Knanaya Heritage
The first migration of Jewish Christian’s to Kerala (Malabar) was in the year 345A.D. 72 families, under the leadership of Knai Thoma, accompanied by the mor Joseph of Uraha/ Urfa (Urga Mor Ouseph), Priests, Deacons, men women and children (approximately 400 people) arrived in Museris (Kodungallur). This was a flourishing trade capital of Malabar. This port was frequented by Mesopotamian’s, Alexandians, Phoenicians, Jews etc. from the B.C. Centuaries. There was a sizeable Jewish community living in and around Chendamangalam, Kochi and other places ruled by the “Cheera dynasty”. As the Jewish community was well respected and Knai Thoma had visited Malabar several times; when the Roman persecution and the infighting among the orthodox churches in and around Edesa, Neneve and Baghdad happened, these families might have decided to migrate. (There are unsubstantiated claims ‘Legends and dreams are proposed. But these are not authenticated). But the fact remains that these families migrated and settled in Kodungallur. They came with their religious leaders, prayer books, sacramental ‘pulipu’ traditions and practised their endogamy. They arrived in three ships and the name of the lead ship was “Babylonia”. The carried the flags of King David, Rome and Edesa.
Even today there are communities like Yezedi’s, Kurds, Parsis’s who practised endogamy- which was the way of life among the Mesopotamian, Egyptian and Jewish life. These were meant to preserve their identity, traditions/ genetic purity. These Jewish Christian’s were whole heartedly welcomed by Cheraman Perumal, the then ruler and sent his prime minister “Vettathu Raman” to receive the respected immigrants. They were accorded with respectability and nobility. They were proven to be well versed merchants, honest in their dealings and were accorded with tax collection too. As these Jewish Christian’s did not convert or interfere with the native local religious practices and ‘did not steal’ their women folk, they were treated well. This was manifested by the princely privileges (72 previlleges) known as the “Knai Thomman Cheppedu”. accorded to them and the Jewish community. These are documented history. (The last Jewish descendant left Kerala in 1977 only - The Kodar Family from Mattanchery).
When these settlers arrived in and around Chendmangalam, they were allotted land to settle; they built the ‘Mahadevor Pattanam’. They built a church and lived on the south side of the church. Along with their unique identity, they brought a unique life style such as modest dress code, healthy cooking practises. (The variation in cooking styles - boiling - eg.’Rice’, “Pidi”, steamed food such as “Ada”, “Kozhukatta”, deep and shallow frying, “Mean Pollichuthu”. to name a few. Also, they built the shops fronts on the streets and residency behind the shop. They had common storage facilities and were very good orsemen and navigators. In fact, they also brought the artisans from “Lanka”, to make tools & implements, masons, carpenters, goldsmiths, locksmiths etc. The Knanaya community lorded over these seventeen, tribes. Knanaya community were accepted as nobles. These privileges might have been the reason for the religious conversion of “gentiles” to Christianity after the ‘Sangha Kalam”. May be authentic historians can shed light on these ‘Claims’ of ‘Upper class Christian’s and the fact remains that the Knanite community did not convert any one nor did they deviate from the Practice of Endogamy.
The new narratives and exercise of ‘history making’, has nothing to do with Knanaya Samooham. If someone mistook, Knai Thomas as St.Thomas, the Knanaya community can only empathise with the ‘identity crisis’. These can be attributed to the second migration of Jewish Christian’s in and around A.D. 822. These are known as the Sabor Afroth migration to Kollam. There authentic historical assertions by Dr. Sara Knight an acclaimed historian from University of Oxford; incidentally she is a Suriyani Christian. She portrays the life of Oriental Orthodox Church and Jewish Christian migration to Malabar. These brothers were instrumental in building various churches from Kollam to Angamali region. They brought the Gothic arch to the churches and the “Persian Cross”. It is said that the Sabor & Afroth ‘fathers’ built seven and a half churches. Hence it could be a safe bet that the St.Thomas Christian’s might be mixing these two Jewish migrations and trying to create a narrative to suit their quest for identity. There are again “Cheppeds” to authenticate the historical migration. The “Kolla Varsham” was initiated by the Sabor Afroth migration.
Who Are the Knanaya Community?
