Cochin Royal Court: Appeal Petition (കൊച്ചി റോയല്‍കോടതി: അപ്പീല്‍ പെറ്റീഷന്‍)

SYRIAN CHURCH OF THE MALABAR

An Appeal Petition filed before the Royal Court of Cochin by Pulikkottil Mar Dionysius Joseph II

THE Syrian Christians being the oldest Christian community in this ancient and historic Kingdom of Cochin, it is very important, that your Highness, who is universally acknowledged as one of the most enlightened rulers in India, should be well informed of the history and the present condition of this section of your Highness’s royal subjects. I beg, there fore, to be excused in venturing to intrude upon your Highness’s valuable time and patience with these few lines.

(1) Christianity was first planted  in India in  A.D. 52 by St. Thomas, one of the twelve Apostles of Jesus Christ, and first town that received the Gospel was Cranganore within the borders of the  present state of Cochin. For many years, the infant church was ruled by priests appointed by the Apostle from the converted Brahmin families Pakalomattam & Sankarapuri. But on the death of these priests, the church began to have retrograde movement, due to  absence of  bishops holding power to ordain priests. In that second century, there is a reliable record of a visit paid to this Indian  church of  St. Thomas  by a celebrated Christian Missionary from Alexandria.

The next record  proving the early existence of a Christian Church in this country is the list of bishops that were present at the Great General Council - infact the first Ecumenical Synod of the Christian church held at Nicea in A.D. 325 there, the Emperor Constantine the Great convened a meeting of Christian Bishops to discuss and decide certain dogmatic questions on which controversy had arisen among the theologians of the age. In the list of subscribers to the resolutions of the synod, we meet with the name of ‘‘John Bishop of Persia and India Magna.’’ 

Among the resolutions passed in this Synod was included one Regulating the goverment of the universal church including that of India. The Christendom was divided into four Patriarchal estates presided over by prelates designated patriarch with supremacy over other bishops within their respective Patriarchates. These were the Patriarchs of Rome, Constantinople, Alexandria and Antioch. They had their own sphere of jurisdiction assigned to them in the Synod. The patriarch of Anitoch’s authority extended ‘‘all over the east’’ including India and China. Thus the Church of Malabar accepted, through her bishop John the supremacy of the sea of Antioch as early in A.D. 325. The Patriarchate of Antioch being very extensive, arrangement was also made in the Synod for the appointment at Seleucia in Persia, of a deputy having power to superintend the eastern part of the patriarchate, subject to the authority of  Patriarch.

In A.D 345 the infant church of Malabar was strengthened by the settlement of a Syrian colony deputed by the ‘‘Catholicos of the East’’ under the orders of the patriarch. The colony consisted of four hundred Christians  including men, women and children, with the bishop named Joseph and ecclesiastics they were conducted to Malabar by a famous Syrian Merchant Thomas of Cana. The Party landed at Cranganore and was welcomed and honoured by Cheraman Perumal with lands to reside at the Cranganore and seventy two special Privileges peculiar to high cast Hindus. The grants were made on copper plates still preserved by me in the Kottayam Syrian seminary. The Christian quarter in the port of Cranganore was thenceforth called Mahodevar Pattanam.

The native Christians welcomed the Syrian Colony  and acknowledged the authority of the bishop sent by the Catholica of the East. They resided with foreigners at Cranganore and adopted their Syrian liturgy and rites and from this circumstance the whole community was called Syrians. Ever since this period Cranganore is regarded as the home of the Syrian community.  Until as lately as the introduction of the registration of deeds was the custom of all Syrian Chriatians residing in the Churches of Cochin and the northern division of Travancore, to designate themselves in all tittles - deeds as descendants of the Syrians of  Mahadevars Pattanam.

I have already referred to the appointment of a  Catholicos  as a deputy of the See of Antioch in the East. In the fifth century, a schism was raised in Constantinople by its Patriarch Nestorius, and he was condemend by general Synod held at Ephesus. But in the next century, heretic teachings spread to a certain extent in Persia, supported by the Catholicos of the East. The Patriarch deposed him and appointed another to supersede him. But the heretic rebelled and maintained succession in opposition to the Orthodox Catholicos. This led to the subsequent succession of two lines of Catholicos, one holding the Nestorian heresy and the other owing allegiance to the See of Antioch. Bishops from both lines used to visit Malabar occasionally, as a consequence, Nestorianism also had its supporters now and then in Malabar.

