List of Malankara Metropolitans
Malankara Metropolitan is a legal title given to the head of the Malankara Nasrani Christians, by the Government of Travancore and Cochin in South India. This title was awarded by a proclamation from the King of Travancore and the King of Cochin. The prime jurisdiction regarding the temporal, ecclesiastical and spiritual administration of the Malankara Church is vested in the Malankara Metropolitan. The Malankara Metropolitan is the custodian of the Old Seminary, Kottayam and the Trustee for the ' Vattipanam '(Trust Fund).
After 1877, every denomination in the Malankara Church started claiming their prelate as Malankara Metropolitan. Among them the head of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church, was affirmed by the Supreme court of India as the Malankara Metropolitan in the verdict pertaining to the asset dispute with the Jacobite Syrian Christian Church. Present Malankara Metropolitan is Baselios Mar Thoma Paulose II.
In 2002, after the enactment of the new bylaws for the Jacobite Syrian Christian Church, and in the light of verdicts from Supreme court of India in favour of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church, the Malankara Metropolitan officially assumed the title "Metropolitan trustee". Present Metropolitan Trustee is Joseph Mor Gregorios.
The Mar Thoma Syrian Church primate of the church uses the title "Mar Thoma Metropolitan"[1][2] since 1894. Present Mar Thoma Metropolitan is Theodosius Mar Thoma.
List of Mar Thoma Methrans and Malankara Metropolitans of Malankara Church
This is the list of Church heads of the Malankara Church, who under loyal Syriac Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch after Coonan Cross Oath.[3]
- Mar Thoma I – (1653-1670). In 1653, Thomas of Palamattam Thravadu was consecrated with the title Marthoma I by 12 priests in 1653 after Coonan cross oath.Marthoma I had survived a number of assassination attempts. He died on 25 April 1670 and was interred in Angamaly St Mary's Jacobite Syrian Church.
- Mar Thoma II – (1670–1686) Consecrated by Marthoma I and Mar Gregorios Abdal Jaleel. Died on 14 April 1686 and was interred at St. Mary's Orthodox Church, Niranam.
- Mar Thoma III – (1686–1688) Consecrated by Mar Ivanios Hirudyathulla (from Antioch), died on 21 April 1688. Laid to rest at St.Thomas Orthodox Church, Kadampanad.
- Mar Thoma IV – (1688–1728). Consecrated by Mar Ivanios Hirudyathulla. Died on 24 March 1728 and was interred at Kandanad Martha Mariam Orthodox Church.
- Mar Thoma V – (1728–1765) – Consecrated by Marthoma IV. Died on 8 May 1765 and laid to rest at St. Marys Orthodox Church, Niranam
- Mar Thoma VI – (1765–1808) Consecrated by Marthoma V. Died on 8 April 1808 and laid to rest at St. Mary's Orthodox Cathedral puthenkavu.In June 1770, he accepted re consecration from Antiochian bishops in order to avoid a split in the Church and the title Dionysius was accepted.Marthoma VI did not approve the appointment of Kattumangattu Abraham Mar Coorilos as a metropolitan by a bishop from Antioch. This was the beginning of Malabar Independent Syrian Church. He was forced to conduct a service according to Chaldean Catholic rites but escaped during a rebellion in Travancore under Velu Thampi. Rev.Dr. Claudius Buchanan visited and made arrangement for the translation of the Bible into Malayalam. Marthoma presented him the Peshitto Bible written in the old Syriac. This manuscript is kept in the public library of the University of Cambridge.
- Mar Thoma VII – (1808–1809) Consecrated by Marthoma VI in 1796. During his time on 1 December 1808, a sum of 3000 Star Pagoda (in 2002 one Star Pagoda coin had a market value of £475) was given as loan in perpetuity to the British resident Colonel Macaulay. This is known as Vattipanam. Marthoma died on 4 July 1809 and was interred at St. Peter's & St. Paul's Orthodox Church, Kolencherry.
- Mar Thoma VIII – (1809–1816) Consecrated on 2 July 1809 by Marthoma VII. During his time Kottayam Suryani Seminary was opened and modern education began in Kerala. Marthoma died on 26 January 1816 and was interred at St. Mary's Orthodox Cathedral, Puthencavu, Chengannur.
- Mar Thoma IX – (1816–1817). Consecrated by Marthoma VIII without the consent of the people. So he retired to St.George Orthodox Church Kadamattam, and spent the rest of his days in prayer and fasting.
