Valiya Mar Dionysius As the successor of Mar Thoma V, Marthoma VI was consecrated in 1761 at Niranam. In order to work in harmony with the Metropolitans of Antioch, he accepted on 10 July 1770 the name, Mar Dionysius. He was an extraordinarily capable, clever and shrewd administrator.
Marthoma VI was also unhappy about the authenticity of his position. Mar Gregorious and Mar Ivaneous jointly again consecrated him and renamed him as Mar Dionesius I. Dionysius I consecrated Marthoma VII. During his time the Church headquarters was moved from Angamaly to Kottayam, owing to the invasion of Tippu Sultan. Mar Dionysius maintained close contact with the Anglican Chaplain, and was able to get the four gospels translated from Syriac to Malayalam. Towards the end of his life, an amount of Rs. 15000/- was deposited as a fixed deposit with the British Govt., the interest to be used for the Syrian Church. This deposit later became known as Vattipanam. The Thozhiyoor Church came into existence during his time. It was on 8 April 1808 that he passed away at the age of 85. He was laid to rest in St. Mary's Church, Puthencavu. His Anniversary is on 8th April.
Mar Coorilose and Malabar Independent Suriyani Church
Kattumangattu Abraham remban was nursing Mar Gregorious in his old age who arrived in Malankara accompanying Mar Baselius Sakralla. Remban was very adept and scholar in Syriac. Mar Dionysius was busy in Church affairs and so could not attend to the daily needs of Gregorious. Remban exploited this situation to create an ill will towards Mar Dionysius. His persistent request and whisperings against Dionysius won the heart of Gregorious. In 1772 a few months before death Gregorious, without the knowledge or consent of Mar Ivanius of and Mar Dionysius, consecrated Abraham Remban as bishop Koorilose and also wrote a ‘Will’ granting major portion of his assets to Coorilose. Dionesius and Ivanius jointly convened general assembly of churches in the presence of Cochin Raja to decide about Coorilose. The meeting decided that Coorilose should act in submission to Dionysius. The matter went to Dutch authorities. Coorilose resorted to instigate troubles. Dionesius stripped him off his Episcopal robe, staff and Cross. This act on the part of Dionesius was very harsh and insulting Coorilose fled in disguise in the night to neighboring state to escape further harassment from affluent Mar Dionesius and settled at Thozhiyur, Kunnamkulam. “He did not imagine of an independent church,” says JRK Fenwick. However, he consecrated his brother Geevarghese as Coorilose II and founded independent church in 1794. This lineage came to an end with Coorilose III in 1856. Then, Palakunnath Mathews Mar Athanasius, founder of Mar Thoma independent Church, though he had no business to involve, consecrated Panackal Joseph as Bishop Coorilose IV to the widowed Thozhiyur Church. This Joseph Mar Coorilose consecrated Joseph Mar Athanesius in 1883. Mar Thoma Church was widowed after demise of Thomas Mar Athanesius. Then Joseph Mar Athanasius, though he had no business to involve, sprang up and consecrated Titus Marthoma in 1894. Thus as both Thozhiyur and Mar Thoma independent churches maintained each other. In this context one should know that the consecration of Coorilose I by Gregorious and subsequent consecrations by Coorilose I and until the consecration of Joseph Coorilose III was not canonical. None of them had the authority to consecrate another bishop. Then the worst happened. Patriarch had already condemned and excommunicated Mathews Mar Athanasius who ordained Mar Koorilose IV of Thozhiyur and all his arrogant acts were unauthorized, immoral and invalid.
Marthoma Church
By this time, Malankara Syrian Christians had developed close relations with the missionaries sent from Church Mission Society in London. But soon seeds of misunderstanding were sawn and cracks appeared in their relationship. This gap widened and ultimately resulted in their parting of ways. With the converts they gained and with the Syrians who joined with them eventually, a branch of the Church of England known as the Diocese of Travancore and Cochin was formed (1879).
But that was not the end. There was a nucleus of people in the church who longed for the removal of unscriptural customs and practices which had crept into the church over the centuries. They envisioned a reformation in the Church in the light of the Gospel of our Lord. There were two outstanding leaders in this group, one was Palakunnathu Abraham Malpan of Maramon (1796-1845) and the other, Kaithayil Geevarughese Malpan of Puthuppally(1800-1855). Both were teachers in the Syrian Seminary (established in AD 1813 by Pulikottil Mar Dionysius) and had had opportunities to come into close personal contact with the missionaries and to share their insights regarding the Christian life and the nature and function of the Church as depicted in the New Testament and to imbibe the ideas of the Western Reformation. The group led by these two was very much concerned about the need of a revival in the Church.
