Jacobite Syrian Christian Church
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The Jacobite Syrian Christian Church, is the Malankara Archdiocese of the Syrian Orthodox Church in Kerala, India. It is part of the Syriac Orthodox Church, with the Patriarch of Antioch, Ignatius Zakka I Iwas, as its supreme head. The local head of the Jacobite Syrian Christian Church in Malankara is the Catholicos, Baselios Thomas I, ordained by and accountable to the Patriarch of Antioch. It is estimated that the church has about 1,200,000 members globally.[1]
The Church has dioceses in most parts of India as well as in the USA, Canada, United Kingdom, Western Europe, and the Persian Gulf nations.
Malankara is one of the churches that are part of Saint Thomas Christians, tracing their origins to St. Thomas the Apostle who, according to tradition, came to India in AD 52.
[edit] Name
Although the church is officially named, Jacobite Syrian Christian Church[2] it is commonly called the Malankara Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Church. Other names that are in common use are Syrian Orthodox Church in India,Malankara Syrian Orthodox Church, Malankara Syriac Orthodox Church, Malankara Jacobite Church, Syriac Orthodox Church in India, and Malankara Jacobite Church. The Church is sometimes referred as Patriarchal faction or Bava faction, because of the disputes with the Methran Faction.
In 2000, a Holy Synod ruled that the name of the church in English should be the "'Syriac Orthodox Church". It had been, and often still is today, called the "Syrian Orthodox Church". The church in India uses the term "Jacobite" or 'Bava Faction' as a way to distinguish themselves from the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church or Methran Faction.
In Kerala, the church members follow a complicated social modality intermingling traditions of Syrian, Catholic and Hindu traditions. Many of the customs and traditions of this group are borrowed from traditional practices of upper caste Hindus including specific rituals involving marriage, death and caste-related observations in relation to other Christians and lower-caste Hindus.
Jewish-Syriac liturgical time is used to mark the observations of fasting and prayer and the preparation for the Eucharist.[clarification needed] However, the Malayalam Calendar is used to make the more recent religious events such establishment dates of churches, houses and gravestones. This practice is increasingly superseded by the standard Western Gregorian calendar. The Malayalam numbering of calendar years is 825 years less than the standard.
[edit] History
[edit] Establishment of Christianity in India
It is believed that St. Thomas, one of the twelve disciples of Jesus, had founded the Church in India. The tradition goes that St. Thomas visited various places in Kerala and baptized many Jews and Hindus and thus began the process of establishing the Church. Middle East countries and Kerala had trade relations during the early centuries and and it is very clear that there was a sea route to Kerala coast in those days. Both these makes the belief gullible. Both the Jewish as well as the local converts were in the beginning mentioned as St.Thomas Christians or 'Nazaranis' (being followers of Jesus who was a native of Nazareth). One of the earliest references to Christianity in India mentions the visit of Alexandria’s leading Theologian, Pantenus to the Indian Christians at their invitation in AD 190.
[edit] Establishment of the Catholicate of the East
Though the Christian Church in Persian empire was under the jurisdiction of the Patriarchate of Antioch from its beginning, later it became impossible for the people to go to Antioch and receive ordination due difficulty in travelling as well as political problem. Under the circumstance, the Patriarch of Antioch used to appoint a Archbishop entitled Catholicos to administer the Eastern Dioceses (parts of Persian Empire) beyond the boundaries of the Roman Empire. The second universal Holy Synod held at Constantinople in AD 381 (Canon 2), reconfirmed the authority of the Patriarch of Antioch over the Archbishop (Catholicos) of Selucia (later in Tigris).
Late, the Catholicos of Selucia adopted Nestorian faith and declared independence. Another post called Maphrian (also referred to as Catholicos) was established with the same power and authority as catholicos to rule over Oriental Orthodox Christians in Persia. The Indian Church was administered by these Maphriyono's and Metropolitans appointed by them, though with regular disruptions in contact.