- Mar Dionysius II (Pulikottil Joseph Mar Dionysius) - (1816)
▪ entombed at - Pazhaya Seminary - Mar Dionysius III (Punnathra Geevargis Mar Dionysius) - (1817–1825)
▪ entombed at Kottayam Cheriapally - Mar Dionysius IV (Cheppattu Philipose Mar Dionysius)-(1825–1852)
▪ entombed at Cheppattu pally - Mathews Mar Athanasius (1852–1877)
▪ entombed at Maramon Church
(Palakunathu Thomas Mar Athanasius was removed from the office by Royal Court and declared Mar Dionysius V (Pulikkottil Joseph Mar Dionysious II) as the rightfull Malankara Metropolitan)
List of Malankara Metropolitans of Malankara Syrian Church after 1877
The Ignatius Peter IV Patriarch of Antioch, who was the spiritual jurisdiction over the Church of Antioch and all the East[4] consecrated[5][6] Pulikkottil Joseph Mar Dionysius as metropolitan for the Malankara Syrian Church which is also known as the Jacobite Syrian Church.[7][8][9][10][11] Later Pulikkottil Joseph Mar Dionysius II was recognized as the rightful Malankara Metropolitan by the Royal court through it's order.
- Mar Dionysius V (Pulikkottil Joseph Mar Dionysius II) (1865-1909)[12]
▪ entombed at Pazhaya Seminary - Mar Dionysius VI (Geevarghese Mar Dionysius of Vattasseril) (1909-1911)
The church was divided into two factions due to internal disputes. Since then the faction that supported the Malankara Metropolitan Mar Dionysius of Vattasseril was known as Methran Kakshi or Bishop faction (later as Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church) and the faction that supported Patriarch Bava of Antioch was known as Bava Kakshi or Patriarch faction (Jacobite Syrian Christian Church)[13]
List of Malankara Metropolitans of Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church after schism in 1911
- Mar Dionysius VI (Geevarghese Mar Dionysius of Vattasseril) (continued as Malankara Metropolitan till 1934)
▪ entombed at - Pazhaya Seminary - Baselios Geevarghese II (1934–1964) Catholicos of the East and Malankara Metropolitan (held two offices of Malankara Metropolitan & Catholicos by same person for the first time)[14]
▪ entombed at Devalokam Aramana Chapel - Baselios Augen I (1964–1975) Catholicos of the East and Malankara Metropolitan
▪ entombed at Devalokam Aramana Chapel - Baselios Mar Thoma Mathews I (1975–1991) Catholicos of the East and Malankara Metropolitan
▪ entombed at Devalokam Aramana Chapel - Baselios Mar Thoma Mathews II (1991–2005) Catholicos of the East and Malankara Metropolitan[15]
▪ entombed at Shasthamkotta - Baselios Mar Thoma Didymos I (2005–2010) Catholicos of the East and Malankara Metropolitan
▪ entombed at Mount Tabor Monastery, Pathanapuram - Baselios Mar Thoma Paulose II (2010–Incumbent) Catholicos of the East and Malankara Metropolitan [16]
List of Malankara Metropolitans and Metropolitan Trustees of Jacobite Syrian Christian Church after schism in 1911
The Bava/Patriarch faction or the Jacobite Syrian Christian Church elected Mor Coorilos Paulose as their Malankara Metropolitan on 30 August 1911 while Mar Dionysius of Vattasseril continued as the Malankara Metropolitan of Methran/Bishop faction (Later as the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church).
- Mor Coorilos Paulose (1911-1917)
▪ entombed at Panampady Church - Mor Athanasius Paulose (1918-1953)
▪ entombed at Thrikkunnathu Seminary - vacant (1953-1957)
▪ Mor Yulios Elias Qoro Patriarchal Delegate of India was in charge of the Jacobite Syrian Christian Church during this time. - Mor Clemis Abraham (1957-1958)
▪ entombed at St. John's Dayro, Chingavanam - Baselios Geevarghese II (1958–1964)[17]
▪ entombed at Devalokam Aramana Chapel - Baselios Augen I (1964-1975)[18][19]
▪ entombed at Devalokam Aramana Chapel - Baselios Paulose II (1975-1996)
▪ entombed at St. George's Monastery, Malekurish - vacant (1996-2002)
▪ Mor Geevarghese Gregorios was in charge of the Jacobite Syrian Christian Church during (1996-1999).
