Coonan Cross Oath

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The Coonan Cross Oath (Malayalam: കൂനൻ കുരിശ് സത്യം, Kūnan Kuriśŭ Satiaṁ), also known as the Great Oath of Bent Cross, the Leaning Cross Oath or the Oath of the Slanting Cross, taken on 3 January 1653 in Mattancherry, was a public avowal by members of the Saint Thomas Christians of the Malabar region in India, that they would not submit to the Jesuits and Latin Catholic hierarchy, nor accept Portuguese dominance (Padroado) in ecclesiastical and secular life.[1][2][3]

Thomasine Christians were originally in communion with the Church of the East, which practiced East Syriac Rite liturgy.[4] However, the Portuguese did not accept the legitimacy of local ecclesiastical traditions, and they began to impose Latin usages upon the local Christians.[5] At the Synod of Diamper in 1599, presided over by Aleixo de Menezes, the Padroado appointed Latin Catholic Archbishop of Goa and the Primate of the East Indies, a number of such latinisations were imposed, including the preference for Portuguese bishops, changes in the liturgy, the use of Roman vestments, the requirement of clerical celibacy, and the setting up of the Portuguese Inquisition in Goa and Bombay-Bassein which exercised ecclesial jurisdiction in Portuguese Cochin.[6][7][8][9]

The church of Our Lady of Life, Mattancherry

In 1653, after half a century of the increasing influence of the Latin Church, the majority of the Malabar Christians resisted Padroado Jesuits, and took the Coonan Cross Oath (1653) at Mattancherry, pledging to liberate themselves from latinisation and Portuguese domination. They elected Thoma as the archdeacon and head of their community and decided to re-establish intercommunion with older Eastern Churches.[10][2][11]

Background[]

Thoma I, the leader of the Coonan Cross Oath
Main article: Church of the East in India
Further information: Synod of Diamper

The Saint Thomas Christians remain in communion with the Church of the East.[12] It is believed that Malabar Church was in communion with the Church of the East from CE 300 to CE 1599.[13] With the establishment of Portuguese power in parts of India, the clergy of that empire, in particular members of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits), attempted to Latinise the Indian Christians.[14]

The Portuguese started a Latin Church diocese in Goa (1534) and another at Cochin (1558), and sought to bring the St.Thomas Christians under the jurisdiction of the Portuguese padroado and into the Latin Rite of the Catholic Church. A series of synods, including the 1585 Synod of Goa, were held, which introduced Latinized elements to the local liturgy. In 1599 Aleixo de Menezes, Archbishop of Goa, led the Synod of Diamper, which finally brought the Saint Thomas Christians fully under the authority of the Latin Archdiocese of Goa.[15]

The independence of the ancient Church of Malankara was rescinded. The Padroado (Patronage) of the Portuguese Crown was only momentary for the feelings of resentment and the desire to regain independence among the St. Thomas Christians were very real and could not be contained for long.[16]

In 1653, Ahatallah of Antioch visited Malankara and was captured by the Portuguese. He was taken onboard a Portuguese ship at Madras bound for Goa, and en route, it touched Cochin. Local Christians heard of the arrival of the ship at Cochin. The Archdeacon with a large number of Priests and several thousands of Saint Thomas Christians assembled at Mattancherry Cochin; their efforts to visit the Bishop when the fleet arrived in Cochin intensified but ultimately, they were not fruitful. Several letters were sent to all the civil and religious authorities in Cochin, for at least an opportunity to visit Ahatallah, to examine his credentials and to verify his identity, promising that if he was found an imposter, they would be the first to press for his punishment. Due to the staunch and intransigent opposition of Archbishop Garcia and the Jesuit fathers[17] it did not happen. The Archbishop even refused to meet the Christians, who wanted to discuss the matter with him. What happened to Ahatallah in the midst of the Arabian Sea is still a mystery. Further resentment of these measures led a part of the community to take the Coonan Cross Oath in 1653, swearing "never to submit to the Portuguese".

According to some writing in the 1980s,[17] Ahatalla is said to have landed at Surat in 1652 and thence came to Mylapore, where he was arrested by the Jesuits on 3 August 1652. While at Mylapore, Ahatalla met two Syrian Christian deacons, viz: Chengannur ltty and Kuravilangad Kizhakkedath Kurien from Malankara, who were on a pilgrimage to the tomb of St. Thomas and sent a letter through them to the Church of Malankara saying:

Behold, I Ignatius, Patriarch of All India and China, send to you a letter through the clerics who came here from your place. When you have read this letter diligently send me two priests and forty men. If however, you wish to send them from your place, send them cautiously, quickly and soon, so that seeing your people they would release me without hindrance. I came to the city of Mylapore thinking that many people come here, and that priests would get me to your place of the Indias. In the year 1652 of our Lord, in the month of August, on Monday, I arrived in Mylapore in the monastery of the Jesuits. In the same monastery I stay, and they help me very much; may their reward increase here and there. Peace be with them, with you, and with us now and always. Amen. I, Ignatius, Patriarch of All India and China.

