Indian Christianity

HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY IN INDIA : M. M. NINAN
CHAPTER TWELVE
MALANKARA ORTHODOX CHURCH
MALANKARA JACOBITE CHURCH
SYRO-MALANKARA CATHOLIC CHURCH
AD 1912 - 1972
Though the acceptance of the Antiochian supremacy was expedient for those opposing the reformation,
not all members of the church were happy with it. This group sent a request to the Patriarch of Syria to
ordain a Maphrianate for Malankara. Maphrianate was an ecclesiastical position in Persian Churches
under the Patriarch. Konattu Mathen Malpan and Vattasseril Geevarghese Malpan wrote to the
Patriarch, raising this issue. But the Patriarch flatly refused the request and replied: "No one should ask
for this, he who defies will be cursed in the name of the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit". The Patriarch
said, if necessary, a native syrian may be elevated as Maphrian and sent to Malankara.
In 1895 when Abdul Messiah was elected and elevated as Patriarch. At that time Mar Abdulla was also
a candidate for the position but he was defeated in the election. As a result, Mar Abdulla left the
Orthodox church and joined the Roman church in 1896 and stayed with it until 1906 . Meanwhile, Mar
Ivanios, the bishop of Jerusalem was removed from office by Patriarch Abdul-Messiah for some
irregularities in the administration of his diocese. .This resulted in a collaboration between Mar Ivanios
and Mar Abdulla to take revenge on Mar Abdul-Messiah. After a series of political subterfuge with the
help of the Sultan of Turkey, Abdul-Messiah was declared Patriarch to. became the rival Patriarch of
Antioch. (Later, Abdulla himself excommunicated mar Ivanios). Thus for a period the Syrian Church
had two rival Partriarchs. (A repetition of this took place again in 20th century, during Abdul-Messiah's
tenure. ) Thus Abdulla II had usurped the Patriarchal seat in 1906. The Patriarch Abdullah issued a
letter on 31st May 1911 excommunicating Geevarghese Mar Dionysius (Mar Dionysius VI).
Abdulla II came to Kerala and wanted Vattasseril Geevarghese Mar Dionysios to sign a document
declaring that the Patriarch had temporal powers over the Malankara Church. Mar Dionysios refused to
sign this document and he was therefore excommunicated by the Patriarch. Mar Abdulla, after stay of 2
years in Malankara returned to Antioch only to die on the way in 1915.
The church consequently split into two groups, one group supporting the Patriarch and called themselves
the "Bava party" and the group of supporting Mar Dionysios called themselves the "Metran party".
Following a request by Mar Dionysios in 1912 to Patriarch Mar Abdul Messiah to come to Kerala and
enthrone a Catholicos in 1964 a Catholicos was ordained as Catholicos Augen I. In 1972 the "Bava
party" with their own Catholicos and bishops separated themselves and formed the Malankara Orthodox
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