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{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2015}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2015}}
{{Infobox Christian leader
{{Infobox Christian leader
| honorific-prefix = [[Mar]]
| honorific-prefix = [[Mar (title)|Mar]]
| name = Palliveettil Chandy
| name = Parambil Chandy
| honorific-suffix =  
| honorific-suffix =  
| bishop_of = Metropolitan and Gate of All India.
| bishop_of = Metropolitan and Gate of All India.
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| ordination = 31 January 1663
| ordination = 31 January 1663
| enthroned = 31 January 1663
| enthroned = 31 January 1663
| ended = 1687
| ended = 2 January 1687
| successor = [[Kariattil Mar Ousep|Kariattil Ousep]]
| successor = [[Kariattil Mar Ousep|Kariattil Ousep]]
| birth_name = Chandy
| birth_name = Chandy
| birth_date =  
| birth_date = 1615
| birth_place = [[Muttuchira]]
| birth_place = [[Muttuchira]]
| death_date = 1687
| death_date = {{Death date and age|1687|1|2|1615|df=yes}}
| death_place = [[Kuravilangad]]
| death_place = [[Kuravilangad]]
| buried = [[St. Mary's Syro-Malabar Major Archiepiscopal Church Kuravilangad]]
| buried = [[St. Mary's Syro-Malabar Major Archiepiscopal Church Kuravilangad]]
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}}
}}


'''Palliveettil  Chandy''' also known as '''Parambil Chandy''' (''Alexander de Campo'' in [[Portuguese language|Portuguese]]) was a bishop of the [[Syrian Catholics of Malabar|Catholic Saint Thomas Christians]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.syromalabarchurch.in/syro-malabar-church-cronology.php|title = Syro Malabar Church Chronology}}</ref> He is also the first known native Indian bishop.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Menon|first=A. Sreedhara|url=https://indianculture.gov.in/gazettes/kerala-district-gazetteers-ernakulam|title=Kerala District Gazetteers: Ernakulam|publisher=The Superintendent of Government Presses, Government Press|year=1965|location=Trivandrum|pages=186|quote=Alexander de Campo was the first Indian Bishop not only in Malabar but in whole of India.|author-link=A. Sreedhara Menon}}</ref> He was the bishop of the [[East Syriac Rite]] (Chaldaean) faction (also known as the ''Palayakūttukar'', or "Old Allegiance") after the [[Coonan Cross Oath]] in 1653. This faction returned to full communion with the [[Holy See]] of Rome, it would later become known as the modern-day [[Eastern Catholic]] [[Syro-Malabar Church]]. Mar Chandy's tomb is at the [[St. Mary's Syro-Malabar Major Archiepiscopal Church Kuravilangad|Marth Mariam Major Archiepiscopal Church at Kuravilangad]].
'''Parambil Chandy''' (''Alexandre de Campo'' in [[Portuguese language|Portuguese]]; 1615 – 2 January 1687) was an [[Catholic Church in India|Indian Catholic]] prelate who served as [[Archdiocese of Cranganore|Archbishop of Cranganore]] from 1663 to 1687.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.syromalabarchurch.in/syro-malabar-church-cronology.php|title=Syro Malabar Church Chronology|access-date=31 March 2021|archive-date=4 October 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211004221750/http://www.syromalabarchurch.in/syro-malabar-church-cronology.php|url-status=dead}}</ref> He was the first known native [[Indian people|Indian]] bishop.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Menon|first=A. Sreedhara|url=https://indianculture.gov.in/gazettes/kerala-district-gazetteers-ernakulam|title=Kerala District Gazetteers: Ernakulam|publisher=The Superintendent of Government Presses, Government Press|year=1965|location=Trivandrum|pages=186|quote=Alexander de Campo was the first Indian Bishop not only in Malabar but in whole of India.|author-link=A. Sreedhara Menon}}</ref>


Palliveettil Chandy was appointed as a bishop when the community was divided under the [[Padroado|Portuguese Padroado]] and  [[Thoma I]], who was the then leader of the ''[[Malankara Church|Puthenkūttukar]]''. At first Palliveettil  Chandy was the Counsellor of Thoma I. He had an instrumental role in the bishopric ascention of Archdeacon Parambil Thoma as Bishop [[Thoma I]]. {{sfn|Brown|1956|p=103}} <ref>[https://books.google.co.in/books?id=JmFetR5Wqd8C&pg=PT737&lpg=PT737&dq=Kadavil+Chandy+Anjilimoottil&source=bl&ots=SrlJrBonEJ&sig=ACfU3U2woCP_5hRm6jDyR-V2hMP7Mg9sSQ&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjlu_GXzOPvAhWkguYKHQKJBoM4FBDoATAHegQIExAD#v=onepage&q=Kadavil%20Chandy%20Anjilimoottil&f=false The Encyclopedia of Eastern Orthodox Christianity,John Anthony McGuckin]</ref><ref name="ReferenceA">Mathew N. M. ''History of the Marthoma Church'', Vol. I. Page 183.</ref> According to Portuguese and Jesuit reports, Chandy had defected with Thomas deCampo (Archdeacon Parambil Thoma), against Francis Garcia, the Archbishop of Cranganore.<ref name="Eugene Tisserant">{{citation|title=Eastern Christianity in India: A History of the Syro-Malabar Church from the Earliest Times to the Present Day|first=Eugene|last= Tisserant |pages= }}</ref><ref name="ReferenceA"/>
As archbishop, Chandy headed the [[East Syriac Rite|East Syriac]] faction known as the ''[[Syrian Catholics of Malabar|Paḻayakūṟ]]'', or "Old Allegiance", after the [[Coonan Cross Oath]] in 1653 brought secession from the Portuguese ''[[Padroado]]''. The faction soon returned to full communion with the [[Holy See]] as [[Eastern Catholic Churches|Eastern Catholics]] and would later become known as the [[Syro-Malabar Catholic Church|Syro-Malabar Church]]. Chandy, whose efforts to reconcile the other dissident Indian factions ultimately failed, died in 1687 and his tomb is at the [[Marth Mariam Syro-Malabar Church, Kuravilangad|Marth Mariam Church in Kuravilangad]].