[edit] First Syrian Colonization
[edit] Second Syrian Colonization
[edit] Church during 10 to 15 centuries
[edit] Nestorian Era
[edit] Roman Catholic Era
[edit] Protestant Era
[edit] Split of the Jacobite Church
[edit] Catholicate in India
[edit] Dioceses of the Jacobite Syrian Christian Church
- Malabar Diocese (Syriac Orthodox Church)
- Kozhikode
- Thrissur
- Angamali
- Kochi[3]
- Kandanad
- Kottayam[4]
- Idukki
- Knanaya Archdiocese
- Niranam[5]
- Thumpamon
- Kollam
- Bangalore
- Bombay
- Delhi
- Chennai
- Middle East
- Malankara Archdiocese of Europe
- Patriarchal Vicarate of Ireland
- Patriarchal vicarate of Germany & Central Europe
- Australia & New Zealand
- Simhasana Churches
- EAE Churches
- Honavar Mission
- Malankara Archdiocese of North America
[edit] Major Institutions
- Malankara Jacobite Syrian Youth Association
- Malankara Jacobite Syrian Vanitha Samajam
- Malankara Jacobite Syrian Sunday School Association
- Malankara Syrian Orthodox Theological Seminary
- Mor Gregorious Jacobite Students Movement
[edit] Bishops of the Church
The church has 27 Indian bishops & Catholicos:
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[edit] Autonomous dioceses
The North American, Europe Archdiocese, Knanaya Archdiocese, Simhasana, Evangelical Association are under the jurisdiction of the Patriarch. Of these, the last two had been formed as autonomous bodies in the early 20th century, to escape from the onslaught of civil court cases arisen from disputes with the rival Orthodox Church of India(Malankara Orthodox Church).
[edit] Knanaya Archdiocese
The Knanaya diocese (today an archdiocese) was formed in 1910. Its jurisdiction extends to all Knanaya Jacobite people throughout the world. The diocese was formed in recognition of the endogamous character of the Knanaya people. It was also intended to recognize the leadership and sacrifice of the Knanaya people in establishing and maintaining since 345 A.D. the (Antiochan) orthodox faith in Malankara. The Knanaya Archbishop is a member of the Synod of the Universal Syriac Orthodox Church, but is part of the Jacobite Syrian Christian Church.
[edit] See also
- Catholicos
- List of Orthodox Churches
- List of Patriarchs of Antioch - to 518
- List of Syriac Orthodox Patriarchs of Antioch - list from 518
- Saint Thomas Christians (Syrian Malabar Nasrani)
[edit] References
- ^ Fahlbusch, Erwin; Lochman, Jan Milic; Mbiti, John S.; Vischer, Lukas; Bromiley, Geoffrey William. The Encyclopedia Of Christianity (Encyclopedia of Christianity) Volume 5. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company. pp. 285. ISBN 0-8028-2417-X.
- ^ Content of The Patriarchal Boola No E 149/02 dated July 5, 2002, issued by the Patriarch of Antioch, Ignatious Zakka I Jacobite Syrian Christian Church
- ^ Kochi Diocese
- ^ Kottayam Diocese
- ^ Niranam Diocese
[edit] External links
[edit] General Links
- Jacobite Syrian Church Organization
- Malankara Syriac Voice by Mor Behnan Study Circle
- SyrianChurch.org: Malankara Syriac Christian Resources
- Malankara Jacobite Syrian Christian Network
- SyriacChristianity.org: Malankara Syriac Resources
- Malankara Jacobite Syrian Christian Association
[edit] Dioceses and Churches
- Malankara Archdiocese of the Syrian Orthodox Church in North America
- Kochi Diocese of the Jacobite Syrian Church
- Kottayam Diocese of the Jacobite Syrian Church
- Niranam Diocese of Jacobite Syrian Christian Church
[edit] Online Magazines
- Viswasa Samrakshakan, a Fortnightly of Jacobite Syrian Christians
- Shroro - The Syriac Orthodox Christian Digest
- - Malankara Syriac Voice
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