Sad history of the Syriac Orthodox ( Jacobite) faith in and around the Mor Ignatius Syriac Orthodox

Dayaro ( Monastery ) , Manginikkara.

There were 3 major Syriac Orthodox ( Jacobite) churches in and around the Manginikkara region , they
were St Thomas Jacobite Syriac Orthodox church , Omalloor, St Ignatius Jacobite Syriac Orthodox church
, Kaipattoor, St Behanans Jacobite Syriac Orthodox church , Vazhamuttom. But now all these have been
occupied by the schismatic Indian ( Malankara ) Orthodox faction. All this happened after the
schismatic Indian ( Malankara) Orthodox faction united with the canonical Syriac Orthodox ( Jacobite)
Church in 1958.The Indian ( Malankara)Orthodox faction again split from canonical Oriental Orthodox
, Syriac Orthodox Church in 1975 ,as they declared a separate faction based on different ethinicity, race
and nationality overruling the Catholic(Universal) unity of the Syriac Orthodox Church and its Holy Synod
decisions .The problems and persecutions of Syriac Orthodox ( Jacobite) church are still continuing in
other parts of Kerala , India.
Present existence of the Syriac Orthodox ( Jacobite) faithful in and around Manginikkara is only because
of the holy tomb of Syriac Orthodox saint ,St Ignatius Elias III, LL Patriarch of Antioch and all the East at
the St Ignatius Syriac Orthodox Dayaro (Monastery) , Manginikkara. Even though the Indian ( Malnkara )
Orthodox faction had come as wolf in sheeps clothing, the intercessions of this great saint had
prevented the decimation of the holy Syriac Orthodox ( Jacobite) faith in and around this place .The
Syriac Orthodox (Jacobite) priests of the Elavinamannil priestly family were the vicars of all the three,
then Syriac Orthodox ( Jacobite) churches .
Kaipattoor church was in the name of St Ignatius Noorono , the predecessor of St Ignatius Elias III, on the
throne of Antioch .This was the place where , Mor Ignatius Elias III , LL Patriarch stayed during his visit to
Kerala , India. HH departed to the Lord in Kerala , India and was buried at St Stephens Jacobite Syriac
Orthodox Church ( presently Cathedral) , Manginikkara( established by the Syriac Orthodox( Jacobite)
faithful from Omalloor). The aristocratic Syriac Orthodox Therethu family had hosted the HH Mor
Ignatius Elias III, at their palatial house during HHs visit. They were said to be so rich that they owned a
pet elephant. At that time of HH visit (1930s) only they had the capacity to host the Patriarch of Antioch
and all the East. Kaipattor church was the Church of Syriac Orthodox ( Jacobite) faithful for generations .
The then Syriac Orthodox ( Jacobite) , Omalloor Church was the parish church of the Elavinamannil
Syriac Orthodox ( Jacobite) priestly family. The tombs of the holy priests of Elavinnamannil family can be
still seen in the cemetery of the Omalloor church. It is to be noted that Elavinamannil famly priests were
the vicars of the then St Behanans Jacobite Syriac Orthodox Church, Vazhamuttom.
This was the situation in this place till 1958.In the year 1958, the schismatic Indian ( Malnkara)
Orthodox faction joined with the canonical Oriental Orthodox , Syriac Orthodox ( Jacobite) church
.The Syriac Orthodox ( Jacobite) Church welcomed the ex Indian ( Malankara) Orthodox faction
members with open hearts , thinking they had repented of their schismatic beliefs. But , the situation
became worse , as true repentance on the part of the ex Indian ( Malankara) Orthodox faction was
lacking .They started scheming against the poor Syriac Orthodox ( Jacobite) faithful to capture the
Churches built by the Syriac Orthodox ( Jacobite) faithful for financial benefit. The ex Indian ( Malnkara)
Orthodox faction members (lacking in true repentance) in the Syriac Orthodox ( Jacobite) church
started using the situation to their advantage. They used the control in the hierarchy to remove the
Syriac Orthodox ( Jacobite) priests from the all the major Syriac Orthodox ( Jacobite) churches and
replace them with schism infected ex Indian ( Malankara) Orthodox faction priests .After the
separation of the schismatic Indian ( Malankara) Orthodox faction from the canonical Syriac Orthodox
(Jacobite) church in 1975, now all these 3 major Churches are occupied by the Indian ( Malankara)
Orthodox faction. They have changed the names into St Thomas Indian( Malankara) Orthodox
church , Omalloor, St Ignatius Indian ( Malankara) Orthodox church , Kaipattoor, St Behanans Indian (
Malankara) Orthodox church , Vazhamuttom. All this happened because of a 1934 Constitution made
by the Indian( Malankara) Orthodox faction in the year 1934 , without any recognition from the Holy
Syriac Orthodox Synod or its canon Hudayo canon. They forced the Syriac Orthodox ( Jacobite) Churches
to accept this by trick of by threat and then used it against the faithful to occupy the Syriac Orthodox (
Jacobite) church.
