Current Reality
In order to take stock of the current reality,one has to start from the arrival of Palakkunnathu Mar Athanasiose in Malankara and developments thereafter.Palakkunnathu Methran played a double game,when it suited him he played the role of Malankara Methran following the traditions of MOC and when it suited him wore the mantle of reformist(meaning move the Church to Protestant faith)
Like all who play double game,he got exposed to the majority of the Church not very long after.The result was ordination of Mar Dionysus V ,the second Malankara Methran from pulikkottil family.He had an unenviable task.The Church and its resources,support of the Government were all with Palakkunnathu.Pulikkottil Thirumeni with the shrewdness that was his greatest asset,fought a valiant battle to save the Church from deviation in faith.Due to the existence of Royal Proclamation in favour of Palakkunnathu,he had to ally with the Patriarch of Antioch in the battle.The synod of Mulanthuruthy passed resolution accepting the Patriarch of Antioch as the spiritual Head of MOC,which is Historically and factually incorrect.Although the Royal Court Judgment did not accept the claim of the Patriarch for Temporal powers,great damage was done to the individuality and self determination rights of MOC.
As the battle for defending Orthodox faith succeeded,but the price was very heavy-the individuality and self determination rights.Establishing Catholicate in India caught the attention of the think tank of MOC at that time(Konattu Mathen Malpan,Fr P.T.Geevarghese(later Mar Ivaniose of Bethany,Elanjikkal John Vakkil etc). Co-operation of the Patriarch of Antioch was necessary for getting this materialised as the Canonas of the synod of Mulanthuruthy had made declarations contrary to facts and History.Therefor the Church requested the then Patriarch of Antioch for establishment of Mafrianate in India.Mafriana was a position in Syrian Orthodox Church which was created for the benefit of Syrian church followers located within Persian Empire.After the Persian Church accepted the Theology propagated by Nestore,the mafrians started claiming to be Catholicose.So both the positions were used synonymously . By establishing a Catholicate/Mafrianate in Malankara,the Church leaders tried to regain the Autonomy and individuality of the Church.The Church would be free of having to satisfy the whims and fancies of the Patriarch for getting Bishops ordained from time to time.Naturally,Patriarch of that time Mar Abdul Masiha turned down the request in strongest possible words.It is an irony of history that same prelate became instrumental in establishment of Catholicate in India.It can be interpreted as an act of the Lord for protecting MOC.If Abdul Masiha agreed for establishment of Mafrianate at the time when the first request was made,MOC would have been saddled with a Mafrianate only,not a fullfledge Catholicose.
Attempts by the Patriarch to grab temporal powers in MOC was resisted by two of the greatest Malankara Metropolitens-Dionycious V(Pulikkottil) and Dionycious VI(Vattasseril).As long as the MOC was united,these attempts were not sucessful.But the difference of views between Vattasseril Thirumani and his co-trustees gave the Patriarch the kind of break he was looking for.This culminated in the Patriarch issuing a Kalpana ex-communicating Vattasseril Thirumeni.This act of Patriarch triggered a split in the Church .The think tank of the Church again started working on establishment of Catholicate in order to prevent such humiliations on the Church in future.The conditions in SOC at that time was helpful.There were rival claiments to the position of Patriarch of Antioch-Mar Abdul Masiha and Mar Abdulla.Although Mar Abdul Masiha had to leaveTurkey due to the withdrawal of Firman(official recognition of Turkey rular to the religious functionary),he still had his claim on the position of Patriarch . Such situations have happenned in many Churches at different points of time.
Mar Abdul Masiha agreed to co-operate with the consecration of the 1st catholicose in Malankara.Catholicate and mafrianate in Middle east had ceased to function centuries ago. MOC had every claim to revive it due to the relationship with the Persian Church prior to 16th Century.The Malankara Methrans always were considered to be successors to the Throne of St.Thomas .So the Catholicate became a reality defacto and dejore. MOC gained their self determination rights,continuity to the Episcopal order,and pride in the tradition of St.Thomas.
There were many occations when the Church leaders put up Catholicate on the negotiating Table for the sake of peace in the Church.There were occations when it was mooted that Catholicate can be sacrifised on the alter of Peace in the Church.But the lord of the Church who gifted this position to the Church ensured that the Catholicate stayed and gained more and more strength.With the Malankra Methran position also getting merged with that of Catholicose,the institution gained more strength as the spiritual and temporal head of the Church.A row of great men of spiriyual authority holding the post for nearly a centuary,Catholicate gained strength with passage of time.Today,it is the fulcrum on which the MOC is moving.Personality of the incumbent is influancing the history of the Church.Hence Catholicate is more than part of the History.It is a force that influences History
Attempts by the Patriarch to grab temporal powers in MOC was resisted by two of the greatest Malankara Metropolitens-Dionycious V(Pulikkottil) and Dionycious VI(Vattasseril).As long as the MOC was united,these attempts were not sucessful.But the difference of views between Vattasseril Thirumani and his co-trustees gave the Patriarch the kind of break he was looking for.This culminated in the Patriarch issuing a Kalpana ex-communicating Vattasseril Thirumeni.This act of Patriarch triggered a split in the Church .The think tank of the Church again started working on establishment of Catholicate in order to prevent such humiliations on the Church in future.The conditions in SOC at that time was helpful.There were rival claiments to the position of Patriarch of Antioch-Mar Abdul Masiha and Mar Abdulla.Although Mar Abdul Masiha had to leaveTurkey due to the withdrawal of Firman(official recognition of Turkey rular to the religious functionary),he still had his claim on the position of Patriarch . Such situations have happenned in many Churches at different points of time.
Mar Abdul Masiha agreed to co-operate with the consecration of the 1st catholicose in Malankara.Catholicate and mafrianate in Middle east had ceased to function centuries ago. MOC had every claim to revive it due to the relationship with the Persian Church prior to 16th Century.The Malankara Methrans always were considered to be successors to the Throne of St.Thomas .So the Catholicate became a reality defacto and dejore. MOC gained their self determination rights,continuity to the Episcopal order,and pride in the tradition of St.Thomas.
There were many occations when the Church leaders put up Catholicate on the negotiating Table for the sake of peace in the Church.There were occations when it was mooted that Catholicate can be sacrifised on the alter of Peace in the Church.But the lord of the Church who gifted this position to the Church ensured that the Catholicate stayed and gained more and more strength.With the Malankra Methran position also getting merged with that of Catholicose,the institution gained more strength as the spiritual and temporal head of the Church.A row of great men of spiriyual authority holding the post for nearly a centuary,Catholicate gained strength with passage of time.Today,it is the fulcrum on which the MOC is moving.Personality of the incumbent is influancing the history of the Church.Hence Catholicate is more than part of the History.It is a force that influences History
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