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The Coonan Cross Oath (''Koonan Kurishu Satyam''), taken on 3 January 1653, was a public avowal by members of the Saint Thomas Christian community of Kerala, India that they would not submit to Portuguese dominance in ecclesiastical and secular life. The swearing of the oath was a major event in the history of the Saint Thomas Christian community and marked a major turning point in its relations with the Portuguese colonial forces. The oath resulted in the breaking up of 54 years of Portuguese Padroado (Patronage) Jurisdiction over the Malankara Syrian Church, started with the synod of Diamper in 1599 A.D. convoked by the Portuguese Archbishop Dom Alexio De Menezes. ==Background== The Saint Thomas Christians remain in communion with the Church of Antioch until their encounter with the Portuguese in 1599.〔I. Gillman and H. -J. Klimkeit, ''Christians in Asia Before 1500,'' (Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 1999), p.177.〕 With the establishment of Portuguese power in parts of India, clergy of that empire, in particular members of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits), attempted to Latinise the Indian Christians. The Portuguese started a Latin Rite 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. The acts of Archbishop Menezes were undoubtedly high-handed, arbitrary and arrogant. The independence of the ancient Church of Malankara was crudely crushed. But in the long history of the Church, the Padroado (Patronage) yoke of the Portuguese Crown was only momentary; for, the feelings of resentment and the desire to regain independence among the St. Thomas Christians which were very real, could not be contained for long. The pent-up sentiments were given vent in 1653. They had all along continued their efforts to get a Metropolitan from the Eastern Church for their rescue. The Portuguese, who were masters of the sea in those days, many a time intercepted their letters of appeal for Syrian prelates and there were occasions when attempts of the Middle Eastern clergy to come to Malankara were physically thwarted. This fact is explicit in Cardinal Tisserant's own words. The Portuguese civil authorities all over the region especially at Basra and Surat were advised to be "on their guard against the arrival of a bishop sent by the Catholicos of Seleucia; for in spite of the watch set up by the Portuguese at Ormuz and Goa, such an event always remained a possibility". However, Metropolitan Mar Ahatalla from West Syria 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, Mar 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 sent 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". As feared, the Metropolitan was taken on board a Portuguese ship at Madras bound for Goa and en route, it touched Cochin. The Syrian Christians heard of the arrival of the ship at Cochin. The Archdeacon with a large number of Priests and several thousands of st Thomas Christians assembled at Mattancherry Cochin. The efforts of St Thomas Christians to visit the Patriarch, when the fleet arrived in Cochin multiplied, but did not produce much fruit. Several letters were sent to all the civil and religious authorities in Cochin, for at least an opportunity to visit Ahtalla, 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 the Archbishop Garcia and the Jesuit fathers〔 it did not happen. The Archbishop even refused to meet the Christians, who wanted to discuss the matter with him. Later when the ship carrying Mar Ahtalla 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.〔 The Portugal King decided to send him to Rome. Accordingly while he was on his way to Rome, he died at Paris on 26 March 1654 and is buried at the Jerusalem Chapel of the Cordeliena Church.〔Death register Cordeliena Church Paris〕 St. Vincent De Paul who met Mar Ahtalla at Paris mentions of 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". The treatment of Mar Ahatalla, however, shocked the Christian community, and their wounded feelings effervesced into a mass upsurge which heralded the breaking off from the Padroado yoke of the Portuguese Crown and the "Paulists". 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Coonan Cross Oath」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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