Malankara Metropolitan

Part of a series on
Christianity in India
Background
Nasrani St. Thomas Christians Ancient Crosses of India Synod of Diamper Coonan Cross Oath
People
St. Thomas the Apostle St. Francis Xavier St. Gonsalo Garcia Devasahayam Pillai St. Alphonsa Muttathupadam Thomas of Cana Mother Teresa Palackal Thoma Malpan Mar Augustine Kandathil Mar Sapor and Prodh Marthoma Metrans St. Gregorios of Parumala St. Baselios Eldho Fr. Kuriakose Elias Chavara Fr. Varghese Payapilly Palakkappilly Mgr. Joseph C. Panjikaran St. Geevarghese Mar Dionysius William Carey
Churches
St. Thomas Christians: Malankara (historical) Chaldean Syrian Jacobite Syrian Malankara Orthodox Syrian Malabar Independent Syrian Mar Thoma St. Thomas Evangelical Syro-Malabar Catholic Syro-Malankara Catholic Latin Rite: Latin Catholic Protestant denominations: Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church of North India Church of South India Garo Baptist Pentecostal Church of God North Bank Baptist Christian Northern Evangelical Lutheran Presbyterian The Pentecostal Mission Seventh-day Adventist True Jesus United Evangelical Lutheran
Indian Christianity portal
v · d · e

Malankara Metropolitan was a legal title given to the head of the Malankara Church by the Governments of Travancore and Cochin in South India. This title was awarded by a proclamation from the government of Travancore. It was first recommended in 1815, by Colonel Munro, (the British Resident in Travancore and Cochin) that continued till 1877. After 1877, every denomination in the Malankara Church started claiming their prelate as the Malankara Metropolitan

History

On 1 December 1808, Marthoma VII handed over a sum of 3,000 Poovarahan as a trust to the then British Resident of Travancore and Cochin Colonel Macaulay. This amount is known as Vattipanam.

The receipt issued by Colonel Macaulay stated that,

Colonel Macaulay the Resident of Travancore do hereby certify to have this day received from Mar Thomas Metran, Acting Metropolitan of the Syrian Church of Malabar, the amount of 3,000 Star Pagodas in the Hon'ble Company's Loan in perpetuity, and agreed to pay in Travancore, as long as the Ancient Church lasts, to the Metropolitan or Metran, or any other regularly constituted prelate annually the interest of the above amount at 8 percent, by obtaining receipt for the same.^[1]

Reason for the title's introduction

The first instalemnt of the interest was paid in 1809to the Metropolitan Mar Thoma VIII (1809-1816). In 1810, Major Munroe arrived in Travancore as the British resident. Soon Pulikottil Ittoop Joseph Ramban, of the Malankara Church met him and complained about Mar Thoma VIII. So Col. Munroe withheld the interest from 1810 to 1813.

In 1814, the interest for the four years (1810 -1813) was paid to Pulikottil Ittoop Joseph Ramban who was not the Metropolitan of the Malankara Church. Because of this gross mistake the Madras governor reprimanded Col. Munroe . For this there were only two solutions. Either Ramban Joseph refund the whole amount to the Government or be ordained as a bishop. The first was impossible. So he took the second choice. Then there were other difficulties. Mar Thoma VIII would not consecrate him and the Church will not accept him. So he went to Malabar, a place outside Travancore and Cochin and was ordained by Mar Philoxenos II, Kidangan.(1816–1829) of the Thozhyoor Church. At that time neither Thozhyoor Church nor its bishops were recognised by the Malankara Church.

Realizing that neither Mar Thoma VIII nor Malankara Church will accept him as a properly ordained Metropolitan, the Government of Travancore and Cochin issued a Royal proclamation (under the recommendation of British Resident Colonel Munroe) stating that all Syrian Christians should obey Pulikkottil Joseph Mar Dionysious I (Dionysious II). This was the first time a government interfeared in the internal affairs of the Malankara Church.^[2][3].^[4]

Recipients

Following Metropolitans received the title and the interest of the ‘’Vattipanam’’. This title was life long, or till they abdicated.

Year/s received	Names of recipients
1815 – 1816	Mar Thoma X. Pulikkottil Joseph Mar Dionysious I (Dionysious II)
1817 – 1829	Mar Philoxenos II, Kidangan, of the Thozhyoor Church
1829 – 1852	Cheppad Philipose Mar Dionysius (Mar Thoma XII)
1852 – 1877	Mar Thoma XIII, Mathews Mar Athanasius Metropolitan

The first three were consecrated by a Thozhyoor bishop and the last one by the Patriarch of Antioch.

References

1. ^ Receipt issued on December 1808, (ME. Virchigam 18, 984), by Colonel Macaulay Resident of Travancore.
2. ^ Cheriyan, Dr. C.V. Orthodox Christianity in India. Pages 226,227.
3. ^ Joseph Cheeran, Rev. et.al. Indian Orthodox Church History and Culture. Page 442, 444, 448
4. ^ Mathew, P.V. Keralathile Nazranee Kristianikal. (Malayalam). Vol II. Page 154-174

See also

• Malankara Church

External links

• Ordinations, Demises etc. of Malankara Church leaders at Niranam Valiyapally
• Official Malankara Orthodox Web Radio
• Official Malankara Orthodox Web TV
• MOSC Online News Media
• Malankara Orthodox/Baselius College Radio