There was a plan to appoint Archdeacon [[Giwargis of Christ]], by [[Abraham of Angamaly]] (1568–1597) as Metropolitan of India. Thus Giwargis should have become, according to the plans of Abraham, supported by the [[Jesuits]], the first indigenous Chaldaean Metropolitan of the St Thomas Christians. However, from the last letter of Abraham, where he requests the Pope to confirm the archdeacon's election as Bishop of Palayur and his successor, is dated 13 January 1584, while from another letter of the same Abraham we learn that the consecration of the archdeacon failed because of the latter’s death.<ref>{{citation|first1=Ernst|last1= Bremer|first2= Susanne|last2=Röhl|title=Language of religion, language of the people: medieval Judaism, Christianity, and Islam|page= 401}}</ref>
==Background==
 
[[File:Tomb of Palliveettil Mar Chandy Metropolitan and Gate of All India.jpg|thumb|Tomb of Parambil Mar Chandy, Metropolitan and Gate of All India, inside the Madbaha of Marth Mariam Syro-Malabar Church, Kuravilangad.]]
Palliveettil Chandy had an instrumental role in claiming eighty-four churches onto the Catholic side after the [[Coonan Cross Oath]].<ref name="Stephen Neill">{{citation|title=A History of Christianity in India: The Beginnings to AD 1707|first=Stephen|last= Neill |pages= 326–7}}</ref> After his death from 1678 till 1783 there were no native Bishops in the Catholic faction known as ''Pazhayakūr'' of the Saint Thomas Christians. His cousin [[Parambil Thoma]], was elevated as a bishop by 12 priests following the Coonan Cross Oath in 1653. In 1665 [[Gregorios Abdul Jaleel]], said to be a delegate of the Patriarch of Antioch (of the [[Syriac Orthodox Church]]), regularized the consecration of Thoma who would form the [[West Syriac Rite|West Syriac]] oriented ''[[Malankara Church]] Puthenkūr''.<ref>{{Cite journal|author=Alexander Toepel|author-link= |url=https://www.academia.edu/10859397|title=A letter from Alexander Kadavil to the Congregation of St. Thomas at Edapally|publisher=Uitgeverij Peeters en Departement Oosterse Studies|editor1=Timothy B Sailors|editor3=Emmanouela Grypeou|editor2=Alexander Toepel|editor4=Dmitrij Bumazhnov|journal=Bibel, Byzanz und Christlicher Orient: Festschrift für Stephen Gerö zum 65. Geburtstag (Orientalia Lovaniensia Analecta 187; Leuven: Peeters)|page=388|year=2011|isbn=9789042921771|issn=0777-978X}}</ref><ref name="Stephen Neill"/>
 
==Introduction==
[[File:Tomb of Palliveettil Mar Chandy Metropolitan and Gate of All India.jpg|thumb|Tomb of Palliveettil Mar Chandy, Metropolitan and Gate of All India, inside the Madbaha of Marth Mariam Syro-Malabar Church, Kuravilangad.]]
[[File:Marth Mariam Syro-Malabar Archdeacon Church, Kuravilangad.jpg|thumb|Marth Mariam Syro-Malabar Church, Kuravilangad.]]
[[File:Marth Mariam Syro-Malabar Archdeacon Church, Kuravilangad.jpg|thumb|Marth Mariam Syro-Malabar Church, Kuravilangad.]]
Historically [[Saint Thomas Christians]] were part of [[East Syriac Rite|East Syriac]] Church. They came into direct communion with the [[Latin Church|Church of Rome]] through the [[Chaldean Catholic Church|Chaldean]] [[Patriarchate]] with the arrival of Metropolitan Mar [[Joseph Sulaqa]] and patriarchal delegate Mar Elias in AD 1554.<ref>{{citation|authorlink=Father Placid J Podipara|last=Podipara|first=Dr.Placid|date= 1938|title=The Syrian Church of Malabar}}</ref> Historically, the title of the head of the Church of Saint Thomas was the 'Metropolitan and the Gate of India'. Ancient documents vouches this.<ref>{{citation|first=Placid|last= Podipara|authorlink=Father Placid J Podipara|title= The Hierarchy of Syro Malabar Church: chapter IV in Collected works of Rev Dr Placid Podipara, vol I|publisher= San Jose Publications|location=Mannanam| pages= 666–7}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.srite.de/index?id=2&cikk=84|author=Istvan Perczel|author-link=Istvan Perczel|title=The Saint Thomas Christians in India from 52 to 1687 AD|website=www.srite.de|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090215032305/http://srite.de/index?id=2&cikk=84|archive-date=11 February 2009}}</ref>
Historically [[Saint Thomas Christians]] were part of [[East Syriac Rite|East Syriac]] Church. They came into direct communion with the [[Latin Church|Church of Rome]] through the [[Chaldean Catholic Church|Chaldean]] [[Patriarchate]] with the arrival of Metropolitan Mar [[Joseph Sulaqa]] and patriarchal delegate Mar Elias in AD 1554.<ref>{{citation|authorlink=Father Placid J Podipara|last=Podipara|first=Dr.Placid|date= 1938|title=The Syrian Church of Malabar}}</ref> Historically, the title of the head of the Church of Saint Thomas was the 'Metropolitan and the Gate of India'.<ref>{{citation|first=Placid|last= Podipara|authorlink=Father Placid J Podipara|title= The Hierarchy of Syro Malabar Church: chapter IV in Collected works of Rev Dr Placid Podipara, vol I|publisher= San Jose Publications|location=Mannanam| pages= 666–7}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.srite.de/index?id=2&cikk=84|author=Istvan Perczel|author-link=Istvan Perczel|title=The Saint Thomas Christians in India from 52 to 1687 AD|website=www.srite.de|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090215032305/http://srite.de/index?id=2&cikk=84|archive-date=15 February 2009}}</ref>


