Comment posted “Kerala, the Cradle of Christianity in South Asia”-a DVD Documentary on the cultural interface of religion and music- An eye opener to the Religio cultural identity of the St. Thomas Christians in Kerala. by Easo Pothen.

The Video is good but some of the contents are comments of the anchor such as the mentioning of Cana Thomman with out clarity. Nevertheless good effort and a good article. All the video parts are in youtube.

Recent comments by Easo Pothen

• Arrival of Mar Sabrisho and Mar Piruz, Earliest Reports, Copper Plates, Katheeshangal,Christians & Churches at Quilon
  Hi Mathew Vaidyan

  Any evidences you can share for what you mentioned about Mar Abo, Mar Sabrisho etc ? How did the photo came in ?

  You might remember seeing many photos of Cana Thommen which are artistic inspirations. I hope this is not like that. Can you share about the background on this ? Any historical documents about Martha Mariam Orthodox Church, Thevalakkara ? Was Martha Mariam Orthodox Church, Thevalakkara in kadheeshangal ?

• Arrival of Thomas of Cana ( Bishop Thomas of Cana ?), History and references about Southist Community (Thekkumbhagar – Knanaya )
  my musings

  It would be nice if some one get a better translation and I wish our fellow ‘Knanayites’ will step forward for a healthy discussion.

  After wading through the thesis, I would like to say this,

  Universally, ones identity is very important to him/her. So first you are a Man/Woman, secondly from a Particular nationality then maybe religion or Job and so worth.
  So in Kerala, which is Caste influenced society, your religion and caste is a very important identity. And if you are christian, being a Jewish Christian amongst the ‘vast field’ of ordinary Catholics/Jacobites/Orthodox/Protestants gives a nice feeling since Jesus was a Jew.

  Knanya leaders and ‘Scientists’ have followed Paul Joseph Goebbels (German politician and Reich Minister of Propaganda in Nazi Germany)to the letter and made Knanayites a Jewish Christians after repeating it a thousand times.

• Arrival of Thomas of Cana ( Bishop Thomas of Cana ?), History and references about Southist Community (Thekkumbhagar – Knanaya )
  contd….

  Dr. Kerstin Neumann interviews with Metrapolitian Abraham Mar Clemis reveals the actual picture and how a ‘authentic’ history for the Kananaya people was being generated.Well, I can say this, He has successfully removed the name Southists. I believe the Late Metrapolitian was very successful in His intent of raising the stature of Kananya people. If you realy do not know the history, and hear the history from a Knanaya person now, you will even believe that they came from the promised land Cana. Also, now when you see the paintings of Knai Thomman and the reception by Cheraman Perumal, you should know whom to thank.(post 15304 – even if you have not read any of my previous posts you must read this.)

  May be Metrapolitian Abraham Mar Clemis talked openly because of the rivalry between Catholic Knanayas and Jacobite Knanayas.

  He quotes “Since 10.7.1980 is a new, now reigning patriarch Ignatious Zakka I, on the throne of Peter in Damascus. He combines a warm Friendship with Mar Clemis. The two men are fellow students, and it shows that Mar Clemis this close relationship to use”

  He writes on Canonisation of Thomas Cana “Patriarch Ignatious Zakka I replied to the request Mar Clemis’ after only a two month investigation. On 26.2.1990 he sent a telex after Chingavanam in which he Mar Clemis announced that his request positively answered. A letter dated 6 March repeated confirmation in the Number of names of saints named KNAI … THOMA as a ‘Saint’ who has an important part in the history of our Knanaya community in India “.

  Quoting Dr. Kerstin Neumann “Mar Clemis is a charismatic leader figure, a strong interest in power with diplomatic tact and charming manners to combine white. I was in the Mar Ephrem’s Seminar in Chingavanam always warmly welcomed and entertained; Mar Clemis took time for extensive discussions with me.He introduced me to key documents Available, I was allowed to read unpublished book manuscript. I had the impression of an open-minded, generous promoter conveys dignity, even the not so much as a public official had to be addressed, which I rather even be allowed to subscribe friendship. He has in his answers to my questions never hidden, but very clever to information circumvent known. Only the subsequent review of interviews with him, opened me that he never had a crucial information on its own was. I had individual aspects to find him then, and could only respond then reckon with further information or a personal opinion on receive.”

  While about Bishop Kunnachery he writes,”I had only one chance to meet Dr. Kunnacherry. Our anymore lasted less than fifteen minutes and was very formal. He met me as a high public official, distanced, polite, and apparently used to Respect to be treated. After seeing him – without his questions – On my studies and my interest in the Knanaya information was received I will permit my work. For any further a ssistance He referred me to the Knanaya scientist Jacob and Jacob VellianKollaparambil.”

  There are many questions which Dr. Kerstin Neumann raises, like why an endogamous society like theirs have no language and why there is no mention of this in any written document.Why no circumcision? and so forth.

