Dionysius I, Metropolitan of Malankara
Mar Dionysius I Mar Thoma VI, Malankara Metropolitan | |
---|---|
Malankara Syrian Church | |
Installed | 8 May 1765 |
Term ended | 8 April 1808 |
Predecessor | Mar Thoma V |
Successor | Mar Thoma VII |
Personal details | |
Died | 8 April 1808 Niranam |
Buried | St. Mary's Orthodox Cathedral, Puthencavu |
Mar Thoma VI, also known as Mar Dionysius I,was the 6thMetropolitanof theMalankara Syrian Church,serving from 1765 until his demise on 8 April 1808.[1]His original name was Iype, and he was born as the only son of Mathew (Mathan) Tharakan, the elder brother ofMar Thoma V,[2]in the Pallippuram branch of thePakalomattom Family(Andoor, Marangattupilly).[3][4][5]
Thoma VI succeededMar Thoma Vas Malankara Metropolitan in 1765, and unlike his predecessors, who were said by their opponents not to have been properlyordainedas bishop, he received orders fromSyriac Orthodoxbishops in 1772, thus ending any controversy. Other events of his reign include the separation of theThozhiyoorchurch (now theMalabar Independent Syrian Church), the arrival of EnglishProtestantmissionaries, and the first translation of the Bible fromSyriactoMalayalam.
Life
[edit]The man who would be Dionysius was the nephew of his predecessor as Malankara Metropolitan,Mar Thoma V,and a member of thePakalomattomfamily. In 1757, as part of a play to assert his authority and autonomy in the Malankara Syrian Church, Thoma V consecrated his nephew ascoadjutor bishopand named him his successor, in contradiction to the wishes of the Syriac Orthodox hierarchy. Upon Thoma V's death in 1765, the younger Pakalomattom was ordained as Metropolitan on 8 May, taking the name Thoma VI.[1][6]
As with his predecessors as Metropolitan going back to the first,Mar Thoma I,Thoma VI's critics charged that his succession, and therefore his position, was invalid. To overcome this criticism, in 1772 Thoma VI underwent a second ordination at the hands of the Syriac Orthodox bishop Gregorios in the church inNiranam.He received all theHoly Orders,from thetonsureto the episcopal consecration, and thereafter took the name Mar Dionysius.[7]Syriac Orthodox and other critics of Thoma VI saw this as his only ordination, while his supporters saw it as a "re-ordination", but either way, it ended the controversy over the validity of his position.[8]
This done, Dionysius focused on his second primary aim of securing his place as the sole head of the Malankara Church, a measure opposed by some in the Syriac Orthodox hierarchy. To this end, Dionysius appealed to both theCatholic Churchand theBritishcolonial government in India. Several times he contacted the Catholic hierarchy, both locally and in Rome, seeking to have his church, with him as its designated head, brought into full communion. This would have the double aim of solidifying his authority and re-uniting all theSaint Thomas Christians,who had been split intoPazhayakoor(Catholic) and Puthenkoor (independent) factions since theCoonan Cross Oathof 1653. His appeals were considered in Rome, where the Church was willing to grant him temporal but not spiritual authority over the Saint Thomas Christians. In the end, however, no satisfactory deal was ever made and the factions remained separate.[9]
In 1771, Gregorios consecrated a second bishop, Kattumangatt, who took the nameCyril (Koorilose).Dionysius saw Cyril as a threat to his authority and appealed to the colonial authorities to suppress the rival bishop. Cyril left forThozhiyur,outside of the colonial jurisdiction, and established what would become an independent church. This body is now known as theMalabar Independent Syrian Church.[10]Subsequently, however, Gregorios and the other Syrian bishops died and were not replaced, leaving no further internal challengers to Dionysius.[11]
Invasion by Mysore
[edit]Mysore was a landlocked kingdom.Hyder Ali,ruler of this kingdom decided to invadeMalabarto get access to the Arabian Sea. He entered Malabar in 1781 and crushed the Nair soldiers. After his deathTippu Sultancame to the throne. During that period Christians were persecuted.[12][13]
Bala Rama Varmawas the ruler ofTravancoreat this time. He was one of the least popular sovereigns whose reign was marked by unrest and various internal and external problems for the state.[14]He became King at the young age of sixteen and came under the influence of a corrupt nobleman known asJayanthan Sankaran NampoothirifromCalicut.One of the first acts of atrocities during his reign was the murder ofRaja Kesavadas,[15]the existingDewanof Travancore. Sankaran Nampoothiri was then appointed as Dewan (Prime minister) with two other ministers.[16]Using his influence, Mar Thoma VI was put in jail at Alleppy and was forced to conduct a service according to Catholic rites, but escaped during a rebellion inTravancoreunderVelu Thampiin 1799.[17][18]
Relations with the Church of England
[edit]Toward the end of Dionysius' reign,Claudius Buchanan(1766–1815) visitedKeralain 1806, and arranged for the translation of the Bible intoMalayalam.Dionysius gave him the manuscript of the Bible written in theSyriac language.This manuscript was later deposited in the public library of theUniversity of Cambridge.[19]
During the visit, Buchanan suggested the Malankara Church seek a close relationship with theChurch of England.Soon after his visit, Dionysius convened a meeting of church elders at Aarthattu, where he declared the Malankara Church would not accept the Anglican doctrine, nor those of any other foreign church.[20]
Death and succession
[edit]Dionysius consecrated Pakalomattom Mathen Kathanar as his successor in 1796 atChengannurchurch. Dionysius died on 8 April 1808 atNiranam,and he was interredSt. Mary's Orthodox Cathedral, Puthencavu,with Mathen conducting the funeral service. Mathen subsequently received his orders, taking the nameMar Thoma VII.