After the [[Synod of Diamper]] in 1599, the Church of [[Saint Thomas Christians]] became subjected to Latin Church Bishops. The Latin missionaries broke the historic connection of Thomas Christians with the [[List of patriarchs of the Church of the East|Patriarch of Babylon]] and downgraded the ancient Church of Christians of Saint Thomas into a mere suffragan of the archdiocese of Goa of the Latin Church. Later, the Metropolitanate was reinstated and the Archdiocese of Angamaly was renamed as Archdiocese of Kodungalloor and its seat moved to Kodungalloor with Latin Prelates.<ref>{{citation|first=Joseph|last=Thekkedathu|title= History of Christianity in India, Vol II| page=75}}</ref>
After the [[Synod of Diamper]] in 1599, the Church of [[Saint Thomas Christians]] became subjected to [[Latin Church]] bishops. The Latin missionaries broke the historic connection of Thomas Christians with the [[List of patriarchs of the Church of the East|Patriarch of Babylon]] and downgraded the ancient Church of Christians of Saint Thomas into a mere suffragan of the archdiocese of Goa of the Latin Church. Later, the Metropolitanate was reinstated and the Archdiocese of Angamaly was renamed as the Archdiocese of Kodungalloor and its seat moved to Kodungalloor with Latin prelates.<ref>{{citation|first=Joseph|last=Thekkedathu|title= History of Christianity in India, Vol II| page=75}}</ref>


Even though the Thomas Christians were subjected to Latin Church prelates in the hierarchy, the community consolidated under the leadership of the Archdeacons as a separate rite with its own liturgy and traditions. The Missionaries began to impose Latinisations in their rite of worship and tried to eliminate the authority and status of the Archdeaconate and thereby dishonour the status of their [[Syro-Malabar Church|ancient Church of Malabar]]. The community secretly tried to get prelates from the Patriarchate of the [[Chaldean Catholic Church|Chaldeans]] and the  Patriarchate of the [[Assyrian Church of the East|Assyrians]].
Even though the Thomas Christians were subjected to Latin Church prelates in the hierarchy, the community consolidated under the leadership of the archdeacons as a separate rite with its own liturgy and traditions. The missionaries began to impose Latinisations in their rite of worship and tried to eliminate the authority and status of the Archdeaconate and thereby dishonour the status of their [[Syro-Malabar Church|ancient Church of Malabar]]. The community secretly tried to get prelates from the Patriarchate of the [[Chaldean Catholic Church|Chaldeans]] and the  Patriarchate of the [[Assyrian Church of the East|Assyrians]].


The missionaries used their political power to prevent Thomas Christians from contacting with any Oriental Churches and they even arrested and deported [[Ahatalla]], a bishop of West Syriac Rite arrived in [[Mylapore|Mailappore]].<ref>{{citation|first=Joseph |last=Thekkedathu|title=opus cit|pages=94–5}}</ref> Thomas Christians rose up and revolted against the Portuguese in AD 1653 and consecrated (invalidly) the Archdeacon [[Parambil Thoma]] as the Bishop of Thomas Christians. This revolt was nearly complete and that changed the politics.
The missionaries used their political power to prevent Thomas Christians from contacting with any Oriental Churches and they even arrested and deported [[Ahatalla]], a bishop of West Syriac Rite arrived in [[Mylapore|Mailappore]].<ref>{{citation|first=Joseph |last=Thekkedathu|title=opus cit|pages=94–5}}</ref> Thomas Christians rose up and revolted against the Portuguese in AD 1653 and consecrated (invalidly) the Archdeacon [[Parambil Thoma]] as the Bishop of Thomas Christians. This revolt was nearly complete and that changed the politics.