Metropolitan Trustee
In 2002 after the enactment of the new bylaws for the Jacobite Syrian Christian Church, and in the light of new legal developments in favour of the Malankara Orthodox Church, the Malankara Methropolian officially assumed the title "Metropolitan trustee".
- Baselios Thomas I (Metropolitan Trustee) (2002-2019)
- Gregorios Joseph (Metropolitan Trustee) (2019-Incumbent)[20]
List of Mar Thoma Metropolitans of the Mar Thoma Syrian Church after schism in 1877
Palakunathu Thomas Mar Athanasius was removed from the office by Royal Court in 1889. Later Malankara Marthoma Syrian Church adopted the title, "Marthoma Metropolitan"[1][2] for the head of the church.
- Mar Thoma XIV - Thomas Athanasius Metropolitan (1877-1893)
- Mar Thoma XV - Titus I Mar Thoma Metropolitan (1894-1909)
- Mar Thoma XVI - Titus II Mar Thoma Metropolitan (1909-1944)
- Mar Thoma XVII - Abraham Mar Thoma Metropolitan (1944-1949)
- Mar Thoma XVIII - Juhanon Mar Thoma Metropolitan (1949-1976)
- Mar Thoma XIX - Alexander Mar Thoma Metropolitan (1977-1999)
- Mar Thoma XX - Philipose Mar Chrysostom Mar Thoma Metropolitan (1999-2007)
- Mar Thoma XXI - Joseph Mar Thoma Metropolitan (2007–2020)
- Mar Thoma XXII - Theodosius Mar Thoma Metropolitan (2020- )[21]
References
- "Mar Theodosius to be installed as 22nd Mar Thoma Metropolitan on November 14 – New Indian Express". New Indian Express. 29 October 2020. Retrieved 14 November 2020.
- "Theodosius to be new Mar Thoma Metropolitan – The Hindu". The Hindu. 28 October 2020. Retrieved 14 November 2020.
- "Coonan Cross Oath History(Malankara Orthodox Church webite)".
- "'STHATHIKON' OF ST. GREGORIOS". www.syriacchristianity.info/.
- "Extracts from the 'STHATHIKON' of Mor Divanasios Joseph". www.syriacchristianity.info.
- "Mor Dionysius Joseph". www.syriacchristianity.info.
- David J. Kennedy (2016). Eucharistic Sacramentality in an Ecumenical Context. Taylor & Francis. pp. 208–209.
- Autobiography of Edavazhikal E M Philipose | Mentioned Mar Dionysius V and name of Malankara Church
- D.V. Chitaley (1959). All India Reporter. D.V. Chitaley. p. 39.
- G. Krishnan Nadar (2001). Historiography and History of Kerala. Learners' Book House. p. 82.
- "Malankara Syriac Orthodox Church". www.gedsh.bethmardutho.org/.
- "Royal Court Verdict declared Pulikottil Joseph Dionysius as the rightful Malankara Metropolitan .This Verdict is also mentioned in later Supreme Court Verdicts in 1958,1995 and 2017".
- Korah thomas, Antony (1993). The Christians of Kerala. University of Michigan. p. 97.
- "In 1958 Supreme Court of India declared Baselios Geevarghese II is the rightful Malankara Metropolitan (Samudayam Suit)".
- "Supreme Court Order July 12, 2002 declared Baselios Mar Thoma Mathews II is the unquestionable Malankara Metropolitan of the Malankara Church".
- "Ordination of the new Malankara Metropolitan & Catholicos. H.H Moran Baselios Marthoma Paulose 2 is the present Malankara Metropolitan.Baselios Marthoma Paulose 2 is the 21st Malankara Metropolitan".
- "Primates of Jacobite Syrian Church". www.syriacchristianity.info. Retrieved 2020-11-02.
- Alexander P. Varghese (2008). History, Religion, Vision and Contribution to the World · Volume 1. Atlantic Publishers & Distributors. ISBN 9788126909032.
- Ignatius Zakka I Iwas (1983). The Syrian Orthodox Church of Antioch At A Glance. Aleppo (January 1, 1983).
- Staff (2019). "Mar Gregorios is Jacobite Church metropolitan trustee". The Hindu. Retrieved 2020-11-02.
- "Overview – Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian Church". Retrieved 2020-10-25.