Malanakara Church

Here we are enclosing the Internet link to the book “Ithu Viswasathinte Karyam” written by Dr.Thomas Athanasius (Muvattupuzha), the erstwhile Assistant Metropolitan of the Kandanad diocese of the Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Church. This book was first published in 1994 by the Udayagiri Seminary and was reprinted again in 2000 by the Syrian Orthodox Publications in New York.

When this article was written, Thomas Athanasius was administering the Kandanad diocese as Assistant Metropolitan to the Catholicose Aboon Mor Baselious Paulose II Bava. Unfortunately in 1996, he had switched over to Methran Kakshi, a dissident section of the Malankara Syrian Church formed in 1912 under the patronship of a deposed Metropolitan Vattasseril Geevarghese Dionysius.

It is the most relevant portions on the faith and history of the Syrian Orthodox Church that Thomas Athanasius had exposed through his scholarly work “Ithu Viswasathinte Karyam”. He also made a sincere effort in this book to counter the unrealistic arguments of Methran Kakshi. Links to some of the very interesting pages from this book are given below. (full text is available through the link in the bottom of the page)

http://www.geocities.com/malankaraorthodoxfaith/ThomasAthansius_38.htm

http://www.geocities.com/malankaraorthodoxfaith/ThomasAthansius_42.htm

http://www.geocities.com/malankaraorthodoxfaith/ThomasAthansius_43.htm

http://www.geocities.com/malankaraorthodoxfaith/ThomasAthansius_44.htm

http://www.geocities.com/malankaraorthodoxfaith/ThomasAthansius_45.htm

http://www.geocities.com/malankaraorthodoxfaith/ThomasAthansius_46_end.htm

The historical facts and his opinions and expected solutions are clearly explained in this short, but relevant book. Even at this moment, there are many in the Jacobite Syrian Church who believes that, Thomas Athanasius Thirumeni will one day return to the mother Church. Of the four bishops who switched sides, it was only Thomas Athanasius who was ordained by the late lamented Aboon Mor Baselios Paulose II, the Catholicose of the East of the Jacobite Syrian Church. So Bava had a special affection towards him. Though Bava Thirumeni continued as the senior Bishop in charge of the diocese, he had given a free hand to his deputy in the matters of diocesan administration. About two years after the ordination of his assistant, Catholica Bava shifted to Piramadom Dayara. Since then Thomas Athansius Thirumeni became the sole occupant of the Catholicate Aramana at Muvattupuzha. (Now this Aramana of the Jacobite Syrian Church is in the possession of Methran Kakshi.)

Even after the SC judgment of July 1995, all the four Metropolitans who later switched sides, appeared to be a part of the Jacobite Syrian Church. It was Yuhanon Milithios Thirumeni who was in charge of the cases in Supreme Court. In August 1995, Thomas Athansius had wrote another book, this time about the judgment and its repercussions. Here he has clearly mentioned about the independent characteristics of Parishes. (We had earlier published parts of this book, the link to this is available in the end of the present news section page.) Yuhanon Milithious also had then published a detailed leaf let on the matter. All these helped to instigate confidence among the faithful of the Jacobite Syrian Church.

But from early 1996 onwards, under the temptations from the leaders of the opposing group, four bishops started to slowly drift away from the main stream church. When our Catholica Bava came to know on this, he personally discussed the matter with Thomas Athanasius, but Thirumeni’s reaction was negative. Later Bava had at many times requested the bishops to remain with the people. A week before his demise in Sep 1996, at the managing committee meeting held at Thuruthisserry Church, Bava Thirumeni had once again humbly requested his deputy Thomas Athanasius Thirumeni to remain in the Church. Ignoring this, Thomas Athanasius and a few others left the Holy Church in search of greener pastures. But it is doubtful whether they have achieved any goals except some material benefits which they managed to get because of blackmailing their present Church leadership.

Let’s hope that all the Metropolitans who left the Holy Church will return one day to fulfill the dreams and aspirations of the poor members of the Jacobite Syrian Church. In anyway, we the Jacobite Syrian Christians will ever be grateful to Dr. Thomas Athanasius for writing an article like this which exposes the true picture of the Church history.