1728 - 1765

Fifth Catholicose of Malankara

Mar Thoma IV consecrated a member of the Pakalomattom family as Mar Thoma V. As a result of the rejection by a faction of his authority, an attempt was made to bring foreign Metropolitans and change his name 'Mar Thoma' and consecrate him Metropolitan under the name 'Mar Dionysius'. But he did not submit to this, and stood firmly working relentlessly for the independence of the Malankara Church. On 18 Dhanu 1754 the foreign Metropolitans signed an agreement declaring that they would not give ordination to anyone without the permission of the Malankara Metropolitan nor interfere in administrative aspects of the Church. Mar Thoma V passed away on 8th May 1765 and his Martal remains are interred in the Niranam Church. Anniversary 8th May.

Just before the demise of MarThoma IV, some of those assembled there, fearing intrusion and intervention by Nestorian Bishop Mar Gabriel, felt it necessary that a successor to MarThoma, should at once be consecrated and suggested Thoma Kathanar, a nephew of Mar Thoma for the high office.  The bedridden MarThoma was informed of the suggestion and also that he should lay hands on his nephew.  The strictly Orthodox MarThoma, conscious of the consecration of his predecessors and of himself, flatly rejected the proposal.  Meanwhile a section of priests assembled there declared that Fr. Thoma has been consecrated as MarThoma V with the blessing of his predecessor, but this was actually without the consent of MarThoma IV. It is reported that several of the priests left the scene in protest and there aroused a division in the Church.

 

A vast majority of faithful also kept aloof from the new MarThoma saying that he is not a validly consecrated Metropolitan.  They even submitted their complaints before Dutch authorities. As MarThoma V himself was aware of the invalidity of his said ‘consecration’, he appealed to Antioch for delegating prelates to 're-consecrate' him.  In 1739, one Hezekiel, a Jewish merchant through whom Mar Thoma forwarded his correspondence to Antoich. In 1746, there came Mar Ivanious Yuhanon of Amid, send by Patriarch Geevarghese III and he enjoyed a hearty welcome from MarThoma; but unfortunately the friendship didn’t last long.  Mar Ivanious sternness in flushing out the remnants of the Latin rite, led to his breaking of images in certain churches.  Due to his inflexibility in matters of faith and practices followed by the Church, he became unpopular among some; even MarThoma V could not find favor with him.  Besides, he had procured no authority to re-consecrate the native Methran, which so exasperated MarThoma that he renewed his application to Antioch praying for deputation of authorized delegates to re-consecrate him.  Even in the midst of such uneasiness between them, both MarThoma and Mar Ivanious jointly applied to the Patriarch for a Primate and Mar Ivanious also personally requested the Patriarch to send Ramban Shakralla of Aleppo, after consecrating him as Maphriyono.  These letters were dispatched through one Deacon Antonios who had arrived in Malabar on commercial enterprises.  Meanwhile an agreement was also made with the Dutch East India Company, by which MarThoma promised to pay the Company the entire expenses incidental to the voyage of delegates in one of the Company’s ships.

 

Deacon Antonuis was successful in his mission.  He submitted the appeal of MarThoma before the Patriarch and entrusted the letter to Ramban Shakralla.  Thus in Chingam 1748, the Patriarch summoned Ramban Shakralla from Aleppo and consecrated him Maphriyono, and also promoted Mar Ivanious of the St.Behanan Monastery, in the title – 'Mar Gregorious' of Jerusalem.

 

Through his letter of 15 th Chingam 1749 the Patriarch asked MarThoma to receive the Maphrian warmly.  The Maphriyono Mar Baselios Shakralla took with him 18 valuable volumes of his own library and holy vessels, worth Rs.3000/- and another set of 40 volumes presented by the Patriarch, besides the Holy Muron and oils and relics of the saints.  The Maphrian had with him the Patriarchal authorization for consecrating MarThoma with the title Mar Dionysius and a pastoral staff, bishop’s cross and SUSTATIKON.

 

In those days the Dutch had entered into an agreement with the Raja of Cochin on 22 Meenam 1663, which says that the Raja had no authority over his Christian subjects and no new taxation might be levied on them without the approval of the Dutch authorities and all Christians should be under the care of the Dutch, who could punish the Christian culprits.  Under such a situation the MarThoma had no other alternative other than requesting for help of the Dutch authorities and they in turn agreed to bring the Primates from Antioch on condition that Mar Thoma meets the fare.