Notes
[edit]- ^abNeill, p. 67.
- ^"Bishops".Pakalomattom Family.Retrieved14 February2024.
- ^Mar Thoma VI the Great,retrieved14 February2024
- ^Thomas, KT; Mani, KC.Kizhakekkara Kudumba Charitram(PDF).pp. 19, 46.
- ^Podimattam, John.Kerala Suriyani Sabhacharithasamgraham.pp. 1–23.
- ^Vadakkekara, p. 91.
- ^Neill, pp. 67–68.
- ^Vadakkekara, pp. 91–92.
- ^Neill, pp. 68–69.
- ^Vadakkekara, p. 92.
- ^Neill, p. 69.
- ^Sankunny Menon, P. (1878)A History ofTravancorefrom the Earliest Times(Thiruvithancore Charitram), p. 199.
- ^Mathew, Adv.P.C., Aarthattu pallipattum charitra rekhakalum, pp. 24–26.
- ^Travancore State Manual by Nagam Aiya
- ^History of Travancore by P. Shungunny Menon, p. 245.
- ^History of Travancore by P. Shungunny Menon, p. 245
- ^History of Travancore by P. Shungunny Menon, p. 246.
- ^Puthenkavu Cathedral Smaranika, pp. 175, 183.
- ^Buchanan, Rev. Claudius,Memoir of the Expediency of an Ecclesiastical Establishment for British India,p. 76.
- ^Mathew, P.C. Aarthattu Padiola, Nazrani Christians of Kerala, p. 114.
References
[edit]- Neill, Stephen(2002).A History of Christianity in India: 1707–1858, Volume 2.Cambridge University Press.ISBN0-521-89332-1.Retrieved24 October2011.
- Vadakkekara, Benedict (2007).Origin of Christianity in India: a Historiographical Critique.Media House Delhi.
Further reading
[edit]- Juhanon Marthoma Metropolitan, The Most Rev. Dr. (1952).Christianity in India and a Brief History of the Marthoma Syrian Church..Pub: K.M. Cherian.
- Daniel, K. N. (1952). Canons of the Synod of Diamper, CSS. Tiruvalla.
- Zac Varghese Dr. & Mathew A. Kallumpram. (2003).Glimpses of Mar Thoma Church History.London, England.ISBN8190085441
- Chacko, T. C. (1936).Malankara Marthoma Sabha Charithra Samgraham(Concise History of Marthoma Church), Pub: E.J. Institute, Kompady, Tiruvalla.
- Eapen, Prof. Dr. K.V. (2001).Malankara Marthoma Suryani Sabha Charitram(History of Malankara Marthoma Syrian Church). Pub: Kallettu, Muttambalam,Kottayam.
- Ittoop Writer, (1906).Malayalathulla Suryani Chistianikauleday Charitram(History of Syrian Christians in the land of Malayalam)
- 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
- Mathew, Adv. P. C. (1994).Aarthattu pallipattum charitra rekhakalum(Aarathattu church history and records).
- Sankunny Menon, P. (1878).A History of Travancore from the Earliest Times(Thiruvithancore Charitram).
- Varghese Kassessa, K. C. (1972). Malabar Swathantra Suryani Sabha Charitram (History of Malabar Independent Syrian Church).
- Niranam Granthavari. (Record of History written in Malayalam during 1770–1830). Ed. Paul Manalil, Catholicate Aramana, Devalokam. Kottayam, Kerala.