If Asia is known as the cradle of the religions of the world, Kerala may be described as the nursery of Christian denominations in the world” (The St. Thomas Christian Encyclopedia Ed. George Menachery 1973). The Christians of Kerala firmly believe in the apostolic origin of the Kerala Church. St. Thomas, the apostle, is believed to have landed at Maliyankara near Muziris in 52 AD and founded seven churches on the Kerala coast. “At that time contact between India and the West was close and an enterprising missionary could easily have travelled from Palestine to India” (Basham AL, The Wonder that was India, Calcutta-1967). One of the factors, which contributed to the progress of Christianity, was the tolerant policy followed by the native Hindu rulers. They encouraged the Christians to settle down in important towns and take actively to business and trade. Special privileges and concessions were granted to them. The Christians were also given free grants of land, timber etc and even financial assistance for the construction of their churches. In short, they were treated on a footing of equality with the Hindus and given a place of honor in the economic and social life of the state.The Christians of the District come broadly under two divisions viz., Catholics and non-Catholics. Among the Catholics who owe allegiance to the Pope of Rome, those who follow the Syro-Malabar rite form the vast majority.
The Catholics come under different Episcopal jurisdictions. The Archbishops of Changanacherry and Ernakulam and the Bishops of Palai and Kottayam exercise jurisdiction over the Syrian Catholics. The Kottayam Diocese, the oldest Catholic Diocese to be set up in this District, grew out
St. Johns Vallara Church Kumarakom
of the Vicariate Apostolic of Kottayam created by Pope Leo XIII in 1887. In 1896 it was bifurcated and a new Diocese, viz., that of Changanacherry was formed. In 1923 Pope Pius XI by his letter Romani Pontificis established a Syro-Malabar Heirarchy with Ernakulam as Arch-diocese and Changanacherry, Kottayam and Richer as suffragan dioceses. In the year 1950 the Diocese of Changanacherry was bifurcated and the new Diocese of Palai was formed. In 1956 the Diocese of Changana- cherry was raised to the status of an Arch-diocese with the Archbishop of Changanachery as Metropolitan and the Bishops of Palai and Kottayam as suffragans. The Diocese of Kottayam occupies a special position in the hierarchical set-up of the Catholic Church in so far as its Bishop has personal jurisdiction over the “Southists” of the Catholic community living throughout Kerala, parts of Mysore and Madras State.
The origin of the `Southists’ is traced to the 4th century A.D. The following is the story connected with it. It is believed that a large colony of Syrians under the leadership of a merchant priest called Canai Thoma or Thomas Cana immigrated into Kerala in 345 A.D. Thomas Cana brought with him 72 families consisting of about 340 members including a Bishop named Joseph and several priests. These Syrian immigrants were given a warm welcome by the local ruler who allowed for their residence a suburb of Muziris (modern Cranganore) in the southern side, which in course of time they called Mahodayapattinam. The Syrian immigrants and the Malabar Christians soon entered into matrimonial relations and emerged into a single community. Thomas Cana himself married a Christian lady from Malabar. As these Syrians settled down on the southern side of Muziris, they were later on known as Southists. Even now they stand as a separate community with the Bishop of Kottayam having personal jurisdiction over all Syrian Southist Catholics in Kerala and outside, irrespective of their domicile. The Southists who are outside the orbit of the Catholic Church also retain their separate individuality. For example, in the Orthodox Syrian Chuch there is a Knanaya Diocese, which has no territorial jurisdiction but comprises all the members of the Knanaya community within that church, wherever they are.
In addition, there is also the Latin Catholic Diocese of Vijayapuram, which has its headquarters in Kottayam town. Constituted as a district Diocese in November 1930 by the division of the Arch-diocese of Verapoly, it has jurisdiction over the Latin Catholics living in all parts of the District. The Diocese of Tiruvalla has jurisdiction over those Roman Catholics who follow the Malankara (Malayalam) rite in this District.