The rise of Nestorians was followed in Syria by another schism originated by one Eutychus. The Patriarch of Antioch had to contend against both. In the course of the contest, a Zealous bishop Jacob Baradeus worked strenuously to redeem the Christians of syria from the snares of these schismatic, and those who adhered to him were called Jacobites by their adversaries. The Patriarch of Antioch headed the Jacobite Party and the Christians under his jurisdiction came to be known by that name. The Syrians of Malabar also received this special name by their allegiance to the See of Antioch.

The next important point in the history of the Syrian Church of Malabar is their social advancement. It is believed that they attained the Zenith of their prosperity in the tenth century. Thy set up a Kingdom at Diamper (Udiamperoor) under a King of their own, whose dynasty was known by the title Villiarvattam Surupam. The Christian kings of this dynasty were allies of the sovereigns of Cochin, both for offensive and defensive purposes, so much so that when the last king of that dynasty died extinct his territories were quietly added to the kingdom of Cochin and his Syrian subject cordially accepted the sovereignty of your Highness’ predecessors:

The next event worth mention in the annals of our Community and Church was the advent of the Portuguese. They were Christians owing spiritual allegiance to the Pope of Rome. As already remarked, Rome was one of the four independent Patriarchates created in the first council of Nicea. The authority of that See didn’t extend beyond the western Portion of the Roman Empire. But being the prelate of the capital of the Empire or rather of the then known world he was the most influential bishop in the Christendom. This unique position induced him to claim a sort of supremacy over the other Patriarchs. He assumed the title of pope and declared himself the Vicar of Jesus and Ruler of the Christendom. The other patriarchs refused to acknowledge his ambitions but the vast influence and the unlimited  resources he had helped him to carry out his desings to a geat extent, while the rise of the Mahomedan power and the consequent persecutions of the Christians in the East disabled the other Patriarchs to successfully contend with the Pope.

The Portuguese Government and clergy pledged themselves  to vindicate the Pope’s supremacy and extend his authority in every part of their colonies. Finding that the Syrian Church had no strong secular protection, they tried at first to impose Roman Catholicism upon the Syrian Church by friendly means. This failing, they set watch in all foreign ports to prevent the arrival of bishops from Syria.  Those prelates, who  happend  to fall into their hands were arrested and finally destroyed in their inquisitions. Having thus reduced the Syrian Church to the position of a widow, Menezes, Arch Bishop of Goa visited Malabar and assumed charge of this bishopric Securing the support of the Portuguese authorities and their native allies. Menezis  convened a meeting of the Syrian Christians at Diamper in 1599 and forcibly converted the whole diocese in to the Church of Rome. For half a  century, The Syrians is remained in subjection to the Roman Church. But in 1653 Mar lgnatius Patriarch of Antioch received in India in person to rescue his Indian flock. However the Portuguese succeeded in arresting him and sent him to Mylapore, where he was accidentally met by two deacons from Malabar who had gone on pilgrimage to the sacred tomb of St. Thomas. Mar Ignatius who was informed of the condition of his people, secretly issued a bull authorizing the temporary elevation of the Syrian Archdeacon Thoma as bishop, subject to certain conditions. Not long after, the Patriarch was brought in  chains to Cochin on his way to the inquisition of Goa. The Syrians some how got secret of this and applied  to the Rajah of Cochin to mediate for them with the Portuguese Governer for the release of their prelate. The Rajah kindly remonstrated with the Governer but he sent the partriarch at once to Goa, and it was reported abroad that the prelate was drowned in the harbour. The enraged Syrians to the nuber of 25,000, met Mattanchery on the 3rd of Makaram 1653 and holding a large rope tied to the Coonen Cross (still existing there) they took solemn oath binding themselves not to remain in allegiance to the church of Rome. They returned to their creed and independence and consecrated their Arch-deacon as bishop under the title Mar Thomas, on the strength of the  authority conferred on them by the patriarch’s bull. He was the first native bishop the church having been governed, till the Portuguese period by bishops sent by patriarch of Antioch either directly or through his deputy, the Catholicos. From this Period the Syrian community was split into two sections, one holding their primitive faith and acknowledging the spiritual supremacy of  the jacobite partriarch of Antioch and the other following  Roman catholic rites under bishop appointed by the Pope. The Roman party called themselves Pazhaykoottookar and other Puthencoottookar. These names continue to this day as applied to the sect owing allegiance to the sees of Rome and Antioch Respectively. In 1665 the patriarch of Antioch set a delegate in the name of Mar Gregorius and he confirmed by Mar Thomas by proper imposition of hands. Between 1665 and 1815 they remanded as themselves a sect, generally designated Jacobite Syrians or shortly the Syrians. Churh was raised was succession by eight bishops all known by name Mar Thoma. They were for the most part concerted and appointed by delegates sent by the patriarch of Antioch time to time. Two of these delegates lie buried in churches situated within the Cochin state of the eight Bishops MARTHOMA the sixth, who was also called Dionysius I or Dionysius the Great was an illustrioues person. It was in his time that Dr. Buchanan and Dr. Kerr who were deputed by Goverment of Bengal and Madras respectively visited the Syrian Churches in Malabar on Mission of investigation into the  state of Christianity in south India. Their reports show that Syrian Church was then Jacobite in her teachings. It was this Metran that invested 3000 star pagodas in Goverment security for the education of the Syrian Community. This endowment was the subject of a recent inter-pleader suit filed by the British Resident in the Travancore Court. My right to the Administration for the fund for the benefit of the Jacobite the Syrian was  recognized by the Court,  in preference to the claims set up by a schismatic bishop.