 

Mar Baselios Shakralla, accompanied by Mar Gregorious, Ramban Yuhanon of Mosul diocese (Iraq), Corepiscopa Geevarghese, Kassisso Yuhanon and four deacons started from Aleppo (Syria) and via Baghdad reached Basra and thence arrived at Cochin on 14 Medam (April) 1751

 

Being informed of the arrival of the Maphrian and party, MarThoma, staying at Pallikara, sent some priests and leaders to receive the dignitaries to Kandanad Church. But contrary to the agreement reached earlier, neither MarThoma nor anyone authorized by him appeared before the Dutch authorities to clear the accounts which came to Rs.12000.  It is said that MarThoma never expected so heavy and exorbitant amount as traveling expense.  The Dutch, insisted that only after clearing the accounts, would the party be set free.  The Maphrian too did not have enough funds with him, as he had been informed earlier that the money would be paid here.  Earlier Mar Gregorious (in 1665) and Mar Baselios Yeldho (in 1685) had come to Malankara without any financial help from Malankara Church. Mar Baselious Sakralla too, if he were informed earlier, might have come prepared like his predecessors.  The Dutch insisted for payment, but MarThoma continue to abscond. The Dutch in turn detained the ‘hostages’ with them and petitioned in Court for recovery of the amount.  MarThoma remained silent.  He shifted to Rackad – farther away from Cochin.

The Dutch then filed a civil action before the Travancore Government, which issued a warrant for the arrest of Mar Thoma. For some time he hide himself, but was at last arrested and delivered to the Dutch, who in turn threatened to deport him, if he failed to pay the sum demanded of him. In despair, he consecrated his successor under the title Mar Thoma VI. Meanwhile, some money was collected from the Syrian churches, and large sum was realized by the attachment and sale of properties belonging to the church at Niranam. The debt was thus partially paid, and the delegates were released from custody.

 

They reached Kandanad on 14 th, Karkadakom 1751.  Again MarThoma kept aloof.  From Rackad he went to Kothamangalam Cheria Pally and the Maphrian reached Kothamangalam Valia Pally – a distance of barely one furlong.  MarThoma again evaded and went to Kuruppumpady and thence to Niranam in the South, and the Holy Maphrian came to Kayamkulam.  At last they met at Mavelikara, but matters remained as before. Thus he failed to attain the greatest ambition of his life, not on account of any fault in his part, but through his inability to satisfy the demand of Dutch Company.

 

Whatever be the difficulty, MarThoma could have settled the issue much earlier; those fathers had come in response only to his repeated prayers to the Patriarch and they had done him no harm.   [But certain modern writers hail MarThoma V as a freedom fighter of the Indian Church as he refused to pay the pending amount due to Dutch authorities; this is utterly ridiculous.  There are many records available which clearly explains that he was always faithful to the Holy See; in one of his letters to the Dutch in Cochin, he says; “we honor, the Patriarch as our Supreme Head,” and when he was enticed by the Dutch to join the Protestant church, he wrote that he could not reply on the matter, without the permission of the Patriarch]

 

It was Mar Baselious Shakralla Bava during his stay at Mattancherry, built the Syrian Church located there, which at present is not in the possession of the Jacobite Syrian Church. The plot of land was acquired with the permission of Cochin Raja for Rs.475 and His Beatitude constructed a church there at his own expense.  Residing there, he worked hard to reaffirm the Apostolic faith of the Syrian Church. He changed many a practices then existed in some churches, like veneration of statutes which was introduced as a result of the Portuguese influence of the 16th & 17th centuries.  He encouraged the parish priests to marry and at the same time Celibate priests were disallowed to serve in parish churches as per the Syriac Christian tradition.

 

On 30 th Medam the Maphrian consecrated Ramban Yuhanon, who had accompanied him from Antoich, as the Metropolitan of Malabar under the title ‘Mar Ivanious’. The consecration was at the Kandanad Church.  After posting Mar Gregorious at Kothamangalam and Mar Ivanious  at Kndanadu the Maphrian began a tour of 14 churches in Travancore, beginning from Kottayam, and returned to the north early in 1753.  He ordained many priests, deacons and Rambans

 

Towards the end of Mar Baselious Bava’s life, a reconciliation was brought about between Mar Thoma V and His Beatitude; but before the accomplishment of re-consecration of MarThoma V, Mar Baselios passed away on 9 th Thulam 1764 at Mattanchery.  His Martal remains were brought down to Kandandu and was entombed at the Church where his anniversary is celebrated on a grand scale.  The Malankara Church celebrates the Dhukrono of Mar Baselios Shakralla Bava on 22 nd October with great fervour and is the main 'Perunnal' (festivity) of the Kandanad Martha Mariyam Church

Marthoma V followed him to the grave on the 27^th Medom (April) in 1765.