A protest took place in 1653 with the [[Coonan Cross Oath]]. Under the leadership of Archdeacon Thomas, the Thomas Christians publicly took an oath that they would not obey the Jesuit bishops.<ref>{{citation|title=A History of Christianity in India: The Beginnings to AD 1707|first=Stephen |last=Neill|pages= 319–20}}</ref><ref>{{citation|first=Eugene Cardinal|last= Tisserant| title=Eastern Christianity in India}}</ref><ref>{{citation|title=Malabar manual, Volume 1|first=William |last=Logan|page=206}}</ref> There are various versions about the wording of oath, one version being that the oath was directed against the Portuguese, another that it was directed against Jesuits, yet another version that it was directed against the authority of the [[Latin Church|Church of Rome]]<ref name=Gazette>{{cite book |first=.|last=India Census Division|title=Census of India (1961: Kerala|date=1965 |publisher=Office of the Registrar General|url=https://www.google.co.in/books/edition/Kerala/0JCaAAAAIAAJ?hl=en|language=en|page=111|quote=There are various versions about the wording of swearing, one version being that it was directed against the Portuguese, another that it was directed against Jesuits, yet another that it was directed against the authority of church of Rome }}</ref> However after this oath, Saint Thomas Christans elevated Archdeacon Thomas to Metropolitan by the laying on of hands by twelve kattanars and he took the title [[Thoma I|Mar Thoma I]]
A protest took place in 1653 with the [[Coonan Cross Oath]]. Under the leadership of Archdeacon Thomas, the Thomas Christians publicly took an oath that they would not obey the Jesuit bishops.<ref>{{citation|title=A History of Christianity in India: The Beginnings to AD 1707|first=Stephen |last=Neill|pages= 319–20}}</ref><ref>{{citation|first=Eugene Cardinal|last= Tisserant| title=Eastern Christianity in India}}</ref><ref>{{citation|title=Malabar manual, Volume 1|first=William |last=Logan|page=206}}</ref> There are various versions about the wording of oath, one version being that the oath was directed against the Portuguese, another that it was directed against Jesuits, yet another version that it was directed against the authority of the [[Latin Church|Church of Rome]]<ref name=Gazette>{{cite book |title=Census of India (1961: Kerala)|date=1965 |publisher=Office of the Registrar General|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0JCaAAAAIAAJ|language=en|page=111|quote=There are various versions about the wording of swearing, one version being that it was directed against the Portuguese, another that it was directed against Jesuits, yet another that it was directed against the authority of church of Rome }}</ref> However, after this oath, Saint Thomas Christians elevated Archdeacon Thomas to Metropolitan by the laying on of hands by twelve kattanars and he took the title [[Thoma I|Mar Thoma I]].


[[File:Alangad Syro-Malabar Church.jpg|thumb|St. Mary's Syro-Malabar Church, Alangad]]
[[File:Alangad Syro-Malabar Church.jpg|thumb|St. Mary's Syro-Malabar Church, Alangad]]
At this point of time, Rome intervened and Carmelite Missionaries were sent to win the Thomas Christians back. Carmelites could convince the majority that the local church needs bishops and the consecration of the Archdeacon Thomas was claimed to be invalid as the consecration was conducted not by any bishop, but by twelve priests. Many leaders of the community rejoined the missionaries and later, due to political reasons, Portuguese Missionaries had to leave the country and they consecrated Palliveettil Chandy kathanaar as the Bishop for the Catholic [[Saint Thomas Christians|Thomas Christians]] on 1 February 1663. This resulted in the first split in the  history of Thomas Christians. Thus, Mar Thoma I and Mar Chandy from the same family (Pakalomattom) became rival bishops in Thomas Christians community and both of them designated themselves as ‘Metran of All India’, and ‘Gate of India’.<ref name="Frk_MetranGateOfindia">{{cite book |last= Frykenberg|first= Robert Erick |title=Christianity in India From Beginnings to the Present |date=2008 |publisher=Oxford University Press |page=361 |isbn= 978-0-19-154419-4 |url=https://www.google.co.in/books/edition/Christianity_in_India_From_Beginnings_to/sOrglHSX6rsC?hl=en |language=en |quote="At the beginning, most remained with the old Archdeacon who, after his elevation at Koonen Cross to the position of Metran, took the title Mar Thoma I and added such ancient titles as ‘Metran of All India’, ‘Gate of India’...the Dutch permitted ‘old party’ Catholics to be placed under the ‘guidance’ of the Carmelites and allowed them to keep Mar Alexander Parampil (aka Alexander de Campos) as Vicar Apostolate. He soon also designated himself as ‘Metran of All India’ and ‘Gate of India’."}}</ref>  However, Mar Chandy could convince a good number of people in his favor, because the Mar Thoma I was consecrated by priests whereas he was consecrated by an authoritative bishop. The faction affiliated with the Catholic Church under Palliveettil Chandy, referred themselves as ''Pazhayakuttukar'' , or "Old Allegiance", and called the branch affiliated with [[Thoma I]] as ''Puthankuttukar'', or "New Allegiance". Later Thoma I, received canonical consecration from [[Gregorios Abdal Jaleel]], a bishop sent by the Syrian Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch, and there by ''Puthenkūr faction'' entered in spiritual relation with the Syriac Orthodox Church, a [[Miaphysitism|miaphysite]] [[Syro-Antiochene Rite|West Syriac Church]].
At this point of time, Rome intervened and Carmelite missionaries were sent to win the Thomas Christians back. Carmelites could convince the majority that the local church needs bishops and the consecration of the Archdeacon Thomas was claimed to be invalid as the consecration was conducted not by any bishop, but by twelve priests. Many leaders of the community rejoined the missionaries and later, due to political reasons.
<ref name="Frk_gregorios">{{cite book |last= Frykenberg|first= Robert Erick |title=Christianity in India From Beginnings to the Present |date=2008 |publisher=Oxford University Press |page=369 |isbn= 978-0-19-154419-4 |url=https://www.google.co.in/books/edition/Christianity_in_India_From_Beginnings_to/sOrglHSX6rsC?hl=en |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{citation|first=Joseph|last=Thekkedathu|title=opus cit|pages=96–100}}</ref><ref>{{citation|authorlink=Father Placid J Podipara|last=Podipara|first=Dr.Placid|title=The Hierarchy of Syro Malabar Church, in Collected works of Rev Dr Placid Podipara CMI, Vol I| page= 719}}</ref>


