Author’s Dedication

To His Holiness Mar Ignatius Aphram I, Barsoum,

Patriarch of Antioch and all the East, the Successor of St. Peter the Apostle,
I dedicate this book entitled History of the Syrian Church of India,
for the gracefulness he bestowed on me. May God keep him a living symbol of the
Church and a pride of orthodoxy.

Translator’s Dedication

To the glorious memory of Mar Ignatius Butrus (Peter) IV,

Patriarch of Antioch and all the East (1872–1894),
who single handedly revived the Syrian Church of India with his spiritual insight,
prudence and dynamic personality, this translation is dedicated.
TABLE OF CONTENTS

Table of Contents....................................................................................................v
Foreword ...............................................................................................................xiii
The Sources ............................................................................................................xv
Part One: The Establishment of the Indian Church and Its Relations
With Other Churches ....................................................................................1
Chapter One: The Country of India............................................................1
Chapter Two: The Fertile Crescent and the Indian Countries................3
Chapter Three: St. Thomas the Apostle .....................................................4
Chapter Four: King Gondophares of India ...............................................7
Chapter Five: The Strife and Martyrdom of St. Thomas.........................8
Chapter Six: The East and the Church of India ......................................11
Chapter Seven: The See of Antioch and the Church of India ..............14
Chapter Eight: The Metropolitan of Herat and the Church of India ..16
Chapter Nine: The Nestorian Sect and the Church of India ................18
A Roster of the Nestorian Bishops in India ............................................20
Chapter Ten: Rome and the Church of India..........................................20
Part Two: The Condition of the Indian Church Until the Departure of
the Portuguese from India in 1663............................................................23
Chapter One: The Syrian Emigrants of Edessa.......................................23
Chapter Two: The Iraqi Syrian Community ............................................25
Chapter Three: The Nestorians Penetrate the Indian Church in the
Name of the See of Antioch..............................................................27
Chapter Four: The Portuguese In India ...................................................28
Chapter Five: The Nestorian Schism ........................................................30
Chapter Six: The Bishops Yusuf (Joseph), Abraham and Shim’un
(Simon)..................................................................................................32
Chapter Seven: The Seminaries of Kodungallor and Viapicotta ..........35
Chapter Eight: The First Persecution .......................................................36
Chapter Nine: The Council of Udayamperur (Diamper) of 1599........38
The Council’s Resolutions ..........................................................................40
Chapter Ten: The Second Persecution .....................................................41
Chapter Eleven: The Belief of the Syrian Church of India Up to
the Assembling of the Council of Udayamperur............................43

v
vi HISTORY OF THE SYRIAN CHURCH OF INDIA

Chapter Twelve: The Malabarians Make a Covenant Before the

Cross of Coonen..................................................................................45
Chapter Thirteen: The Election of Tuma I, and the Zeal of Itty
Thoman.................................................................................................48
Chapter Fourteen: The Carmelites and the Third Persecution.............50
Chapter Fifteen: God’s Punishment of the Church’s Enemies ............51
Part Three: The Condition of the Church of India Under the Dutch..........53
Chapter One: The Coming to India of the Metropolitan Mar
Gregroius ‘Abd al-Jalil of Mosul and His Renewal of Relations
with the See of Antioch......................................................................53
Chapter Two: Metropolitan Gregorius ‘Abd al-Jalil of Mosul..............54
Chapter Three: The Letters of Metropolitan Gregorius ‘Abd al-Jalil ..56
Chapter Four: Bishop Tuma II ..................................................................58
Chapter Five: Andrew of Aleppo in the History of Malabar ................61
Chapter Six: Andrew in the Catholic Sources..........................................62
Chapter Seven: The Arrival of Maphryono Basilius Yalda and
Bishop Hidayat Allah in Malabar ......................................................63
Chapter Eight: Metropolitan Iyawannis Hidayat Allah ..........................65
Chapter Nine: The Strife of Metropolitan Iyawannis Hidayat Allah ...67
Chapter Ten: The Council of Chenganur and Its Decisions in 1686 ..70
The Reasons of its Convocation................................................................70
The Convocation of the Council ...............................................................70
The Decisions of the Council.....................................................................70
In the Name of the Eternal, the Everlasting, the Weak Iyawannis,
bishop of the True Syrian Christians in India.................................71
The Issue of the Unleavened Bread ..........................................................72
From the Canons of Patriarch Quryaqos .................................................74
The Third Canon of the Council of Nicaea.............................................74
A Canon of Basilius the Great ...................................................................74
The Eighth Canon of Addai (Thadeus) the Apostle ..............................74
Another Canon of Addai the Apostle.......................................................75
From the Canons of Yuhanna (John) of Thella ......................................75
The Sixteenth Canon of the Apostles .......................................................75
The Seventeenth Canon of the Apostles..................................................75
The Fourteenth Canon of the Apostles....................................................76
Chapter Eleven: Tuma IV and Gabriel the Nestorian ...........................76
Chapter Twelve: Tuma IV and the Apostolic See ..................................79
Chapter Thirteen: The Zeal of Tuma IV for the Faith ..........................82
Chapter Fourteen: Tuma V.........................................................................85
Chapter Fifteen: Tuma V and Iyawannis Yuhanna ‘Araqchinchi.........87
 TABLE OF CONTENTS vii