Between 1816 and 1842 the Syrian church was governed by three bishops in succession viz Mar Dionysius II, Mar Dionysius III and Mar Dionysius IV. The first named was my paternal grand uncle; and a native of  Kunnamkulam and a subject of the Cochin state. His appointment was  the result of the a historic fought struggle for leadership, between the Syrians of Travancore, and  Cochin. Till then, all the bishops of the Syrians Church were natives of Travancore, and majority of churches being situated in Travancore. The Cochinites had no chance to get sufficient votes for the appointment of one of their members to be the bishop. They insisted in getting a native of Cochin elevated to the Episcopal dignity, but could’t succed. At last my grand uncle secured the support of Col. Munro and through his influence succeeded, though after a hard struggle, in ousting all Travencorean competitors. He was accordingly consecrated under the title Dionysius  II. With view to check all rebellious prelates and establish his authority throughout the diocese, the governments of Travancore and Cochin issued Royal proclamation for the first time enjoining that all Syrian Christian should submit to his rule. Thus native of Cochin recognized as the spiritual leader of the Syrian community, against the good will and support of the Travancore Syrians, however he proved himself a worthy Bishop, so much so that beneficiant rule helped in a great measure to the gradual removal of the prejudice of the Travancore Syrians against the claim of their Cochin Co-religionist. In 1815, he established a college at Kottayam, still known as the Kottayam Syrian seminary. It soon became the seat of higher education  English, Syriac, Greek, Latin and  Sanskrit were taught here many years. In fact the Bishop was pioneer of higher education on the Malabar Coast, and the college founded by him was first public educational institution of kind in Travancore and Cochin. 

There is another incident in which this Cochinite was protected by the special interference of the Maharaja of Cochin. The Roman Catholics of  Kunnamkulam had ousted the Syrian party by force from the Church of Arthat. The dispute about the ownership of the church remainded indisposed of for many year. My grand uncle Mar Dionysius II brought the question to the notice of the celebrated Maharajah of Cochin  who deceased at Trichur. His Highness kindly condescended to pay the disputed spot and decided to settle the question by lot. The lot was  drawn in favour of the Jocobite Syrian and a Royal Theetooram was issued placing the church in the sole possession of our party to the exclusion of the Roman sect.

Another important point worth mension in this connection is the entertainment of many Syrians to hold responsible posts in the Government of  their countries. Syrian Christian Judges, Magistrates and Tahsildars of the age  have left behind a monument on honesty, capability and faithfulness of  the race  represented by them in administration of Justice.

A review of the above epitome of the history of the Syrian Church brings to our  notice  many important incidents with  the little  Kingdom of Cochin and her illustrious Rajahs played memorable parts. In the first place the Apostle of Christ planted his church with in the boarders of the present   state of Cochin, so that it can be asserted without fear of contradiction that Cochin is the  mother of the Christian Church in  India.

(2) The Syrian Colony of 345 found shelter in this State and in the Ruler of this country and the Syrian Community indebted to him for the social privileges they enjoy.

(3) The syrian Royal Dynasty of Diamper was an ally of Cochin and that Kingdom eventually became part and parcel of this state. 

(4) In their attempt to throw off the Roman. Yoke and establish their ancient faith and independence, our community received substantial help and encouragement from the Rulers of this picturesque kingdom.

(5) When the Roman party attempted to oust the Syrian Christians from Arthat, one of their most ancient and important churches, a predecessor of your highness thought it his personal duty to interfere in the question and to decide it and equitably favour of the Syrian Church.

(6) In my grand uncle, this state furnished the pioneer of higher education in Malabar.

(7) The Syrian community likewise furnished Judges, Magistrates to administer justice, and soldiers and armed men to defend their country and sovereign.

(8) Religious toleration was always a fundamental policy of this illustrious, Government. When our co-religionists in parts of the world were laying down their lives and forfeit.

