, three later returned to the Catholic faction of the St. Thomas Christians.

Four months after the Coonan Cross Oath, on May 22, 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, a delegate of the Patriarch of Antioch, 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 and another at Udayamperoor. Later, Bishop Sebastiani, who was ordained on December 15, 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 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, 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 September 20, 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, while the Archdeacon's party failed to present any. On October 9, 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.^[8]

Rise of Dutch power

The Dutch East India Company (Vereenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie or VOC in old-spelling Dutch, literally "United East Indian Company") was established in 1602. By 1652, VOC trading posts were established in Malabar Coast 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, a delegate of the Patriarch of Antioch came to Malankara as per the request of Mar Thoma and regularized his Metropolitan consecration.^[1]

Death

He died on 25 April 1670 and was buried in St. Mary's Jacobite Soonoro Cathedral, Angamaly.^[9]

See also

• Malankara Metropolitan
• List of Malankara Metropolitans

References

1. Joseph, Thomas (2011). "Malankara Syriac Orthodox Church". In Sebastian P. Brock; Aaron M. Butts; George A. Kiraz; Lucas Van Rompay (eds.). Gorgias Encyclopedic Dictionary of the Syriac Heritage: Electronic Edition. Gorgias Press. Retrieved 22 September 2016.
2. "Morth Mariam Church, Ankamaly". Archived from the original on 5 April 2016. Retrieved 30 April 2016.
3. Thekedath, Joseph (1972). The troubled days of Francis Garcia S. J. Archbishop of Cranganore (1641-1659). p. 7, 21. ISBN 9788876521584.
4. Brown, Leslie W. (1956). The Indian Christians of St Thomas: An Account of the Ancient Syrian Church of Malabar. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. p. 103.
5. Brown, L.W. (1982) [1956]. The Indian Christians of St. Thomas: an account of the ancient Syrian church of Malabar (Revised ed.). Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-21258-8. OCLC 781412260.
6. Mar Chandy Palliveettil Archived 11 April 2011 at the Wayback Machine
7. Mathew N. M. History of the Marthoma Church, Vol. I. Page 183.
8. The Grave Tragedy of the Church of St. Thomas Christians and the Apostolic Mission of Sebastiani by Paul Pallath Page 159
9. ":::Welcome to St:mary's Jacobite syrian church Angamaly:::". Archived from the original on 24 March 2010. Retrieved 22 March 2010.

Further reading

• Mathew N. M. (2003). St. Thomas Christians of Malabar Through Ages, C.S.S. Tiruvalla. ISBN 81-782-1008-8 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.

Preceded by Archdeacon Geevarghese

The last Archdeacon of the Malankara Church 1640–1653

Succeeded by Title abolished

Preceded by No Predecessor

The first Metropolitan of the St Thomas Christians 1653-1670

Succeeded by Mar Thoma II