The Knanaya are known as the “Zealots”. Our roots dates back to Abraham the father of Jewish people. We are considered as the descendants of Jeuda and Levi tribes (sons of Jacob.) the first zealot was Phenihas the grandson of Aaron the high priest from the time of Moses. After the return of the Jews from the slavery of Pharoahs, Moses led them back to Canan - the land of milk and honey - the shores of Tigris and Euphrates rivers. After the crucifixion of Jesus the Temple of Jerusalem was destroyed, the second exodus of Jews happened. (A.D72). Around this time the Jewish Christian’s migrated to Bhagdad, Nineveh, Edesa and Uraha. These were regions of Asia Minor. These are the times Christianity flourished and the Roman persecution was prelevent. The Christian community went to different ‘dogma’ and interpretation of faith. The church was divided and religious persecution was common. To oppose the ‘Arianism’ the first official synod was convened (A.D.325), and Arianism was discarded. It is the same time Emporer Constantine was in in power in Rome. His mother Queen Constantina discovered the cross that was used to crucifix Christ our lord. There were too many bishops and power struggle and gentiles were converted to Christianity by St.Paul during the ensuing decades. These are the periods where the Mesopotamian civilisation was flourishing and trade with ‘Malabar’ was prelevant. Knai Thoma was a rich merchant who frequented the shores of Malabar coast and might have led the first Jewish Christian migration.
However, the Jewish Christians flourished in Kerala and there was oriental Orthodox faith was practised in Kerala. There were even a Christian King (Josep of Willwarvattom) - a king who served the Cochin kingdom. There were Chaldean Christian’s, suroyo Christian who lived in and around Kodungallur. The Muslim invasion from the north happened and ‘Southese’ (those who lived on the south side of Mahadever pattanom) moved to the southern part of Kochi and to Travancore. They settled in places accessible by boat, such as Kaduthuruthi, Kottayam, Ramamangalam, Veliyanad, Thodupuzha (Chungam), Kallissery, Ranny Eraviperor, Kattode. Thuruthicadu (to name a few).
The Suroyo Christian’s had the oriental orthodox faith until the arrival of Portuguese. Through the first part of 16th centuary, the Latin catholic Christian’s (especially the Jesuit order) wanted to convert the Suroyo Christian’s to Roman Catholic faith. Bishop Menesis (a military officer in Portuguese army) convened a ‘synod’ in Udeyamperore in 1599 and forcefully tried to convert all the Christian’s to catholic faith. He not only assembles almost all priests, representatives from churches and brought all historical documents, prayer books, bibles and burned them. Since he was close to Cochi kingdom and had fire power, he was able to force his machinations. There were only a few documents that survived; one of the survived documents was the manuscript bible kept at Ranny Valiyapalli. Although, most of the churches in Kerala were in the name of mother Mary he introduced the churches in the name of saints. (Eg. St.Thomas). His religious persecution was was resisted by Knanaya Christian’s. The Coonan Cross oath of Mattanchery was led by Anjilymoottil Itty Thomman Kathanar in 1653. They proclaimed the Suroyo faith. (Bishop Meneses was drowned in Cochi). However, a faction of Knanaya Christian’s under the leadership of Chandipilla Kathanar embraced the catholic faith. The descendants are the present day “Kottayam Epiparchy”.
During the years followed the influence of Dutch and English colonial rulers were able to splint the Christian community further. Later the followers of orthodox faith were embroiled in a court case known as “Vattippana case”. At that time the trustee bishop was Pulikkottil mor Devanyosis. ‘Nasrani Simham’ Shri E.M. Philip (edavazickal pothechan) was the secretary. This court case has been ongoing for more than a century between The Kottayam Catholicos group and Patriarchel group.
In 1882, eleven leaders including several priests formed a Knanaya Committee. Malithra Scaria Kathanar presided the committee, the secretary was Shri E.M Philip and the treasurer was Shri. Uthuppan Thomas puthenpurackel. This committee worked tirelessly and then Patriarch Ignatius Abdalla created a Knanaya dioceses, in 1910. Mor Serverios Geevarghese Edavzickal was consecrated as the first bishop of Knanaya dioceses. In 1932 patriarch Ignatius Yakoob through his decree #42 declared that the Knanaya dioceses shall govern the global Knanaya community and that the Knanaya association shall exercise the temporal powers and the patriarch shall be the ecclesiastical head. We wii be part of the holy patriarchal see and shall be present as a delegate in the selection of Patriarch along with the malankara Catholicos.
Mor Severios Geevarghese was consecrated as the first bishop. He was followed by mor Deyaskoros as the second bishop who relinquished his position and embraced Malankara Catholic faith. In 1951 Kubernithiho Clemis Abraham was consecrated as the third metropolitan of Knanaya Samudayam . He served the Sanu Dayan for 52 years. Mor Clemis was instrumental in establishing a comprehensive constitution and built 57 more churches and made his mark in socio- political and religious spheres. After his passing in 2002, the present Samudaya Metropolitan mor Severios Kuriakose was consecrated in 2004. Three other auxiliary bishops were ordained to assist his eminence in 2007-08. During the years we also had three admistrators when the seat of the metropolitan was vacant.