When the ship carrying Ahatallah reached Goa, he was handed over to the inquisition, and he was kept in close custody in the Jesuit house there. He was sent to Portugal on the ship "Nosa Senhora da Graca" from Goa and reached Lisbon on 14 July 1653.[17] The king of Portugal decided to send him to Rome. Accordingly, while he was on his way to Rome, he died in Paris on 26 March 1654 and is buried at the Jerusalem Chapel of the Cordeliena Church.[18] St. Vincent De Paul, who met Ahatallah at Paris, mentions him in the following words "There remains in this city a good old man of eighty years, a foreigner, who was lodging with the late monsignor Archbishop of Myra. They say he is the Patriarch of Antioch. Be that it may, he is alone and has no mark of prelacy".[19] The treatment of Ahatalla, however, shocked the Christian community, and their wounded feelings effervesced into a mass upsurge that heralded the breaking off from the Padroado of the Portuguese Crown and the "Paulists".[16]

"In case the patriarch cannot be produced, he having been killed by the Paulists [Jesuits], let any other person of the four religious orders come here by order of the supreme pontiff, a man who knows Syriac, and can teach us in our offices, except the Paulists, whom we do not at all desire, because they are enemies of us and of the church of Rome; with that exception let anybody come, and we are ready to obey without hesitation."[20]

Oath[]

Seeing that the Archbishop thus turned a deaf ear to their insistent pleas, the Nasranis became extremely exasperated. A rumor also was spread at this time that Ahatallah was drowned by the Portuguese. Hence on 3 January 1653, Archdeacon Thomas and representatives from the community assembled at St Mary's Church (Nossa Senhora da Vida) at Mattancherry to swear what would be known as the "Coonan Cross Oath". The following oath was read aloud with lighted candles, with the Archdeacon and the leading priests touching the Bible while the people held ropes tied to a cross outside the church.[21]

The number of people who took part in the Sathyam (Oath) was so significant that all of them could not touch the granite Cross at the same time. Therefore, they held on to ropes tied to the Cross in all directions. After the historic oath was read, out of a population of 200,000 St. Thomas Christians, only 400 remained loyal to Archbishop Garcia.

The event broke the 54-year-old Padroado (patronage) rule of the Portuguese Crown over the Malankara Syrian Church. (Padroado supremacy of Portuguese Crown imposed at the Udayamperur Synod in 1599)

Various interpretations of the events[]

Stephen Neill[]

The situation is explained by Stephen Neill (an Anglican Protestant missionary and historian, from Scotland) in his book A History of Christianity in India: The Beginnings to AD 1707.

"On [sic] January 1653, priests and people assembled in the church of Our Lady at Mattancherry, and standing in front of a cross and lighted candles swore upon the holy Gospel that they would no longer obey Garcia, and that they would have nothing further to do with the Jesuits they would recognize the Archdeacon as the governor of their Church. This is the famous oath of the "Coonan Cross" (the open-air Cross which stands outside the church at Mattancherry). The Saint Thomas Christians did not at any point suggest that they wished to separate themselves from the Pope. They could no longer tolerate the arrogance of Garcia. And their detestation of the Jesuits, to whose overbearing attitude and lack of sympathy they attributed all their troubles, breathes through all the documents of the time. But let the Pope send them a true bishop, not a Jesuit, and they will be pleased to receive and obey him."[16]

Thomas Whitehouse[]

Thomas Whitehouse, an Anglican Protestant missionary quotes from the "Church Missionary Society Report for 1818-19," p. 317.

"These Portuguese having murdered Mar Ignatius, we will no longer join them. We renounce them, and do not want either their love or their favour. The present Francis, bishop, shall not be our governor. We are not his children or followers. We will not again acknowledge Portuguese bishops."[22]

Various Puthenkoor versions[]

  • Version of Punnathara Dionysius III in the letter to the C.M.S.

