Indian Christianity

HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY IN INDIA : M. M. NINAN
In 1665, Mar Gregorios Abdul Jaleel, a Bishop send by the Syriac Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch arrived
in India. This visit established ties between Thomas churches of Malankara and the Syriac Orthodox
Patriarch, and introduced the West Syrian Rite (later known as the Malankara Rite in India). Morthoma I
until his death in 1670 remained faithful and loyal to Antioch.
However, the Syrian Christians around Angamaly who did not accept Mar Gregorius Abdul Jaleel
remained as a separate group and waited for East Syrian bishops as before.
Those who accepted the West Syrian theological and liturgical tradition of Mar Gregorios became known
as Jacobites. Those who continued with East Syrian theological and liturgical tradition and stayed faithful
to the Synod of Diamper are known as the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church in communion with the Catholic
Church. They got their own Syro-Malabar Hierarchy on 21 December 1923 with the Metropolitan Mar
Augustine
Malankara Independent Syrian Church of Thozhiyur
Thozhiur Church and Kattumangattu Abraham Mar Koorilose
In 1772 Mar Gregorios consecrated Abraham Mar Koorilose as bishop. This was not appreciated by his
fellow bishop, who hindered his ministry. Mar Koorilose eventually retired to Thozhiyur where he led a life
of prayer. This church continued as an independent church since then. Three times during its life time the
main Malankara Syrian Church found themselves without a bishop. The Thoziyur Independent Church
provided bishops for it to maintain its apostolic succession. Later it also provided a bishop for Mar Thoma
Church when it found itself without a bishop even though the doctrines of Mar Thoma Church and the
Thozhiyur Church are different. In return when the Thozhiyur Church was without a bishop, Mar Thoma
Church provided a bishop for it. Thus Thozhiyur church became an instrument of maintianing the
apostolic succession without break within the sister Malankara churches.
Until recently Thozhiyur was the only church under this Bishopric. With the increased membership
additional churches are being built. Cochin currently has a new church.
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