Chapter Sixteen: A Summary of the Letter of Tuma V to the See of

Antioch..................................................................................................88
Chapter Seventeen: The Ordination of Monk Shukr Allah of
Aleppo a Maphryono ..........................................................................92
Chapter Eighteen: The Journey of Maphryono Shukr Allah to
Malabar..................................................................................................94
Chapter Nineteen: The Arrival of Maphryono Shukr Allah in
Malabar and the Return of Iyawannis Yuhanna ‘Araqchinchi
Home.....................................................................................................96
Chapter Twenty: Tuma V Refuses to Meet with Maphryono Shukr
Allah.......................................................................................................99
Chapter Twenty-One: The Letter of Severus ‘Abd al-Ahad,
Metropolitan of Edessa to Maphryono Shukr Allah ...................101
Chapter Twenty-Two: The Dutch Company Files a Lawsuit
Against Bishop Tuma V ...................................................................103
Chapter Twenty-Three: Maphryono Shukr Allah Attempts to Meet
With Tuma V .....................................................................................104
Chapter Twenty-Four: The Patriarch Censures Tuma V for His
Intransigence ......................................................................................108
Chapter Twenty-Five: Tuma V Reconciles With Maphryono Shukr
Allah.....................................................................................................109
Chapter Twenty-Six: The Accomplishments of Maphryono Shukr
Allah.....................................................................................................111
Chapter Twenty-Seven: The Construction of Mar Behnam’s
Monastery in Vattikal........................................................................114
Chapter Twenty-Eight: The Submission of Tuma VI and His
Ordination ..........................................................................................116
Chapter Twenty-Nine: The Accomplishments of Gregorius
Yuhanna of Ba Khudayda (Qaraqosh)...........................................119
Chapter Thirty: The Anjoorian Schism ..................................................120
Chapter Thirty-One: Abraham Tried and Forced to Shed the
Episcopal Habit .................................................................................123
Chapter Thirty-Two: The Accomplishments of Mar Iyawannis
Yuhanna of Mosul.............................................................................126
Chapter Thirty-Three: The Alliance of the Catholics of Malabar
Against the Latin Bishops ................................................................127
Chapter Thirty-Four: The Fourth Persecution......................................130
Part Four: The Condition of the Church of Malabar at the Beginning of
the British Rule ...........................................................................................133
Chapter One: The Protestants and the Syrian Church of Malabar ....133
viii HISTORY OF THE SYRIAN CHURCH OF INDIA