The Syriac Orthodox ( Jacobite) faithful was faced with some new question ,Where will they be buried
after their death ?, Will they be buried with their ancestors or in same foreign place?.If they wanted to
be buried with their ancestors, they were asked to remain in 3 churches occupied by the Indian (
Malankara) Orthodox faction. Confronted with these questions, many innocent Syriac Orthodox (
Jacobite) faithful fell from the apostolic canonical Oriental Orthodox faith to the schismatic Indian(
Malankara) Orthodox belief . During that time, when the transportation and communications were
minimal, the common Syriac Orthodox ( Jacobite) faithful of that place have just heard of the Antioch
and the strong Syriac Orthodox ( Jacobite)Churches of Kothamangalam, Karingachira, Akaparambu,
Angamaly etc. Compared to the present age, the Syriac Orthodox ( Jacobite) church did not have that
many metropolitans .The Church also lacked media power.
In the case of St Behenans Church, Vazhamuttom , it was said that it was in tears the then Syriac
Orthodox (Jacobite) vicar Rev Fr Thomas Elavinnamannil , (father of the HG Mor Milethios Yuhannon of
present Syriac Orthodox ( Jacobite) Thumpamon diocese), was forced out of this church where
generations of his ancestors celebrated the holy liturgy , by the Indian( Malankara) Orthodox faction.
The persecuted Syriac Orthodox ( Jacobite) faithful of Vazhamuttom had to go through a lot of struggles
. At first, after the occupation of the Indian( Malankara) Orthodox faction , the cemetery of
Vazhamuttom church was common for the Syriac Orthodox ( Jacobite) faithful and the Indian(
Malankara) Orthodox factioneers. Rev Fr Elias was the Syriac Orthodox (Jacobite) vicar of that church
for 6 years during the nineties. The burial of a Syriac Orthodox ( Jacobite ) faithful , needed the presence
of the Collector , RDO ( Govt officials ) and a large group of officials. The police were said to have been
asked to be ready to fire in case of any problem. The Indian( Malankara) Orthodox factioneers used to
stand at both the sides of the road leading to the cemetery with acid bulbs threatening the Syriac
Orthodox ( Jacobite) priests and the faithful who came to bury their departed. The 25 Syriac Orthodox (
Jacobite) faithful and one Syriac Orthodox ( Jacobite) priests were allowed entry into the cemetery
.During the whole episode, the Indian( Malankara) Orthodox factioneers used to verbally abuse the
Syriac Orthodox (Jacobite) faithful and the priest and shout slogans against the Syriac Orthodox (
Jacobite) prelates including the Patriarch of Antioch and all the East. The wife and small children (one of
whom is now a Syriac Orthodox deacon) of the Syriac Orthodox ( Jacobite) priest used to light a candle
and pray with tears for the safe return of the priests and the faithful at their home. This was the
situation of the Syriac Orthodox priest of Vazhamuttom, where his priestly ancestors were the parish
vicars some years back.
Today , the poor Syriac Orthodox ( Jacobite) believers can cross themselves in front of these churches ,
which were their parent Syriac Orthodox churches , although presently occupied by the schismatic
Indian ( Malankara)Orthodox faction .Nobody will question them for it. The Syriac Orthodox ( Jacobite)
faithful of St Thomas Church , Omalloor , St Ignatius Church , Kaipatoor and St Behanans Church,
Vazhamuttom faithful have established St Peters Jacobite Syriac Orthodox major church (Valia pally),
Omalloor, St Ignatius Jacobite Syriac Orthodox new church , Kaipattoor and St Marys Jacobite Syriac
Orthodox (valiapally )Church , Vazhamuttom. Imagine, what the common Syriac Orthodox ( Jacobite)
Faithful will say when they are again asked to invite Indian( Malankara) Orthodox faction for unity
based ,not on the Holy Synod decisions of the Syriac Orthodox ( Jacobite ) church, but on 1934
constitution which was precisely main document used by the Indian( Malankara) Orthodox faction to
occupy the Syriac Orthodox ( Jacobite) Churches and persecute the Syriac Orthodox ( Jacobite) faithful.
.The Syriac Orthodox (Jacobite) faithful will obey the decisions of the Holy Synod of the Syriac Orthodox
Church and the commands of the Syriac Orthodox prelates .But , can anybody guarantee that HISTORY
WILL NOT REPEAT in these newly established churches , established as result of the persecutions from
the Indian ( Malankara) Orthodox faction.
To all the so called Unity based on 1934 constitution and Peace based on subjugation to schism
loving faithful of the Church.