Reformation Movement
Palakkunnathu Abraham Malpan from Maramon and Kaithayil Geevarghese Malpan from Kottayam who spearheaded this movement, never wanted to start a separate Church. They wanted the reformation staying within the Church. This group gradually became vocal and approached Col. Fraser, the British Resident, with a memorandum in 1836 . But since nothing came of it, Abraham Malpan decided to take action in his own parish of Maramon which was sympathetic towards his ideas of reform. He translated the liturgy of the Holy Qurbana into local language Malayalam from Syriac and also eliminated from it the prayers for the dead and invocation of saints etc. He celebrated Holy Qurbana in his church using the revised St.James liturgy on a Sunday in 1836. This was tantamount to firing the first shot of the reformation. He later on removed from the church the wooden image of a saint reputed to have miraculous powers, and in whose honor an annual festival was held that brought in huge income to the Parish. Both at Maramon and at the Syrian Seminary at Kottayam, and in the neighboring Parishes of Pallom and Kollad, Abraham Malpan popularized Bible teaching and preaching. Abraham Malpan and Geevarghese Malpan had to give up their service in the Seminary, in 1840. Since then Abraham Malpan concentrated his attention on the work of reform, holding Bible classes and prayer meetings and instructing the deacons who were loyal to him.
Most prominent elements in the Reformation were:
1. Return to the gospel message of salvation by faith in Jesus Christ;
2. Cleansing of wrong ways of life, and
3. Taking up responsibility to be witnesses of Jesus Christ to other;
4. All importance be given to the primacy of the Word of God.
Thus the reformation movement was started. It was a return to the purity of the life and practice of the early Church. The emphasis on preaching the word of God led to revival meetings, which were led both by the clergy and laymen. The domination of the clergy as custodians of grace became a thing of the past. Emphasis was given to the sole mediation of Christ, importance of laity and priesthood of all believers. More and more groups were formed for Bible study; and conventions for preaching and hearing the Word of God became common.
Metropolitan Chepat Mar Dionysius was not prepared to accept such changes. So he refused to ordain the deacons who had undergone training with Abraham Malpan. He also excommunicated Abraham Malpan. So Abraham Malpan went to his mother-parish at Maramon. He stood strong in faith and convictions when faced with serious challenges and great difficulties. However the whole parish stood with him. Others who favoured the reforms went to hear his preaching and were strengthed by his exhortations. Some other parishes also decided to adopt the programme of reformation. Abraham Malpan realized that unless he had the support of a bishop who was sympathetic towards his reforms, there was little prospect of the movement gaining ground. So he sent his nephew Deacon Mathew, who was then studying in Madras, to the Patriarch at Mardin in Syria. The Patriarch, being impressed with the character and ability of the deacon, in due course ordained him as priest and consecrated him as Metropolitan, with the name Mathews Mar Athanasius. The new Bishop arrived in Cochin in 1843 with credentials received from the Patriarch.
The new Metropolitan went to Trivandrum and tried to obtain the Royal proclamation declaring him as the Metropolitan of the Malankara Church. Chepat Mar Dionysius opposed this. Mathews Mar Athanasius got the royal proclamation in 1852 declaring him as the Metropolitan of the Malankara Church. Abraham Malpan died at the early age of 49 years in 1845. Having received the Royal proclamation, he made himself more active and involved in the cause of reformation. Years later a group led by Pulikottil Joseph Mar Dionysius who was consecrated by the Patriarch of Antioch worked vigorously against him and his attempts to continue reformation. Mathews Mar Athanasius, consecratd his cousin Abraham Malpan’s son, as Thomas Mar Athanasius in 1868. The reformed party had possession of the Syrian Seminary as Mathews Mar Athanasius had been declared as the Malankara Metropolitan. The Partriarch of Antioch himself came to Kerala in 1875. A prolonged litigation followed, as to who was the rightful Malankara Metropolitan. Mathews Mar Athanasius died in 1877 and Thomas Mar Athanasius had to carry the burden of conducting the court cases, for the possession of the Syrian Seminary and Church property. This case was decided in the royal court of appeal in Trivandrum, in 1889. Two judges decreed that Joseph Mar Dionysius was the rightful Metropolitan of the Malankara Church as he expressed allegiance to the Patriarch of Antioch. One Christian Judge gave the verdict in favour of Thomas Mar Athanasius because of his conviction that the Malankara Church has been an independent Church from the beginning. The majority view prevailed and Thomas Mar Athanasius had to leave the Syrian Seminary and the properties there, because he upheld the autonomy of the Church. It was suggested that Thomas Mar Athanasius would be recognized as Malankara Metropolitan, if he agreed that future consecrations of Bishops should be by the Partriarch of Anticoh. He did not agree to this proposal as it was against the autonomy of the Church.
Again litigation continued for the possession of individual churches. The reform party got only Maramon and Kozhencherry churches by court decision, and the Kottarakara church without contest. Five churches were to be used by the two parties on alternate Sundays. They put up small sheds in other places to hold worship services.