(9) Their  properties for the sake of their Christian persuasion of forefathers in this country were enjoying full freedom not only to maintain their faith and religion but also propagate them. On  every occasion of oppression from ignorant and be rotted neighbors, we found shelter under the protecting wings of the Rulers of this country. Hence, the Syrian Community have also been loyal, law-abiding, and fondly attached to their beloved sovereigns in every age and on every occasion of emergency.

This paper will not be complete without a short description of the present condition of the Syrian Church. To enable me to grasp the true nature of the present state, it is necessary that he should go through the incidents of an earlier period. About the year 1818, the Missionaries of the C.M.S arrived in Travancore promising to help the Syrian Church in her attempt to extend the spread of education. They were cordially welcomed and allowed to co-operate with the Metran in the administration of the Kottayam Seminary. Their work was at first satisfactory and this state of things continued till about 1836, when the Anglican Bishop of Calcutta ... paid a visit to Kottayam and proposed to the Syrian Metran that doctrines and rituals of this ancient church should be so changed as to co-inside with those of the church of England. This the Syrians refused to do, and as a result of the misunderstanding, the missionaries and the Syrians separated from each other. Since then it has been the policy of the missionaries to make proselytes from the  Syrians Church and to encourage the rising up of Schism with in it. They themselves made a revision of the Syrian liturgy and tried to introduce it into our churches, but they failed at that time. In 1842, one Mathew, a Syrian deacon of Travancore who was dismissed by the  then Metran and who had been studying in the C.M.S. School in Madras, was notwithstanding his attachment to the missionaries dismissed from his school for grave misconduct. It was a time when the Syrians of Malabar had sent repeated applications to the Patriarch of Antioch for the immediate deputation for bishop to Malabar. Deacon Mathew was fully aware of this state of things, went direct to the patriarch and presented him a forged letter in the name of Syrian Community praying that the bearer of the letter might be consecrated and appointed bishop. The aged patriarch believed him and conferred on him the dignity of Metropolitan under the title Mar Athanasius. On his arrival in the country in 1843 the people  reported the patriarch representing the previous history of the new Metran and the manner in which he got himself consecrated. The partriarch in puzzle  delegated Mar Coorilos with power to investigate the charge and to pronounce excommunication upon Mar Mathew Athanasius, if he found him guilty. Mar Athanasius questioned the genuineness of the credentials produced by the delegate. The Travencore Government, at the instant of the British Resident appointed a committee to decide the question. They met at Quilon and declared that the papers produced by Mar Coorilose were not genuine. They recommended that Mar Athanasius should be recognized by the state as the lawful Bishop of  Malabar. Accordingly in 1852 the Governments of Travencore And Cochin issued Royal Proclamation recognizing his status on the strength of his appointment by the Patriarch. Mar Athanasius was in wardly a friend of the C.M.S Missionaries and partly inclined to the reforms of doctrines and practices which they had proposed some years ago. However he could not openly introduce any change from fear of open rebellion. He therefore privately encouraged schisms. In consequences of his hostile and suspicious attitude, the Syrian community elected me to supercede him. I visited the patriarch in Mesopotamia and received consecration at his hands. On my return to this country in 1866, I was recognized by the people at large, but the Royal proclamation of 1852 by which Mar Athanasius was formally recognized by the State prevented me from executing the functions of my dignity. My application to the local and the Madras Governments against the proclamation didn’t produce any favorable result. The patriarch then came to my help. He visited  England in 1875 and moved to Indian Office to interfere in the matter to her Majesty’s the late Queen Victoria. Her Majesty’s Ministers and the public of England supported my case and the case was referred to the Government of Madras for favorable disposal. The patriarch himself visited this country, with the result and issued fresh ones, withdrawing themselves from  interference in the appointment and dismissal of bishops in the Syrian church, and directing all parties to settle their disputes by legal means. No sooner was the previous proclamation cancelled than almost all the Syrian churches in both the states  recognized me as  their lawful metropolitan. At this critical time Mar Mathew Athanasius died bequeathing his rebellious spirit to his cousin whom he had appointed as his successor, under the title Mar Thomas Athanasius. The new dignitary was bold enough to openly repudiate the ancient supremacy of the Patriarch of Anitoch and to introduce novelties and changes in the teaching of the church. Some Syrians in a few churches in Travancore and Cochin joined him. To secure the churches being abused for the propagation of heretical teachings, I had to resort to legal procedures of  courts in Travancore. It is gratifying to observe that all the grades of courts in Travancore, including the Royal court of final Appeal unanimously established the  Patriarch’s  supremacy and my right to be the sole Metropolitan of the Syrian Churches in the country. They also found that Mar Thomas Athanasius, was a pretender and heretic not entitled to hold possession of Syrian Churches and their properties. So far as the churches in Travancore are concerned. I am the Metropolitan recognized by the State and Courts.