The version presented in a letter of Dionysious Punnathara (c. d 1825) (a nineteenth century prelate of the Malankara Syrian Church) to the head of the Anglican Church Missionary Society from a translation of it out of the Syriac original:

"Mar Dionysius, Metropolitan of the Jacobite-Syrians in Malabar, subject to the authority of our Father, Mar Ignatius, Patriarch, who presides in the Apostolic See of Antioch of Syria, beloved of the Messiah. Love from Christ and the people of all the churches to Lord Gambier and ....
In the year of our Lord 1653, came our Spiritual Father, Mar Ignatius, the Patriarch, from Antioch to Malabar: but, when the Franks knew this, they brought the Holy Man to the walls of Cochin, imprisoned him in a cell and gave no small money to the King of Cochin. They then brought out the good man, and the drowned him in the sea, and so put him to death. But when we knew this, all the Jacobite Syrians in Malabar assembled in the Church of Mathancherry, which is in Cochin, and we swore a great oath, by the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, that henceforth we would not adhere to the Franks, nor accept the faith of the Pope of Rome: we accordingly separated from them. A short time after this, some of our people again joined them, and received the faith of the Pope."[23]

Here, the oath is interpreted as an opposition to the Pope himself. The Jacobite Syrian Christian Church strictly adhere to this version of Punnathra Dionysius. Other Puthenkoor churches including, Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church, Malankara Marthoma Syrian Church, and Malabar Independent Syrian Church, adhere to this version, however with significant variations.

  • Version in Mattancherry Padiyola published by E.M. Philip

As per the Idavakapathrika magazine (book 5, volume 3, Meenam) published in 1896 edited by E.M. Philip, a Syriac Orthodox historian and author, the Mattancherry Padiyola describes the oath as the following:

“On the 3rd of Makaram of the 1653rd year after the birth of Māran [Lord] Isho Mishiha [Jesus Christ], this was the decision declared and executed by the Arcadiakon father and the vicars and native priests of the churches belonging to the diocese of Malankara and everyone else at the church in Mattancherry:
that is, since the Patriarch who had been sent to Malankara for us from the holy catholic church was deprived from us by the bishop and the Sanpaloor padre for their interest, we pledge that Bishop Mar Francius who now rule Malankara is no longer our bishop and we are no longer the subjects of his diocese, unless the Patriarch comes to Malankara and we see him before our very eyes. In order for a bishop to rule our church according to the order of the holy church, it is imperative that Thomas Arcadiacon himself should rule from now on. For this cause the executives are Ittithoman Kathanar of Kallissery Church, Kadavil Chandi kathanar of Kaduthuruthy Church, Vengur Geevarghese Kathanar of Angamaly Church and Chandi kathanar of Kuravilangad Church, and all this four be in charge and they must assemble every three years [regularly] to discuss and to order.
Kadavil Chandi Kathanar inscribes this as per this declaration.”[24]

Sanpaloor is the equivalent of St. Paul's monastery or town, a Portugese stronghold near Vaippikotta. It was so called because the Paulists or Jesuits resided there.[25]

Aftermath[]

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Saint Thomas Christians - Divisions- History in a nutshell

After the events of the Leaning Cross Oath, the Knanaya priest Anjilimoottil Itty Thommen Kathanar of Kallissery is noted to have solidified the schism of the Thomas Christians from the Padroado. Being a skilled Syriac writer, it is noted that Anjilimootill forged two letters from Mor Ahatallah which stated Archdeacon Parambil Thomas could be ordained bishop with the laying of hands. The letters were read with enthusiasm in the churches of the Thomas Christians and Thoma was later consecrated as bishop in a ceremony in which twelve priests laid hands on him.[26] Since this Episcopal consecration was in the absence of laying of hands of bishops, this is held unorthodox by Syro-Malabar Church.

After the Coonan Cross Oath, the Portuguese missionaries attempted reconciliation with Saint Thomas Christians but were not successful. Later, Pope Alexander VII sent the Syriac bishop Joseph Sebastiani as the head of a Carmelite delegation that regained most of the Saint Thomas Christians, including Parambil Chandy of Kuravilangad and Kadavil Chandy Kathanar. Palliveettil Chandy was consecrated as the Metropolitan for the Chaldean Syriac Catholics who professed to obey the Catholic Church in 1663.[27][28][29]

After the Coonan Cross Oath, between 1661 and 1665, the Syrian Catholics (Pazhayakoor) claimed 84 of the 116 churches, while Archdeacon Thoma I and the independent Syrians (Puthenkoor) claimed 32. The 84 Pazhayakoor are the body from which the modern Syro-Malabar Church and Chaldean Syrian Church descend. The other 32 churches are the body from which the Malankara Syrian Church (Jacobites and Orthodox), Malabar Independent Syrian Church (1772), Mar Thoma Syrian Church (1874), and Syro-Malankara Catholic Church originate.[30][31] Thoma I, meanwhile sent requests to various Oriental Churches to receive canonical consecration as bishop. In 1665, Gregorios Abdal Jaleel, a bishop sent by the Syrian Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch, arrived in India and the faction under the leadership of Thoma I welcomed him. The bishop was sent in correspondence to the letter sent by Thoma to the Oriental Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch. Bishop Abdul Jaleel regularised the Episcopal succession of Thoma I.[32][31] This visit gradually introduced the West Syriac liturgy, customs and script to the Malabar Coast.[33] The visits of prelates from the Syriac Orthodox Church of Antioch continued since then and this led to gradual replacement of the East Syriac Rite liturgy with the West Syriac Rite and the Puthenkootukar affiliated to the Miaphysite Christology of the Oriental Orthodox Communion.[34][35][36] The Pazhayakuttukar continued with the East Syriac traditions and stayed within the Catholic Church with Diophysite Faith.[37]