• Arrival of Thomas of Cana ( Bishop Thomas of Cana ?), History and references about Southist Community (Thekkumbhagar – Knanaya )
  Hello Everybody,

  I hope you have read my posts. I know it is difficult to read but this gives lots of information about Knanaya. I will give a snapshot of the thesis.

  The PhD thesis by Kerstin Neumann from Rotenburg / Fulda presented in Marburg, in August 1998 is entitled ‘Moon God Siva and sacred Thomas -The religious community of the Knanaya in Kerala’ for the award of Doctor of Theology, The Department of Evangelical Theology,Philipps-Universität Marburg.

  http://archiv.ub.uni-marburg.de/diss/z2000/0392/

  The work was funded by Ecumenical Council of Churches in Geneva, the German federal government and the academics of the Evangelical Church of Kurhessen and Waldeck.

  The material for the work has been collected during several research stays in Kerala from 1991 to 1995. Dr. Kerstin Neumann stayed with many Knanaya and non Knanaya (whom he calls Apostle Christians for differentiation purposes only )families. He talked with the both Kunnacherry Bishop head of the Catholic Knanaya(http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/bkunn.html) and Late Metropolitan

  Abraham Mar Clemis of Syrian Orthodox branch(http://www.knanayavaliyapally.com/AbrahamMorClemis.aspx) and got permission to do a field research work among the members of their churches. He had extensive discussions with both Vellian and Kollaparambil and describes how Kollaparambil did ‘research’ to find an original country for their Samudayam so that their origin can be traced back to David.

  Dr. Kerstin Neumann has recorded the dates of the interview with Bishops, Priests and even laymen. He describes christian history in Kerala, the various versions and there is an extensive list of references.

  contd…..

• Arrival of Thomas of Cana ( Bishop Thomas of Cana ?), History and references about Southist Community (Thekkumbhagar – Knanaya )
  >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

  d) Unity among Kanayas

  The Syriac Orthodox Church interprets the coming of Kerala Knai Thomas as the beginning of the relationship between the antiochenischen and All Indien. Patriarchate and the Catholic Church historian, on the other hand are now recognized on the conviction that the early Indian Church belong to the Eastern Syriac Church. Cherian wrote: “That the Malabar Church came into contact with the Jacobite Church and its patriarch only about the middle of the 17th century is the generally accepted view at present. Few modern historians believe that the connection goes back to the early centuries of the
  Christian era. ”

  “The Catholics are wrong,” say the Jakobiten, “they came only in the 15-16. century. We have the proper faith. ” Kurian, priests at the seminary in Chingavanam, speaks for all Orthodox Knanaya.

  Jacob Kollaparampil said added a second time in March 1995:

  “The Jacobite Knanaya destorted the whole history. The Knanaya are not coming from Antioch, but from the Persian Empire. And there is no report that the West-Syrian Church was in India before the 17th century. Only after Coonan Cross with one group remained and became Archbishop Thomas Jacobite. The Non-Knanaya Jacobite accept today that before the Portuguese came there was the East-Syrian Church in India. But the Knanaya use this to anticatholic show their feeling. It is all Polemic. And they continue to mislead the people – maybe with a good intention, I do not know.”

  >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

  e) Missionary work by Thomas Cana

  Mission and life of the forefathers Knanaya remember today with pride.They speak of the ‘Missionary work’ of their ancestors, by a ‘colonisation for evangelization ‘.

  Mr. Lukose from Chingavanam, with me as a representative of the Press said the Orthodox Church, said:

  “We brought the bible first. St. Thomas converted Hindus, but up to the fourth century these Christians had no bible. There was a Christian community but nobody to guide them, no bishop, no bible, a delaborate Christian community. They said: we need leaders! So who Knai Thommen was on business relations with them asked the bishop, Joseph, and he asked the Patriarch.

  Our forefathers who came to Malabar were very Courageous because they came in a wooden boat. We lost everything, we lost the boat and our language. So, can you imagine now why we are proud? ”

  A Knanaya Catholic priests in a village near Piravam said in an interview:

  “We are Knai Remembering Thoma as the cause and beginning of the Knanaya community in Kerala. Whether there have been Christians before him in India is a question of discussion. Knai Thoma’s coming is a matter of truth.”

Related NSC Network Articles

• ‘The St. Thomas Christian Encyclopaedia of India’- Volume II , Chief Editor Prof.George Menachery
• Sixteenth Century Churches – Churches belonging to Catholics and Syriac Orthodox ( 1818 AD-Statistics)
• ‘The Indian Christians of St. Thomas’ by Dr. Leslie Brown
• ‘The St. Thomas Christian Encyclopedia of India’- Volume I -Prof. George Menachery
• ‘St. Thomas Christians and Nambudiris, Jews and Sangam Literature – A Historical Appraisal’, Bosco Puthur (Editor)
• Ancient Churches with traditional dates of foundation & Stone Crosses of Kerala- Saint Thomas Cross, Nazraney Sthambams and other Persian Crosses
• ‘Origin of Christianity in India’ by Dr.Benedict Vadakkekara

(No Ratings Yet)

 Loading ...