Recently, a Query
was raised on Orthodox Christianity.net
" have a
question - as I understand it, the Syriac-tradition OO in India are divided
into the autocephalous ones under the Catholicos of India and those who remain
under the Patriarch of Antioch. i am aware these two groups are not in
communion, but for the other OO, with which group are they in communion? for
example, would a Coptic priest commune members of both communions or only one?"
Yes, The West
Syriac - Tradition OO in India is divided, but specifically only on who their
Chief Shepherd is and under whose Synod.
The Autocephalous
Group’s Chief Shepherd's title is " Catholicos of East ' seated on the
Apostolic Throne of St. Thomas. The
title of His Holiness’s title has never been ' Catholicos of India', as the
Autocephalous Catholicate took form at 1912 under the blessing of the Syriac
Patriarch and to ensure just as an Autocephalous community was established in
Tigris much earlier in the Syriac Tradition (could be Assyrian or OO), the
community in India.
The other has
chosen to remain under the Western Syrian Patriarch and in 2003, like a sub
division under the Syrian Orthodox Church formed a new constitution and called itself
the Jacobite Syrian Church with its Indian Senior Bishop’s title as ‘Catholicose
of India’
Contrary to the
question and conclusion, both communities are in Communion in India, as well as
the wider communities in the world. It doesn’t also mean that it is all Honky Dory
– Court Cases goes on and Insults and sometimes even fist fights happen.
There might be a
few specific situations where Communion has been denied and should not be
encouraged. Praying that Evil and miss-representation knowingly and / or
unknowingly would not lead to breaking away in Communion, as well as knowing
the seriousness and implications of encouraging partisan views.
There was also a
response by Abouna Peter Farrington of the Coptic Orthodox Church
“Here in the
UK, the Syrian Orthodox and the Indian Orthodox are both members of the Council
of Oriental Orthodox Churches in the UK, and have concelebrated Liturgies…
“It varies a
bit based on Bishop's views” and “Coptic bishops in other countries do take a
variety of other views.”
Abouna Peter
Farrington is no stranger to this topic, having been engaged at least as a
bystander or as participant in the multiple discussions within his limitations
on this even as early as 2000 when he was a Sub- Deacon under the British
church in Oriental Orthodox yahoo group and discussion boards, where I too
participated occasionally.
This
decision taken by the conclave of Oriental Orthodox Churches at Addis Ababa in
1965 should put to rest any doubts about the independence and auto-cephalous
identity of the Indian (Malankara) Orthodox Church. God deemed it to be that
prelate representing the Catholicate was addressed such by other members of
Oriental Orthodox family including the Syrian Patriarch "HH Moran Mar
Baselius Mar Basils Augen I - Fourth Catholicos of the Ancient See of St.
Thomas" since its restoration in 1912.
So the
variety of views presented by Bishops in the Oriental Orthodox Commune, in my
mind is totally encouraging continued division. While it happens and it is not
in my power to change individual views, it is my prayer that God in His mercy
would act. I am confident that He will .
- One of the greatest fathers of current times who worked to point out
differences between EO and OO tradition– Fr. V.C Samuel chose to transition
from the group that he was born in to – those under the Syrian Patriarch to the
Catholicate and felt like a personal mission to ensure he write the biography of
St. Dionysius – “Truth Triumphs” to show the story of the Catholicate.
- Also, even though they strongly
defend that the Church in India must be under the Syrian Patriarch, I have been blessed to be
able to find guidance and their prayers to encourage to
live out our common Orthodox Christian faith.
May God guide us to look at our own shortcomings more and His Mercy sustain us.
Calgary, Canada
January 30, 2019