Chapter Two: The Visits of Drs. Kerr and Buchanan to Dionysius

I ............................................................................................................135
Chapter Three: The Coming to Malabar of Dioscorus Yuhanna of
Mosul and His Deportation.............................................................137
Chapter Four: The Accomplishments of Dionysius I..........................139
Chapter Five: The Anjoorians ..................................................................140
Chaptr Six: Tuma VIII and the Discontinuance of the Chain of
Leaders of the Pakalomattam Family.............................................142
Chapter Seven: The Monk Joseph Establishes a Seminary at
Kottayam ............................................................................................145
Chapter Eight: Monk Joseph Becomes Dionysius II ...........................146
Chapter Nine: The So-Called Dionysius II and the Protestants.........148
Chapter Ten: The So-Called Dionysius III and the Protestants.........150
Chapter Twelve: Metropolitan ‘Abd al-Masih Declares the
Episcopates of Both Philoxenus II the Anjoorian and
Dionysius IV Invalid.........................................................................155
Chapter Thirteen: The Deportation of Metropolitan ‘Abd al-Masih
of Amid From Malabar ....................................................................159
Chapter Fourteen: Forged Letters ...........................................................162
Chapter Fifteen: Philoxenus II, the Anjoorian ......................................164
Chapter Sixteen: The Protestants Pressure the Syrians to Alter the
Faith.....................................................................................................166
Chapter Seventeen: The Mavelikara Meeting in 1836 ..........................168
Chapter Eighteen: The Severance of Relations Between the Syrians
and the Protestants............................................................................171
Part Five: The Schism of Athanasius Matta....................................................175
Chapter One: The Appeal of the Church of Malabar to the See of
Antioch................................................................................................175
Chapter Two: The Ordination of Athanasius Matta ............................178
Chapter Three: Athanasius Matta in Mosul and Bombay....................180
Chapter Four: The Impact of the Ordination of Matta On The
Malabar Church .................................................................................181
Chapter Five: The Appointment of Metropolitan Cyril Joakim an
Archbishop of Malabar.....................................................................182
Chapter Six: The Excommunication of Metropolitan Matta ..............185
Chapter Seven: The Coming of Athanasius Stephen to Malabar and
His Defense at the Court of Madras ..............................................187
Chapter Eight: Bishop Stephen Appeals the Case to London............189
Chapter Nine: Dionysius IV .....................................................................192
 TABLE OF CONTENTS ix

Chapter Ten: Bishop Stephen and His Retinue Return to the

Apostolic See......................................................................................195
Chapter Eleven: The Coming of Eustathius ‘Abd al-Nur,
Metropolitan of Jerusalem to Malabar ...........................................196
Chapter Twelve: The Accomplishments of Eustathius ‘Abd al-Nur
in Malabar ...........................................................................................198
Chapter Thirteen: The Destructive Acts of Matta in the Syrian
Church.................................................................................................201
Chapter Fourteen: The Church of Malabar Attempts to Have the
Apostolic See Dispatch Delegates ..................................................204
Chapter Fifteen: The Ordination of the Priest Joseph Pulikkott a
Metropolitan.......................................................................................205
Chapter Sixteen: Cyril Joakim Contests the Ordination of
Metropolitan Dionysius Joseph.......................................................208
Chapter Seventeen The Catholics of Malabar Attempt to Eliminate
Latin Supremacy ................................................................................209
Chapter Eighteen: The Printing of Some Church Books ....................211
Chapter Nineteen: The Origination of the Maphrianate in Malabar .211
Chapter Twenty: The Priest Abraham Konat........................................213
Chapter Twenty-One: The Idea of Educating the Clergy After
Matta Captured the Seminary ..........................................................214
Chapter Twenty-Two: The Priest Philip Edavazhikal..........................215
Chapter Twenty-Three: The Writings of the Priest Philip ..................218
Chapter Twenty-Four: The Defense of Priest Philip of Matters
Concerning the Dogma and Rite Against the Protestants
(Anglicans) ..........................................................................................219
Chapter Twenty-Five: Dionysius Joseph Resists Matta’s Actions......223
Chapter One: Echo of the Ordination of Patriarch Peter IV in
Malabar................................................................................................225
Chapter Two: Matta’s Devastating Failure.............................................226
Chapter Three: Patriarch Peter Confirms Matta’s
Excommunication .............................................................................229
Chapter Four: Patriarch Peter in London ..............................................231
Chapter Five: The Accomplishments, Illness and Death of
Metropolitan Cyril Joakim................................................................234
Chapter Six: The Journey of Patriarch Peter to Malabar .....................239
Chapter Seven: The Chorepiscopus Philip Edavazhikal......................242
Chapter Eight: The Achievements of Chorepiscopus Philip ..............245
Chapter Nine: The Writings of Chorepiscopus Philip And His
Copying of Service Books................................................................247
x HISTORY OF THE SYRIAN CHURCH OF INDIA

