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Parambil Mar Chandy Methran (''alias'' Alexander Palliveettil, Alexander de Campo) is the first known person to be appointed in India as a bishop from among the native Saint Thomas Christians of Kerala. Until his time Indians held the office of deacon, archdeacon etc. (There was a plan to appoint George of Christ, Archdeacon of Mar Abraham (1568–1597) as Metropolitan of India. Thus he should have become, according to the plans of Mar Abraham, supported by the Jesuits, the first indigenous Chaldaean Metropolitan of the St Thomas Christians. However, from the last letter of Mar Abraham, where he requests the Pope to confirm George’s election as Bishop of Palayur and his successor, is dated 13 January 1584, while from another letter of the same Mar Abraham we learn that the consecration of George failed because of the latter’s death.〔Language of religion, language of the people: medieval Judaism, Christianity, and Islam,Ernst Bremer, Susanne Röhl Page 401〕). He had an instrumental role in reclaiming eighty-four churches in Catholic side after the Coonan Cross Oath.〔A History of Christianity in India: The Beginnings to AD 1707 By Stephen Neill page 326,327〕 After his death from 1678 till 1896 there were no native Bishops in the Catholic faction (Known as ''Pazhyacoor'') of the Malankara Church. His cousin Archdeacon Thomas was invalidly consecrated as a bishop by 12 priests in 1653. By 1665 Mar Gregorios Abdul Jaleel, said to be a delegate of the Patriarch of Antioch was able to come to Malabar and validate the consecration of Mar Thoma.〔A History of Christianity in India: The Beginnings to AD 1707 By Stephen Neill page327〕〔The Orthodox Church of India: history and faith, Volume 1,page60〕 ==Introduction== Historically Saint Thomas Christians were part of East Syrian Church. They came into direct communion with the Church of Rome through the Chaldean Patriarchate with the arrival of Mar Joseph Sulaqa and Mar Elias in AD 1554.〔Dr.Placid Podipara, (1938) "The Syrian Church of Malabar"〕 Historically, the title of the head of the Church of Saint Thomas was the 'Metropolitan and the Gate of India'. Ancient documents vouches this.〔Placid Podipara, The Hierarchy of Syro Malabar Church, Ch IV in Collected works of Rev Dr Placid Podipara, vol I San Jose Publications, Mannanam, pp 666-667 〕〔http://www.srite.de/index?id=2&cikk=84〕 After the infamous Synod of Diamper in 1599, the Church of Saint Thomas Christians became subjected to Latin rite Bishops. The Latin Missionaries broke the historic connection of Thomas Christians with the Patriarchate of Chaldeans and downgraded the ancient Church of Christians of Saint Thomas into a mere suffragan of the Arch diocese of Goa of Latin rite. Later, the Metropolitanate was reinstated and the Arch Diocese of Angamaly was renamed as Archdiocese of Kodungalloor and its seat moved to Kodungalloor with Latin Prelates.〔Joseph Thekkedathu, History of Christianity in India, Vol II p75 〕 Even though the Thomas Christians were subjected to Latin rite prelates in Latin Rite hierarchy, the community consolidated under the leadership of the Arch Deacons as a separate rite with its own liturgy and traditions. The Missionaries began to impose Latinisations in their rite of worship and tried to eliminate the authority and status of the Arch Deaconate and thereby dishonour the status of their ancient Church of Malabar. The community secretly tried to get Prelates from the Patriarchate of Chaldeans and other Eastern Churches. The missionaries used their political power to prevent Thomas Christians from contacting with any Oriental Churches and they even arrested and deported Mar Ahatalla, a Bishop of Syriac Rite arrived in Mailappore.〔Joseph Thekkedathu, opus cit pp94-95〕 Thomas Christians rose up and revolted against the Portuguese in AD 1653 and consecrated (invalidly) the Arch Deacon Palliveettil Thomas as the Bishop of Thomas Christians. This revolt was nearly complete and that changed the politics. A protest took place in 1653 with the Coonan Cross Oath. Under the leadership of Archdeacon Thomas, the Thomas Christians publicly took an oath that they would not obey the Jesuit bishops.〔A History of Christianity in India: The Beginnings to AD 1707 By Stephen Neill Page 319-320〕〔Eugene Cardinal Tisserant, " Eastern Christianity in India"〕〔Malabar manual, Volume 1 By William Logan page 206〕 The situation is best explained by the Stephen Neill(an Anglican missionary,from Scotland) in his book "''A History of Christianity in India: The Beginnings to AD 1707''". Rome intervened and Carmelite Missionaries were sent to win the Thomas Christians back. Carmelites could convince the majority that the local church needs Bishops and the consecration of the Arch Deacon Thomas was invalid as the consecration was conducted not by any Bishops, but by twelve priests only. Many leaders of the community rejoined the missionaries and later, due to political reasons, Portuguese Missionaries had to leave the country and they consecrated Palliveettil Chandy Cathanaar as the Bishop for the Catholic Thomas Christians on 01 February 1663. Thus, the majority of Thomas Christians consolidated under the native Bishop Palliveettil Chandy, keeping their Syro Chaldean rite of worship.Parambil Mar Chandy applied the historic title 'The Metropolitan and the Gate of all India'. This title denotes a Quasi Patriarchal status with all India jurisdiction.〔Joseph Thekkedathu, pous cit pp96-100〕〔Rev Dr Placid Podipara, The Hierarchy of Syro Malabar Church, in Collected works of Rev Dr Placid Podipara CMI, Vol I p 719〕 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「Parambil Mar Chandy」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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