Come 3rd July, the whole world commemorates the death anniversary of St.Thomas, one of the 12 Apostles of Lord Jesus Christ. The remembrance of this event is popularly known as ‘Dukhrana’, a Syriac word meaning remembrance. The tradition of a large population of Christians, particularly in India, commonly called Marthoma Nazaranis, trace their patrimony in faith to the visit of St. Thomas to Malabar in the year 52 A.D. St.Thomas attained martyrdom on 3rd July 72 A.D at Chinnamala near the city of the present day Chennai. The mortal remains were buried there, now known as St.Thomas Mount, and it is for this reason that 3rd July is celebrated as ‘Dukhrana’ by the Marthoma Nazaranis.
St.Pope Paul VI declared St Thomas as the Apostle of India, on the 25th March 1972 coinciding with the 19th Centennial celebrations of the martyrdom of St.Thomas.The mortal remains of the saint were taken to Edessa, in the present Iraq, in the 13th century, and from there to Basilica di San Tommaso in Orthona, in Italy. On the 6th December 1953, His Eminence Cardinal Eugene Tisserant, then Secretary of the Sacred Congregation for Oriental churches, brought a piece of bone from one of the hands of the saint, while on a visit to Kerala at the invitation of the Syro Malabar and Syro Malankara Bishops. This relic have been preserved at the St.Thomas shrine, at Kodungalloor, as a memorial of the visit in 52 AD.
Communion of the St. Thomas Christians are now divided into many Churches both within and outside the Roman Catholic Church. The Churches within the Roman Catholic Church namely the Syro Malabar and the Syro Malankara Catholic communities trace their legacy and patrimony to the Apostolic Mission of St. Thomas. The Aramaic name of Thomas is ‘Taunaai’ meaning twin. Some churches of the East both within and outside the Catholic Communion celebrate the death anniversary of St.Thomas on 6th October. Some historians have described the trip of St.Thomas to India, who lived in the 3rd and 4th centuries namely Ambrose of Milan, Gregory of Nazianzus, Jerome, and Ephrem the Syrian. Besides, the visit of St.Thomas is described in the Thommaparvam, written in 1601. The Seven and half Churches(Communities) founded by St.Thomas are at Kodungallur, Kollam, Niranam, Nilackal (Chayal), Kokkamangalam, Kottakkavu (Paravur), Palayoor and Thiruvanthomcode Arappilly (Half Church), now in Tamil Nadu.
There is a tradition which is authentic describing the cultural background of early Christians, those observing Brahmin customs in the Middle Ages, such as the wearing of the sacred thread and having a kudumi. Later on, in the 4th century, traders from Persia under the leadership of Thomas of Cana, visited Kodungallur and this accelerated the presence of an east Syrian settlement and missionaries from those regions, Ezra, Messopotomia etc. leading to an Syrian settlement for over eleven centuries till the advent of Portuguese Missionaries to India in the late 15th century. Gradually, the community of St.Thomas Christians were brought under the ecclesiastical discipline of the Persian church who practised East Syriac tradition with regard to liturgy, and the church administration. The spiritual and the ecclesiastical control of the St.Thomas Christians were brought under the jurisdiction of a Metropolitan Bishop despatched from Persia. The seat of this Bishop could have been either at Kodungallur or at Mylapore since there is no consensus ad idem with regard to this theory among the historians. The native Archdeacon was appointed by the Metropolitan Bishop who wielded vast power over the clergy and the lay faithful. It is believed and historically proved that the Archdeacons belonged to the Pakalomattom family mainly settled at Kuruvalangadu near Pala.
The first contact of the St.Thomas Christians with the west was through the visit of Vasco da gama, a Portugues sailor who discovered Sea route to India. This was in 1498 A.D., when Vasco da gama visited Kappad near the present day Kozhikode. The Portuguese Missionaries who followed Vasco da Gama had brought about many reforms among the St.Thomas Christians with regard to their ecclesiastical, Liturgical and spiritual matters including governance. it is thereafter that in the year 1599 A.D, that Archbishop, Aleixo de Menezes, the Metropolitan of Padroado at Goa, convoked the Synod of Diamper, at Udayamperoor. The Diamper Synod which went on for few a months made great strides with regard to various aspects concerning the St.Thomas Christians, particularly the form of divine workship as well as administration of Church property. I do not venture to deal with this aspect except to state that the consequences flowing from the resolution passed in the Synod was historical and considered to be a watershed in the life of the St. Thomas Christians. Later on, in January 1653, a group of St.Thomas Christians raised a very strong protest against the reign of Portuguese Missionaries for defacing and defiling the tradition and patrimony of the St.Thomas Christians and eventually embraced Antiochen faith and heritage. This group later on were divided into many other churches all of which are outside the Roman Catholic communion, except the Malankara Catholic church.
The group of St.Thomas Christians who stood faithfully with the Roman Catholic Church is now called the Syro Malabar Catholic community which is at present Sui juris church which was declared officially as Major Archi Episcopal Church by St.John Paul II on 29th January, 1993 with the Major Archbishop as the head and the title given is ‘Ernakulam – Angamaly, Major Archi Episcopal See’.
The Syro Malabar Catholic community and the Syro Malankara Catholic community represent the oriental Catholic community in India with a distinct liturgical tradition, governed by Canon Law of the East, (CCEO), Ecclesiology, historical perspective, spirituality etc. The preservation of rich tradition and legacy left behind by St.Thomas Apostle and its manifestation with regard to the divine worship and administration of the sacraments are dear to their hearts but the question remains whether the legacy of St.Thomas which originated in the 1st century should be preserved without any changes in this period of time. Ecclesial identity of the oriental churches no doubt has to be maintained by the members of this community. The scholars of the oriental theology drive home a point that a Sui Juris Church with a separate identity and rite means, ‘liturgical, theological, spiritual disciplinary patrimony of a distinct people’. Therefore rite is not confined to Liturgy alone.
According to Canon 28(2) ‘The rites treated in this code, unless otherwise stated, are those which arise from the Alexandrian, Antiochene, Armenian, Chaldean and Constantinopolitan traditions’. Therefore the Canon Law expresses in favour of the acceptance of the tradition and the patrimony of various oriental churches. However in my view no church can made progress by clinging on to tradition and patrimony for all time to come. Generation after generation has been thinking and infact the thought process is underway to redefine a new liturgical, Ecclesiological, and spiritual patrimony of St. Thomas Christians who are now divided into many churches without any contribution being made to the all-round development of the individual churches, but fighting for their temporal leadership.
Though the community of the Syro Malabar faithful is spread throughout the world, the community is yet to forge a united face in every sense of the word, which caused severe setback to the progress and developments of the particular church. ‘Dukhrana’ should serve as an eye opener to each member of the Syro Malabar and Syro Malankara community, along with their respective Hierarchy to forge as a united community justifying the rich tradition and legacy of a flourishing community and not become complacent with the addition of Eparchies and appointment of Bishops as well as building huge sky scrapers which neither enhance nor nurture the spiritual orientation of the community. St.Thomas therefore is not an Icon to be remembered only on 3rd July, but as the beacon light and source of inspiration to the progeny of the 1st century Christians. Mar Thoma, lives in our hearts but the legacy and its manifestation should be carried to the ongoing generation with grater zeal and devotion.
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Roy Chacko
Advocate.