==Early life and ordination==
==Early life and ordination==
[[File:Kuravilangad Cheria Palli .jpg|thumb|right|250px|This church dedicated to the holy name of St. Sebastian, was built by the Palliveettil Chandy Kathanar – Later Bishop Palliveettil Chandy, while he was the vicar of Kuravilangad parish (c.1640-1663)]]
[[File:Kuravilangad Cheria Palli .jpg|thumb|right|250px|Church of St. Sebastian, built by Chandy when he was vicar of Kuravilangad parish]]
He belonged to the Palliveettil house of [[Pakalomattam]] family at [[Muttuchira]]. The Palliveettil building of Parambrem Kara existed there till two centuries back. Palliveettil Kuriakose married into Kudukkasserry and the son born to the couple later became the Bishop. "Alexander De Campo" is a Portuguese designation translated as "Alexander of the field" originating from "''Parambil Chandy''" in vernacular [[Malayalam]]. He was Vicar of Kuravilangad Parish and later had Kuravilangad as his headquarters.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.pakalomattamfamily.org/bishop.asp |title=Archived copy |accessdate=2012-01-06 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141108064513/http://www.pakalomattamfamily.org/bishop.asp |archivedate=8 November 2014 |df=dmy-all }}</ref>
He belonged to the Parambil house of [[Pakalomattam]] family at [[Muttuchira]]. Parambil Kuriakose married into Kudukkasserry and the son born to the couple later became the Bishop. "Alexander De Campo" is a Portuguese designation translated as "Alexander of the field" originating from "''Parambil Chandy''" in vernacular [[Malayalam]]. He was vicar of Kuravilangad Parish and later had Kuravilangad as his headquarters.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.pakalomattamfamily.org/bishop.asp |title=:: Pakalomattamfamily :: - History |accessdate=2012-01-06 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141108064513/http://www.pakalomattamfamily.org/bishop.asp |archivedate=8 November 2014 |df=dmy-all }}</ref>
 
He was a native of Muttuchira parish, in the present central Kerala. As a priest his original name was Father Parambil Chandy. He was consecrated Titular Bishop of [[Megara]] in [[Achala]] and [[Vicar Apostolic]] and Administrator of the Archbishopric of [[Cranganore]] on 31 January 1663, at [[Kaduthuruthy]]. He celebrated his first pontifical Mass at Muttuchira Church.<ref name="J. P. M. van der Ploeg">J. P. M. van der Ploeg, The Christians of St. Thomas in South India and their Syriac manuscripts page 30</ref> His appointment followed representations for the appointment of native Indians as bishops following the split in the church on account of the [[Coonan Cross Oath]]. His official title was Metropolitan and Gate of All India.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BR8YAAAAYAAJ|first=Wilhelm |last=Germann|publisher=C. Bertelsmann|year=1877|title=Die Kirche der Thomaschristen: ein Beitrag zur Geschichte der orientalischen Kirchen|author-link=Wilhelm Germann|page=494}}</ref>
 
==Episcopacy==
 
Parambil Chandy was appointed as a bishop when the community was divided under the [[Padroado|Portuguese Padroado]] and his cousin, [[Thoma I]], who was the then leader of the ''[[Malankara Church|Puthenkūttukar]]''. At first, Chandy was the counsellor of Thoma I. He had an instrumental role in the episcopal ascension of Thoma I.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=JmFetR5Wqd8C&dq=Kadavil+Chandy+Anjilimoottil&pg=PT737 The Encyclopedia of Eastern Orthodox Christianity, John Anthony McGuckin]</ref><ref name="ReferenceA">Mathew N. M. ''History of the Marthoma Church'', Vol. I. Page 183.</ref> According to Portuguese and [[Jesuits|Jesuit]] reports, Chandy had defected with Thoma I against Francis Garcia, the [[Archdiocese of Cranganore|Archbishop of Cranganore]].<ref name="Eugene Tisserant">{{citation|title=Eastern Christianity in India: A History of the Syro-Malabar Church from the Earliest Times to the Present Day|first=Eugene|last= Tisserant |pages= }}</ref><ref name="ReferenceA"/>
 