Even though the reform party lost their hereditary and rightful possession, it became the occasion for the people to turn to God and to go forward in faith, trusting in the power of God. This led to a spiritual revival and great joy in spite of difficulties. It was this spiritual fervour which sustained the people. The Maramon Convention (Evangelistic Meeting) was started about this time in the year 1896. The famous Maramon Convention which we have been holding annually, for the last 108 years is a source of great spiritual power and inspiration for innumerable people. The losses were forgotten in the zeal of spiritual fulfillment. The concern for the spread of the Gospel gave momentum to the reformation movement. The successive Metropolitans of the Church also continued in the same spirit, with the help of dedicated clergy whose leadership and sacrificial lives have been deeply appreciated by the people in the Church.
Palakkunnathu Abraham Malpan
Recognized as the catalyst behind the Reformation, Abraham Malpan was born in 1796 (Malayalam Era 971) in Palakunnathu family which is believed to be a branch of the renowned Pakalomattam family. He lost his parents very young, and was raised by his uncle Thomas Malpan. He learned Syriac, and was ordained as a Priest by the 8th Mar Thoma in Malayalam Era 990.It was at this time that the CMS Missionaries started their work in Kottayam. They appointed Abraham Malpan as Syriac Teacher in old Seminary. As a result he came to have close contact with the Missionaries who gave priority to the spreading of the Gospel, and felt the immediate need of purifying the church to be in accordance with the teaching of Christ. He, along with ten other Priests, submitted a memorandum to the British resident Col. Praiser, detailing the malpractices in the church.
Chepat Mar Dionysius the then Metropolitan had a row with the CMS Missionaries, and consequently some of the priests withdrew their support to Abraham Malpan. But Abraham Malpan, his close associate Kaithayil Geevarghese Malpan and a few of their disciples stood firm. The Metropolitan refused to ordain the deacons who were with them. So Abraham Malpan sent his nephew Deacon Mathew to the Patriarch, and he was ordained as Bishop Mathew Mar Athanasius. On his return, he obtained a royal proclamation which was against the wish of Abraham Malpan. Abraham Malpan retreated to Maramon where he lived and served the church according to his vision till his death in 1021 and came to be known as the Eastern Wickliffe.
Post Reformation
Though the reformists succeeded in introducing the revised order of worship and successfully discontinued many practices, they had to pay a heavy price for achieving the desired result and had to face serious mental and financial strains arising out of the prolonged legal battles. In pursuance of the judgment handed out by the Royal Court of Appeal, Bishops consecrated by the reformists group lost control of the Malankara Church and had to vacate the Syrian Seminary at Kottayam, considered as the head quarters of the Malankara Church.
Our forefathers, however, did not lose heart. On the contrary, the material loss and humiliation suffered by them infused renewed vigour and hope in their minds and gave them the confidence to start rebuilding the Church from scratch, laying their trust on God almighty. There has been a phenomenal expansion of the Church during the last six decades, widening its frontiers to various countries of West Asia, Africa, North America and Western Europe. The Church has now 1075 parishes including congregations, divided into eleven dioceses. There are 10 Bishops including the Metropolitan and 786 priests. It has a democratic pattern of administration with a representative assembly (Prathinidhi Mandalam), an executive council (Sabha Council) and an Episcopal Synod.
The Church has been active in the field of education and owns 8 Colleges, 6 Higher Secondary Schools, 1 Vocational Higher Secondary School, 8 High Schools, 1 Training School and other educational institutions owned and managed by individual parishes. We have 3 Technical Institutions at Cherukole, Kalayapuram and Anchal.
The Church has 31 social welfare institutions, 11 destitute homes and five hospitals. The Mar Thoma Tehological Seminary (Estd: in 1926) and 6 other institutes cater to the theological education of both the clergy and the laity. Further, there are three Study Centres, at Managanam, Kottayam and Trivandrum for arranging regular study programmes and to provide opportunities for creative dialogue between church and society on various ethical, moral, social and religious issues. The religious education of children is looked after by the Christian Education Department (the Sunday School Samajam organized in 1905) and the work among youth is carried on by the Youth Department, (the Yuvajana Sakhyam organized in 1933). The Church has a women’s department (the Mar Thoma Suvisesha Sevika Sanghom organized in 1919) which is vigorously active.
The Church actively participates in the programmes of the World Council of Churches, the Christian Conference of Asia, the National Council of Churches and the Kerala Christian Council. It is in full communion with the Anglican Church. The Church of South India and the Church of North India and has cordial relations with the various denominations of the Christian Church. The Church actively co-operates with the C.S.I. and the C.N.I. through CCI (Communion of Churches in India).
The Mar Thoma Church is financially independent and maintains its indigenous nature. Its regular work as well as special projects are almost entirely financed by contributions from its members at home and abroad.
While the history of the Church especially during the last century shows advance and growth in various directions, it will be admitted that there is little room for complacency. In the life of the individual as well as the community, we lag far behind the standard set by our Lord. The Church is in need of renewal in Spirit in order to become more effective and useful instrument in His hands for the extension of His Kingdom. As members of the Church let us therefore surrender ourselves under the mighty hand of God so that He may exalt us and use us for His glory in the years to come.