Chapter Ten: The Apologetics of Chorepiscopus Philip.....................248

Chapter Eleven: Patriarch Butrus (Peter) Annuls the Absolution of
the Excommunicated Matta.............................................................250
Chapter Twelve: Patriarch Peter Visits the Syrian Churches ..............253
Chapter Thirteen: Patriarch Peter Protests the Disturbances in the
Church.................................................................................................256
Chapter Fourteen: Patriarch Peter Establishes Churches in Malabar261
Chapter Fifteen: Patriarch Peter Convenes a Council at
Mulanthuruthi ....................................................................................262
Chapter Sixteen: Patriarch Peter Divides the Church of Malabar
Into Seven Dioceses and Ordains Metropolitans for Each
One of Them .....................................................................................264
Chapter Seventeen: Patriarch Peter Sails Home....................................266
Chapter Eighteen: The Condition of the Church of Malabar After
the Departure of Patriarch Peter.....................................................268
Chapter Nineteen: The Ordination of Metropolitan Athanasius
Shim’un (Simon) as Patriarchal Deputy.........................................269
Chapter Twenty: Julius Gurgis, Metropolitan of Thompon,
Dionysius Simon, Metropolitan of Cochin and Cyril Gurgis,
Metropolitan of Angamali................................................................270
Julius Gurgis ................................................................................................270
Dionysius Shim’un (Simon) ......................................................................271
Cyril Gurgis .................................................................................................271
Part Six: The Church of Malabar in the Twentieth Century ........................273
Chapter One: Gregorius Gurgis, Metropolitan of Niranam and
Athanasius Paul, Metropolitan of Kottayam.................................273
Gregorius Gurgis........................................................................................273
Athanasius Paul...........................................................................................274
Chapter Two: Patriarch ‘Abd Allah II Ordains Two Metropolitans
for Malabar .........................................................................................275
Chapter Three: The Accomplishments of Metropolitan Dionysius
Joseph of Malabar .............................................................................276
Chapter Four: Patriarch ‘Abd Allah II’s Visit to Malabar and His
Accomplishments in That Country ................................................278
Chapter Five: Cyril, Metropolitan of Malabar, Severus Gurgis,
Metropolitan of the Canaanites.......................................................279
Cyril Paul......................................................................................................279
Severus Gurgis ............................................................................................280
Chapter Six: Julius Antonius Francisco Xavier Elowaris.....................281
 TABLE OF CONTENTS xi

Chapter Seven: The Chorepiscopus Matta Konat, Malphono

(Supreme Teacher) of Malabar........................................................283
Chapter Eight: Metropolitan Eustathius Saliba, Patriarchal Deputy
To Malabar .........................................................................................284
Chapter Nine: Patriarch Elias III Visits the Church of Malabar ........286
Chapter Ten: Dionysius Gurgis, Metropolitan of Malabar..................289
Chapter Eleven: Athanasius Paul, Metropolitan of Malabar and His
Deputy Gregorius Gurgis.................................................................292
Athanasius Paul...........................................................................................292
Gregorius Gurgis........................................................................................293
Chapter Twelve: Metropolitan Julius Qoro, the Patriarchal Deputy,
Dionysius Mikha’il, Metropolitan of Kottayam, Severus Paul,
Metropolitan of Cochin, and Clement Abraham, Metropolitan
of the Canaanites’ Diocese...............................................................295
Julius Elias Qoro.........................................................................................295
Dionysius Mikha’il......................................................................................296
Severus Paul.................................................................................................296
Qlemis (Clement) Abraham......................................................................297
Chapter Thirteen: Mar Ignatius Seminary and Rev. Monk ‘Abd al-
Ahad of Bartulli .................................................................................297
Chapter fourteen: The Syrian Church of Malabar Yesterday and
Today...................................................................................................298
Index......................................................................................................................309
FOREWORD