There was a plan to appoint Archdeacon [[Giwargis of Christ]] by [[Abraham of Angamaly]] (1568–1597) as Metropolitan of India. Thus Giwargis should have become, according to the plans of Abraham and supported by the [[Jesuits]], the first indigenous Chaldaean [[Metropolitan bishop|metropolitan]] of the Saint Thomas Christians. However, from the last letter of Abraham, where he requests the Pope to confirm the archdeacon's election as Bishop of Palayur and his successor, is dated 13 January 1584, while from another letter of the same Abraham we learn that the would-be archdeacon died before his consecration.<ref>{{citation|first1=Ernst|last1= Bremer|first2= Susanne|last2=Röhl|title=Language of religion, language of the people: medieval Judaism, Christianity, and Islam|page= 401}}</ref>


He was a native of Muttuchira parish, in the present central Kerala. As a priest his original name was Father Parambil Chandy. He was consecrated Titular Bishop of [[Megara]] in [[Achala]] and [[Vicar Apostolic]] and Administrator of the Archbishopric of [[Cranganore]] on 31 January 1663, at [[Kaduthuruthy]]. He celebrated his first pontifical mass at Muttuchira Church.<ref name="J. P. M. van der Ploeg">J. P. M. van der Ploeg,The Christians of St. Thomas in South India and their Syriac manuscripts page 30</ref> His appointment followed representations for the appointment of native Indians as bishops following the split in the church on account of the [[Coonan Cross Oath]]. His official title was Metropolitan and Gate of All India.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BR8YAAAAYAAJ|first=Wilhelm |last=Germann|publisher=C. Bertelsmann|year=1877|title=Die Kirche der Thomaschristen: ein Beitrag zur Geschichte der orientalischen Kirchen|author-link=Wilhelm Germann|page=494}}</ref>
Chandy had an instrumental role in claiming eighty-four churches onto the Catholic side after the [[Coonan Cross Oath]].<ref name="Stephen Neill">{{citation|title=A History of Christianity in India: The Beginnings to AD 1707|first=Stephen|last= Neill |pages= 326–7}}</ref> After his death from 1678 till 1783 there were no native bishops in the Catholic faction of Saint Thomas Christians known as the ''[[Syrian Catholics of Malabar|Pazhayakūr]]''. In 1665, [[Gregorios Abdal Jaleel]], said to be a delegate of the Patriarch of Antioch (of the [[Syriac Orthodox Church]]), regularized the consecration of Thoma, who would form the [[West Syriac Rite|West Syriac]] oriented [[Malankara Church]].<ref>{{Cite journal|author=Alexander Toepel|author-link= |url=https://www.academia.edu/10859397|title=A letter from Alexander Kadavil to the Congregation of St. Thomas at Edapally|publisher=Uitgeverij Peeters en Departement Oosterse Studies|editor1=Timothy B Sailors|editor3=Emmanouela Grypeou|editor2=Alexander Toepel|editor4=Dmitrij Bumazhnov|journal=Bibel, Byzanz und Christlicher Orient: Festschrift für Stephen Gerö zum 65. Geburtstag (Orientalia Lovaniensia Analecta 187; Leuven: Peeters)|page=388|year=2011|isbn=9789042921771|issn=0777-978X}}</ref><ref name="Stephen Neill"/>


===Later years and death===
===Later years and death===
In 1674, Palliveetil Chandy requested Rome to elect a coadjutor and proposed his nephew, Mathew Kunnel for the position. Carmelites arrived in India in 1676, with special Dutch passports (as Dutch wouldn't allow any other European to work in their areas) and they were asked by Rome to elect an Indian. They elected Raphael Figueredo in 1677, who was not a Roman Syrian Catholic but born as an Indian in the sense that he was a half caste Portuguese. This election shook the confidence Roman faction had in Carmelites and quarrels started to arise. Palliveettil Chandy died in 1687 and was buried at <ref name="Spinka 70–76">{{Cite journal|last=Spinka|first=Mathew|date=March 1940|title=Forty-Eighth (Thirty-Third Annual) Meeting of the American Society of Church History|url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0009640700124825|journal=Church History|volume=9|issue=1|pages=70–76|doi=10.1017/s0009640700124825|s2cid=162157944|issn=0009-6407}}</ref> Kuravilangad.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nasrani.net/2007/02/13/kerala-syrian-christian-the-tomb-of-the-apostle-persian-church-syond-of-diamper-coonan-cross-oath-divisions/|title=Kerala Syrian Christian, Thomas the Apostle in India, The tomb of the Apostles, Persian Church, Syond of Diamper - Coonan Cross Oath, Subsequent divisions and the Nasrani People|date=13 February 2007|website=Nasranis|accessdate=31 July 2017}}</ref>
In 1674, Chandy requested Rome to elect a coadjutor and proposed his nephew, Mathew Kunnel for the position. [[Carmelites]] arrived in India in 1676 with special Dutch passports (as the Dutch wouldn't allow any other European to work in their areas), and they were asked by Rome to elect an Indian.
 
They elected Raphael Figueredo in 1677, who was born as an Indian in the sense that he was a half-caste Portuguese. This election shook the confidence the Roman faction had in the Carmelites and quarrels started to arise.
 