The Syrian Catholics of Kottayam have played an important role in the public life of the State. They have distinguished themselves as politicians, lawyers, businessmen, educationists, etc. To the Catholic community of the District also belongs the abiding honour of being associated with two “Servants of God” who have given prominence to Kerala in the annals of the Roman Catholic Church. They are Fr. Kuriakose Elias, Chavara and Sister Alphonsa.
Among Christians, the parents of the bride and bridegroom arrange marriage. Elaborate enquiries are made about the bride before the marriage is formally settled. The marriages are solemnized in the Church. The priest conducts the marriage ceremony and blesses the union when the bride and the bridegroom join hands as a sign of mutual consent. The bridegroom ties the Tali around the neck of the bride. The usual prayers are said on the occasion and the blessings of God invoked by the Parish Priest. Then the party returns home. A feast is given to the assembled guests in the house of the bride. The bridegroom may also arrange a party for his friends and relatives.
In Kumarakom Christians constitute about one-third of the population. The first Church of the Catholics – Kariyil church – was established in 1760 under the Archdiocese Changanachery followed by another church for Latin Catholics – St. Peters church – ten years later. Knanaya Catholics built their church – St. John’s (Vallara) church in 1841. The Navanazreth church was built in 1919. All the Catholic churches have established schools, which have contributed to the high literacy of the people, especially among backward classes. The Jacobite Syrian Christian church (Attamangalam) was established in 1853 and Orthodox Syrian Christian church in 1940.
St. Johns Attamangalam Church Kumarakom
Most of the Christians converted from scheduled castes are organised under the Church of South India (CSI) and the Church Missionary Society (CMS). RGA Baker built the first CSI church in Kumarakom the All Saints CSI Church in 1894, for twelve CSI families who were his workers. This church was renovated in 2001. Now members from 50 families do worship in this church. Central Kumarakom St. Mark CSI church (for 20 families) and South Kumarakom CSI church (for 70 families) are the other two CSI churches in this village. All these three CSI churches are under Central Kerala Diocese Kottayam. About ten families had an Anglican CMS church. Many backward Christians are organized under Ceylon Pentecost, and Indian Pentecost under different pastors. They have Prayer Halls to gather together for prayer.
The main observances of the Orthodox Syrian Church are the prescribed fasts, abstinences, vigils and festivals. There are five major fasts and two one-day weekly fasts. The major fasts Are: – (1) The Great Fast of Lent – This fast is observed for 40 days before Easter. It is a time of Penance. (2) Fast of Advent – This fast is for twenty-five days (December 1-25), observed before the feast of Christmas (Nativity or Advent of Our Lord). (3) Fast of Assumption – It is observed for fifteen days (August 1-15) before the feast of Assumption. (4) Fast of Apostles – It is observed for thirteen days (June 16-29) in honour of the 13 Apostles including St. Paul at the close of which is celebrated the feast of the martyrdom of Peter and Paul (June 29), the leading Apostles of the Jewish and gentile Christianity and the feast of all the apostles on June 30. (5) Fast of Janoah (or Nineveh) – This is for three days beginning on Monday three weeks before Lent, to commemorate the prophet Jonjoah and the repentance of the Ninevites. Besides these five periodical fasts, Wednesdays and Fridays of all weeks are observed as fast days.
During fast days, the faithful are expected to abstain from meat, fish, egg, milk, wine and other strong drinks and all products prepared out of them.
Feasts and festivals are days of solemnity observed in commemoration of some event in the life of Jesus Christ, His mother, the Blessed Lady and other Saints of the Church or some other sacred event.
Moreover, there are Ordinary Feasts in Commemoration of events like the birth, death and other incidents in the life of the Mother of God, the Apostles, the Evangelists, Martyrs, Baptist, Prophets, Confessors, Saints, Holy Fathers, Doctors of the Church etc.
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