About four million Syriac Christians, living in the South Indian State of Kerala with important diaspora in India and outside, are following East or West Syriac liturgical traditions. They are popularly known as St Thomas Christians, as they are believed to have been evangelized by the apostle Thomas. As these Christians were in intermittent relationship with the Syriac Christianity in Mesopotamia since the early centuries, they are also known as Syriac Christians. At least since the sixth century, perhaps fourth century, they were following East Syriac Liturgy. In the sixteenth century several East Syriac Prelates, both Catholics and non-Catholics, introduced the East Syriac liturgy in its final form. Since the middle of the sixteenth century nearly half of them are following the West Syriac liturgy. Their liturgical practices provide examples of liturgical conservatism and radical reforms. Now the liturgical texts have been translated into Malayalam, language of Kerala, and English, Hindi or other regional language for the use of the diaspora. However, Syriac is used by several clergy. Syro-Malabar liturgy is a highly latinised form of East Syriac liturgy, followed in the Eastern-Catholic community. Malankara Orthodox Church follows the liturgical rites of the Syrian Orthodox Church of Antioch. History of the Marthoma liturgy, a reformed version of the West Syriac liturgy and used by the Reformed group, is presented here for the first time for the students of Syriac Christianity and liturgy.
Author(s): Baby Varghese
Series: Göttinger Orientforschungen, I. Reihe: Syriaca, 66
Publisher: Harrassowitz Verlag
Year: 2023
Language: English
Pages: 94
City: Wiesbaden
Cover
Title Pages
Table of Contents
Vorwort
Preface
I. Introduction
II. East Syriac Liturgy in Malabar
1. Revival of the contacts: Arrival of Five East Syriac Bishops
2. Arrival of Joseph Sulaqa (1557–1562; 1564–1578)
3. Mar Abraham and Mar Joseph in Malabar
4. Mar Abraham’s Second visit
5. Indigenous customs among the St Thomas Christians in the Sixteenth Century
6. Syriac Liturgy followed in Malabar in the Sixteenth Century
III. Synod of Diamper and the East Syriac Liturgy
1. Liturgical reforms introduced by the Synod of Diamper
2. Revision of the Anaphora of the Apostles
IV. Liturgy of the Syro-Malabar Church
1. First printed Syriac text of the Syro-Malabar Liturgy
2. The Process of Restoration
V. Liturgy of the Malankara Orthodox Church
1. Arrival of the Syrian Orthodox Prelates
2. First Phase of Antiochianization: Works of Mar Gregorios of Jerusalem
3. Second Phase: The works of Mar Baselius Yaldo and Mar Ivanios
4. Third Phase: Arrival of Mar Baselius Sakrallah
5. Final phase of Antiochianisation
6. Completion of Antiochianization
7. Mar Julius Press and the first printed books
VI. Marthoma Liturgy
1. First Reformed Liturgy
2. First Reformed liturgy and the Missionaries
3. Marthoma Liturgy under Mathews Mar Athanasius
4. Liturgical Revision Committee of 1863
5. Reformed liturgy of 1872
6. Arrival of the Patriarch Ignatius Peter IV
7. Mar Thoma Church and the Revival Groups
7.1 Tamil Revival Groups
7.2 Revival of 1872
8. Thomas Mar Athanasius and the Reformed Liturgy
9. Revival of 1894
9.1. Works of J.G. Gregson
10. ‘Anglicans’ and the Syrians
11. Reformed Liturgy of the Mar Thoma Church
12. Liturgical Revision Committees of 1923–1926
13. Reforms attributed to Abraham Malpan
14. Taksa of Titus II (1942)
15. Taksa of the Synod (1954)
16. The Taksas now used in the Mar Thoma Church
VII. Conclusion
Abbreviations
Bibliography
I. General & Pre-Portuguese Period
II. Syro-Malabar Liturgy
III. Malankara Orthodox Liturgy
IV. Mar Thoma Liturgy