In the State of Cochin there are 21 Syrian Churches, all of which with one exception Viz the parish of Arthat which also includes four chapels attached to it, recognize me as their metropolitan even in the Arthat Parish and its  Chapels out of a total congregation numbering nearly 1500 families all but fifty families are my adherents. These few dissenters have lately begun to introduce heretical worship in the church. It became, therfore. Extremely  necessary to undertake a civil action in the Court of Cochin also to establish my lawful right as Metropolitan and redeem the church and Chapels from being abused for heretical worship. Unfortunately the case was disposed of in the District and Appeal Courts against me. In the case of my late grand uncle in 1816, the Syrians of Cochin had to fight hard battle to secure the predominance of Cochin in directing the destinies of the Syrian Church and the state of Cochin recognized his appointment. In my own case though I am a native of Kunnamkulam and a subject of your Highness Government the Travancore Syrians had no reluctance to acknowledge me as their metropolitan and the Travancore courts had no scruple to recognize a foreigner as the  head of a large and influential section of her subjects in reference to the claims set up by a Travancorean pretender. But in my own State and the country of my birth in spite of the fact that all Syrian churches and all Syrian Christians within it, with the exception of but fifty families strenuously adhere to me my just and lawful rights are disrespected. In fact I am precluded from even visiting the church which apart from being under my Episcopal authority was my parish  church in which laws born brought, up and for many yers I had exercised function of a priest, and in which, if it be the will of God, I should like to be buried after my death all these because some fifty families of schismatic Syrian refuse to recognize my just and lawful rights. I have therefore appealed to the highest Court of this state and await its decision in the earnest hope that justice will prevail under the eye of so illustrious. So just so impartial, and so sympathizing a Ruler as Your Highness is.

In this connection it is also worth while to note what the  real disputes between the two parties consist of from time immemorial nay from the Apostolic age itself the Transubstantiation of the elements consecrated in the Holy Mass, the belief in the efficiency of prayers and Chatham for the dead, the need of invocation of the Virgin Mary and Saints, the necessity of proper ordination by duly constituted authorities to entitle one to administer the power of a priest or a bishop was communed placidly recognized by the Church of Christ. Difference of opinion on these points have since separated one church from another in Europe. In the Syrian  Church of  Malabar also these were doctrines recognized by all person alike. But in recent years a heretical party have removed these vital doctrines from the liturgy and have introduced their novelties in the church of Arthat and its chapels. They have set up as their bishop on who has not been regularly and apostolically ordained according to the ancient usage of the church. In short, the points of dogma in which they have departed from the ancient usage of the church. In short, the points of dogma in which they have departed from the ancient and accepted teachings of the Church are more vital than those which separated the church of England from the church of Rome. It is an undisputed fact that all Syrian churches were founded and continued for worship according to the teachings and rituals of the Jacobite church. In other words, they were set up and continued for a special religious trust. But the schismatic who have departed from the ancient teachings and practices desire to make use of them for worship according to the novel teachings which their vagaries dictate  from time to time. Thus they have converted a special trust in to hostile purpose so that we cannot worship together in the same church. My desire in instituting a civil suit is that every church should be set apart for purposes for which it was originally founded.

The above statements represent a dark and melancholy side  of the present condition of the Syrian Community. There is however, another side - a pleasant, one to describe. In spite off litigations and internal struggles stated above, my people are improving socially and intellectually. The facilities afforded by the Goverment to the diffusion of education among the all classes of Your Highness subjects are availed of by them. In the State of Cochin  I have an English High School at Kunnamkulam and a middlle school at  Mulamthuruthy, besides vernacular schools in every place, both of these schools are receiving grants in aid from Your Highness Government. There are graduates and undergraduates in my community some of whom hold positions of rank in the public service discharging their duties to the satisfaction of their superiors. Though the common people are ignorant and antedated then are signs, of improvements in every direction. The people as a body appreciate the value of education, no doubt due to the encouragement accorded by your Highness Government. Though I may not live to see the effect of it, I have no doubt that in the course of some years the state of Cochin will fully eclipse to the highest standard of western civilization, and that the Syrians Community  also will enjoy  their proper share in it. That God Almighty may bless your Gracious Highness with the long life, health and prosperity to direct the destiny of your Highness loyal sujects, with the humble, earnest and constant prayer of

Your Gracious Highness most obedient servant

and loyal but unfortunate Subject

MAR DIONYSIUS

Syrian Metropolitan of  Malabar.