This led to the first lasting formal schism in the Saint Thomas Christian community between the faction affiliated with the Catholic Church under Bishop Palliveettil Chandy, designated the Pazhayakuttukar, or "Old Allegiance", and the branch affiliated with Thoma I, called the Puthankuttukar, or "New Allegiance".[38][39][40][41] These appellations have been somewhat controversial, though, as both parties used the official name ("Malankara Church"), considered themselves the true heirs to the Saint Thomas tradition, and saw the other party as schismatic.[38]

See also[]

Notes[]

  1. ^ Brown 1956, p. 100.
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b Baum & Winkler 2003, p. 115-116.
  3. ^ Neill 2004, p. 316.
  4. ^ Mingana 1926, p. 435–514.
  5. ^ Mundadan 1967, p. 115-116.
  6. ^ Mechery, Antony (2018). "Archbishop Aleixo de Menezes OSA, A Portuguese Fidalgo: Behind the Curtain". Vidyajyoti Journal of Theological Reflection. 82: 8-34.
  7. ^ Brown 1956, p. 32.
  8. ^ Baum & Winkler 2003, p. 115.
  9. ^ Neill 2004, p. 208.
  10. ^ Brown 1956, p. 100-101.
  11. ^ Neill 2004, p. 316-321.
  12. ^ I. Gillman and H.-J. Klimkeit, Christians in Asia Before 1500, (Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 1999), p. 177.
  13. ^ "CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: St. Thomas Christians".
  14. ^ Frykenberg 2008, pp. 127–128.
  15. ^ Neill (2004), pp. 208–210.
  16. ^ Jump up to: a b c Neill (2004).
  17. ^ Jump up to: a b c Kollamparambil, Dr Jacob (1981). The St. Thomas Christian Revolution 1653. Catholic Bishop's House Kottayam. p. foot note 38.
  18. ^ Death register Cordeliena Church Paris
  19. ^ Thekkedath, Joseph (1982). History of Christianity in India. Theological Publications in India for the Church History Association of India. p. 213.
  20. ^ Neill (2004), p. 319.
  21. ^ Thekkedathu (1972), p. 60.
  22. ^ Whitehouse, Thomas (1873). Lingerings of light in a dark land: Researches into the Syrian church of Malabar. William Brown and Co. p. 306.
  23. ^ Professor Lee, ed. (October 1822). "Letter from Punnathara Dionysious (Thoma XI) to the Head of the Church Mission Society". The Missionary Register. M DCCC XXII: 431–432.
  24. ^ Cheeran, Joseph (2013). palūr-kunnamkulam idavakakal: charitravum samskaravum (in Malayalam). Kunnamkulam: M. J. D. Publishing House. p. 53.
  25. ^ Whitehouse (1873), p. 169.
  26. ^ Neill 2004, pp. 320–321.
  27. ^ Mundadan & Thekkedath 1982, pp. 96–100.
  28. ^ Rev Dr Placid Podipara, The Hierarchy of Syro Malabar Church, in Collected works of Rev Dr Placid Podipara CMI, Vol I p 719
  29. ^ "Christians of Saint Thomas (Christian groups, India) – Encyclopedia Britannica". Britannica.com. Retrieved 18 November 2013.
  30. ^ Catholic Encyclopedia- "St. Thomas Christians"
  31. ^ Jump up to: a b Mundadan & Thekkedath 1982.
  32. ^ Menachery G; 1973, 1982, 1998; Podipara, Placid J. 1970; Leslie Brown, 1956; Tisserant, E. 1957
  33. ^ Vadakkekara 2007, p. 88.
  34. ^ Gregorios & Roberson, p. 285.
  35. ^ Vadakkekara, p. 91.
  36. ^ Gouvea, Antonio de (1606). Jornada. Coimbra.
  37. ^ Perczel, István (2013). Peter Bruns; Heinz Otto Luthe (eds.). "Some New Documents on the Struggle of the Saint Thomas Christians to Maintain the Chaldaean Rite and Jurisdiction". Orientalia Christiana: Festschrift für Hubert Kaufhold zum 70. Geburtstag; pp. 415-436. Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz Verlag: 417.
  38. ^ Jump up to: a b Vadakkekara 2007, p. 84.
  39. ^ Frykenberg 2008, p. 361.
  40. ^ Fernando, p. 79.
  41. ^ Chaput, pp. 7–8.

Bibliography[]

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