Some venerable Syrians of Iraq suggested to me to write a history of the

Syrian Church of India and its interrelation with the Apostolic See of An-
tioch. Since India was subject to the Patriarchate of Antioch and a knowl-
edge of its condition concerns every Syrian Orthodox, and since the Syrians
of that country enjoy a prominent cultural and social status, I thought it
appropriate to fulfill their request, especially that I spent more than twelve
years in India and acquired comprehensive knowledge about the Syrians
and their customs. The following chapters contain the most authentic ac-
counts based on reliable ancient and modern Syriac, Arabic, English and
Malayalam sources printed or in manuscript form. I hope that this book will
receive the acceptance of scholars which will enable me to discern the noble
purpose of writing it.

At Our Bishopric Residence

June 6, 1951.

xiii
THE SOURCES

1. Syriac madrashe and memre (metrical hymns) by St. Ephraim.

2. The Life-Story and Acts of St. Thomas the Apostle in Syriac.
3. A discourse on St. Thomas by Simon ‘Amraya, Maphryono of the East.
4. The Ten Chapters of Bar Salibi in Syriac in refutation of the deacon Ye-
shu’.
5. Bar Hebraeus, Ecclesiastical History, Vol. 2 in Syriac.
6. Bar Hebraeus, Hudoye (Nomocanon), a Syriac manuscript dated 1290. A.
D., at the Pampakoda Library.
7. A memro in Syriac by ‘Abd Yeshu’ of Suba on Syriac books and the names
of their authors.
8. The Journey of Marco Polo, the Venetian traveler, Vol. 4, ed. Sir Henry
Yule.
9. Letters in Syriac addressed by Metropolitan ‘Abd al-Jalil to some
churches of Malabar.
10. The Order of Vigil, Metrical Hymns of Festivals and the Dispensation of the Lord,
copied by the monk Hidaya Shammo in 1673.
11. The Order of Ordinations in the handwriting of Bishop Hidaya dated 1685
and 1690.
12. A discourse by Bishop Hidaya containing general canons and two metri-
cal hymns.
13. The journey of Maphryono Shukr Allah of Aleppo to Malabar in Syriac,
and a tract in Arabic on the Church of Malabar.
14. A Catechism in Arabic by Maphryono Shukr Allah.
15. An account of a journey in Arabic by the Chorepiscopus Jirjis of Alep-
po.
16. A short exposition of the Lord’s Prayer in Syriac by Bishop Yuhanna of
Mosul.
17. The decision of the Congregation of the Propagation of the Faith
against Gabriel the Nestorian Metropolitan dated 1722, a statement of
his faith upon returning to orthodoxy and the statement of faith of
Tuma IV, in Syriac.
18. The election of Dionysius I, and his homologia (statement of faith) at his
ordination in Syriac.