Chandy died in 1687 and was buried at [[Kuravilangad]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nasrani.net/2007/02/13/kerala-syrian-christian-the-tomb-of-the-apostle-persian-church-syond-of-diamper-coonan-cross-oath-divisions/|title=Kerala Syrian Christian, Thomas the Apostle in India, The tomb of the Apostles, Persian Church, Syond of Diamper - Coonan Cross Oath, Subsequent divisions and the Nasrani People|date=13 February 2007|website=Nasranis|accessdate=31 July 2017}}</ref>


== See also ==
== See also ==
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{{Authority control}}
{{Authority control}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Palliveettil Chandy}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Parambil Chandy}}
[[Category:Syro-Malabar Catholics]]
[[Category:Syro-Malabar Catholics]]
[[Category:Christian clergy from Thrissur]]
[[Category:Christian clergy from Thrissur]]
[[Category:Year of birth missing]]
[[Category:1687 deaths]]
[[Category:1687 deaths]]
[[Category:17th-century Eastern Catholic bishops]]
[[Category:17th-century Eastern Catholic bishops]]
[[Category:17th-century Indian scholars]]
[[Category:17th-century Indian scholars]]
[[Category:1615 births]]

Latest revision as of 23:35, 27 July 2025



Parambil Chandy
Metropolitan and Gate of All India.
DioceseArchdiocese of Cranganore
SeeKodungallur (Muziris) of the Marthoma Nazrenes.
Installed31 January 1663
Term ended2 January 1687
PredecessorAbraham of Angamaly
SuccessorKariattil Ousep
Orders
Ordination31 January 1663
Personal details
Birth nameChandy
Born1615
Muttuchira
Died2 January 1687(1687-01-02) (aged 71–72)
Kuravilangad
BuriedSt. Mary's Syro-Malabar Major Archiepiscopal Church Kuravilangad
NationalityIndian

Parambil Chandy (Alexandre de Campo in Portuguese; 1615 – 2 January 1687) was an Indian Catholic prelate who served as Archbishop of Cranganore from 1663 to 1687.[1] He was the first known native Indian bishop.[2]

As archbishop, Chandy headed the East Syriac faction known as the Paḻayakūṟ, or "Old Allegiance", after the Coonan Cross Oath in 1653 brought secession from the Portuguese Padroado. The faction soon returned to full communion with the Holy See as Eastern Catholics and would later become known as the Syro-Malabar Church. Chandy, whose efforts to reconcile the other dissident Indian factions ultimately failed, died in 1687 and his tomb is at the Marth Mariam Church in Kuravilangad.

Background[edit | edit source]

Tomb of Parambil Mar Chandy, Metropolitan and Gate of All India, inside the Madbaha of Marth Mariam Syro-Malabar Church, Kuravilangad.
Marth Mariam Syro-Malabar Church, Kuravilangad.

Historically Saint Thomas Christians were part of East Syriac Church. They came into direct communion with the Church of Rome through the Chaldean Patriarchate with the arrival of Metropolitan Mar Joseph Sulaqa and patriarchal delegate Mar Elias in AD 1554.[3] Historically, the title of the head of the Church of Saint Thomas was the 'Metropolitan and the Gate of India'.[4][5]

After the Synod of Diamper in 1599, the Church of Saint Thomas Christians became subjected to Latin Church bishops. The Latin missionaries broke the historic connection of Thomas Christians with the Patriarch of Babylon and downgraded the ancient Church of Christians of Saint Thomas into a mere suffragan of the archdiocese of Goa of the Latin Church. Later, the Metropolitanate was reinstated and the Archdiocese of Angamaly was renamed as the Archdiocese of Kodungalloor and its seat moved to Kodungalloor with Latin prelates.[6]

Even though the Thomas Christians were subjected to Latin Church prelates in the hierarchy, the community consolidated under the leadership of the archdeacons as a separate rite with its own liturgy and traditions. The missionaries began to impose Latinisations in their rite of worship and tried to eliminate the authority and status of the Archdeaconate and thereby dishonour the status of their ancient Church of Malabar. The community secretly tried to get prelates from the Patriarchate of the Chaldeans and the Patriarchate of the Assyrians.

The missionaries used their political power to prevent Thomas Christians from contacting with any Oriental Churches and they even arrested and deported Ahatalla, a bishop of West Syriac Rite arrived in Mailappore.[7] Thomas Christians rose up and revolted against the Portuguese in AD 1653 and consecrated (invalidly) the Archdeacon Parambil Thoma as the Bishop of Thomas Christians. This revolt was nearly complete and that changed the politics.

A protest took place in 1653 with the Coonan Cross Oath. Under the leadership of Archdeacon Thomas, the Thomas Christians publicly took an oath that they would not obey the Jesuit bishops.[8][9][10] There are various versions about the wording of oath, one version being that the oath was directed against the Portuguese, another that it was directed against Jesuits, yet another version that it was directed against the authority of the Church of Rome[11] However, after this oath, Saint Thomas Christians elevated Archdeacon Thomas to Metropolitan by the laying on of hands by twelve kattanars and he took the title Mar Thoma I.

St. Mary's Syro-Malabar Church, Alangad

At this point of time, Rome intervened and Carmelite missionaries were sent to win the Thomas Christians back. Carmelites could convince the majority that the local church needs bishops and the consecration of the Archdeacon Thomas was claimed to be invalid as the consecration was conducted not by any bishop, but by twelve priests. Many leaders of the community rejoined the missionaries and later, due to political reasons.