xv
xvi HISTORY OF THE SYRIAN CHURCH OF INDIA

19. A declaration of ‘Abd al-Nur, Metropolitan of Jerusalem on his visit to

Malabar dated January 19, 1857.
20. The Journey of Metropolitan ‘Abd al-Nur in Arabic written on July 12,
1858.
21. A collection of correspondence in Syriac and Garshuni (Arabic written
in Syriac letters) dating from 1660 to the middle of the nineteenth cen-
tury.
22. Proclamations of patriarchs since the time of Patriarch Jirjis III, until
the present time.
23. Patriarch Aphram I, Barsoum, Nuzhat al-Adhhan fi Tarikh Dayr al-
Za’faran (The Excursion of Minds in Writing the History of the
Za’faran Monastery), in Arabic.
24. ---------, al-Durar al-Nafisa fi Tarikh al-Kanisa (Magnificent Jewels in the
History of the Church), in Arabic.
25. ----------, al-Lulu al-Manthur fi Tarikh al-Ulum wa al-Adab al-Suryaniyys (The
Scattered Pearls: A History of Syriac Literature and sciences) in Arabic, 1st. ed.
(Homs, 1943), translated into English by Matti Moosa, Passegiata Press,
2000, second revised edition by Gorgias Press, 2003.
26. ----------, Miscellaneous writings still in manuscript form.
27. Majallat al-Hikma (al-Hikma Magazine), Vol. 3 and 5, and Al-Majalla al-
Patriarchiyya, 8 Vols.
28. Rev. Butrus Nasri, Dhakhirat al-Adhhan (The Treasure of Minds), 2 Vols.
29. Metropolitan Addai Scher, Tarikh Kaldo wa Athur (History of Chaldea
and Assyria), Vol, I. Published Beirut, 1912, rep. Michigan, 1993.
30. Claudius Buchanan, Christian Researches in Asia (Cambridge, 1811).
31. James Hough, History of Christianity in India, Vol 1.
32. John Lawrence Von Mosheim, Institutes of Ecclesiastical History Ancient and
Modern, translated by James Murdock, 3 Vols. (New York, 1844).
33. John Mason Neale, History of the Patriarchate of Antioch, see below no. 35.
34. ---------, History of the Patriarchate of Alexandria, 1847.
35. ---------, A History of the Holy Eastern Church: The Patriarchate of Antioch,
published posthumously, London, 1873. This is actually the History of the
Patriarchate of Antioch, mentioned above in no.33.
36. John C. I. Gieseler, Text-Book of ecclesiastical History, trans. Francis Cun-
ningham vol. 1. Philadelphia, 1836.
37. Alphonse Mingana, The Early Spread of Christianity in General Asia and the
Far East: a New Document, Manchester: the University Press, 1925.
38. W. A. Wigram, An Introduction to the History of the Assyrian Church.
39. E. M. Philip, The Indian Church of St. Thomas (1906 and 2002).
40. Rev. Placid, History of the Church of India.
 THE SOURCES xvii

41. Thomas Matthew, The Syrian Church of Malabar.

42. Rev. Daniel, The Syrian Church of Malabar.
43. A Tract on the Episcopacy of the Christians of St. Thomas by a Catholic writer
dated November 16, 1941.
44. Awgen, History of the Church of Malabar in Syriac in a manuscript.
45. Travancore State Manual.
46. Joseph Ittoop Ritter, History of the Syrian Christians of Malabar, 2nd. ed.
1906 in Malayalam.
47. Rev. Jirjis Khayyat. Nubdha Qadima fi Akhbar Kaldan Malabar, 1858. (An
Ancient Treaties Containing the Chronicles of the Chaldeans of Mala-
bar), an Arabic manuscript (A copy of this manuscript is in the posses-
sion of Matti Moosa, translator of this book).
48. A Syriac manuscript containing two treatises: one by the priest Philip
Edavazhikal on the History of the Church of Malabar until, 1816; the other
by the Chorepiscopus Philip Edavazhikal which is a continuation of
this history until 1840. It also contains correspondence, discourses,
comments and the number of churches of Malabar.
49. Two Syriac treatises by the Chorepsicopus Matta Konat, the first pub-
lished on June 15, 1914; the other is still in manuscript form. Also,
there are witings by Konat still in manuscript form at his private Li-
brary, at the library of the monastery in Omalloor and at some private
libraries.
50. A tract on the Syrian church of Malabar in 40 pages, delivered by some
clergy and laymen to the Apostolic See in 1840.
51. A collection of the letters of Patriarch Peter IV, on the question of the
church of Malabar.
52. The autobiography of Metropolitan Cyril Joakim.
53. G. Worgis, Matta. Head of the Thomaian Group, 1920, in Malayalam.
54. Metropolitan Jirjis Shahin, Nahj Wasim fi Tarikh al-Umma al-Suryaniyya al-
Qawim (A Graceful Path in Relating the Authentic History of the Syrian
Nation), 1911.
55. P. C. Cheriyan, The Malabar Syrians and the Church Missionary Society 1816–
1840, Kottayam, 1935.
56. William Henry Taylor, Antioch and Canterbury: The Syrian Orthodox Church
and the Church of England 1874–1928. Gorgias Press, 2005. This source is
added by the translator.