Early life and ordination[edit | edit source]

File:Kuravilangad Cheria Palli .jpg
Church of St. Sebastian, built by Chandy when he was vicar of Kuravilangad parish

He belonged to the Parambil house of Pakalomattam family at Muttuchira. Parambil Kuriakose married into Kudukkasserry and the son born to the couple later became the Bishop. "Alexander De Campo" is a Portuguese designation translated as "Alexander of the field" originating from "Parambil Chandy" in vernacular Malayalam. He was vicar of Kuravilangad Parish and later had Kuravilangad as his headquarters.[12]

He was a native of Muttuchira parish, in the present central Kerala. As a priest his original name was Father Parambil Chandy. He was consecrated Titular Bishop of Megara in Achala and Vicar Apostolic and Administrator of the Archbishopric of Cranganore on 31 January 1663, at Kaduthuruthy. He celebrated his first pontifical Mass at Muttuchira Church.[13] His appointment followed representations for the appointment of native Indians as bishops following the split in the church on account of the Coonan Cross Oath. His official title was Metropolitan and Gate of All India.[14]

Episcopacy[edit | edit source]

Parambil Chandy was appointed as a bishop when the community was divided under the Portuguese Padroado and his cousin, Thoma I, who was the then leader of the Puthenkūttukar. At first, Chandy was the counsellor of Thoma I. He had an instrumental role in the episcopal ascension of Thoma I.[15][16] According to Portuguese and Jesuit reports, Chandy had defected with Thoma I against Francis Garcia, the Archbishop of Cranganore.[17][16]

There was a plan to appoint Archdeacon Giwargis of Christ by Abraham of Angamaly (1568–1597) as Metropolitan of India. Thus Giwargis should have become, according to the plans of Abraham and supported by the Jesuits, the first indigenous Chaldaean metropolitan of the Saint Thomas Christians. However, from the last letter of Abraham, where he requests the Pope to confirm the archdeacon's election as Bishop of Palayur and his successor, is dated 13 January 1584, while from another letter of the same Abraham we learn that the would-be archdeacon died before his consecration.[18]

Chandy had an instrumental role in claiming eighty-four churches onto the Catholic side after the Coonan Cross Oath.[19] After his death from 1678 till 1783 there were no native bishops in the Catholic faction of Saint Thomas Christians known as the Pazhayakūr. In 1665, Gregorios Abdal Jaleel, said to be a delegate of the Patriarch of Antioch (of the Syriac Orthodox Church), regularized the consecration of Thoma, who would form the West Syriac oriented Malankara Church.[20][19]

Later years and death[edit | edit source]

In 1674, Chandy requested Rome to elect a coadjutor and proposed his nephew, Mathew Kunnel for the position. Carmelites arrived in India in 1676 with special Dutch passports (as the Dutch wouldn't allow any other European to work in their areas), and they were asked by Rome to elect an Indian.

They elected Raphael Figueredo in 1677, who was born as an Indian in the sense that he was a half-caste Portuguese. This election shook the confidence the Roman faction had in the Carmelites and quarrels started to arise.

Chandy died in 1687 and was buried at Kuravilangad.[21]

See also[edit | edit source]

External links[edit | edit source]

  • Mar Chandy Parambil
  • St Thomas Christian Encyclopaedia of India - Edited by George Menachery (1998).
  • History of Christianity in India - Mundadan, A. Mathias (1984).

References[edit | edit source]

  1. "Syro Malabar Church Chronology". Archived from the original on 4 October 2021. Retrieved 31 March 2021.
  2. Menon, A. Sreedhara (1965). Kerala District Gazetteers: Ernakulam. Trivandrum: The Superintendent of Government Presses, Government Press. p. 186. Alexander de Campo was the first Indian Bishop not only in Malabar but in whole of India.
  3. Podipara, Dr.Placid (1938), The Syrian Church of Malabar
  4. Podipara, Placid, The Hierarchy of Syro Malabar Church: chapter IV in Collected works of Rev Dr Placid Podipara, vol I, Mannanam: San Jose Publications, pp. 666–7
  5. Istvan Perczel. "The Saint Thomas Christians in India from 52 to 1687 AD". www.srite.de. Archived from the original on 15 February 2009.
  6. Thekkedathu, Joseph, History of Christianity in India, Vol II, p. 75
  7. Thekkedathu, Joseph, opus cit, pp. 94–5
  8. Neill, Stephen, A History of Christianity in India: The Beginnings to AD 1707, pp. 319–20
  9. Tisserant, Eugene Cardinal, Eastern Christianity in India
  10. Logan, William, Malabar manual, Volume 1, p. 206
  11. Census of India (1961: Kerala). Office of the Registrar General. 1965. p. 111. There are various versions about the wording of swearing, one version being that it was directed against the Portuguese, another that it was directed against Jesuits, yet another that it was directed against the authority of church of Rome
  12. ":: Pakalomattamfamily :: - History". Archived from the original on 8 November 2014. Retrieved 6 January 2012.
  13. J. P. M. van der Ploeg, The Christians of St. Thomas in South India and their Syriac manuscripts page 30
  14. Germann, Wilhelm (1877). Die Kirche der Thomaschristen: ein Beitrag zur Geschichte der orientalischen Kirchen. C. Bertelsmann. p. 494.
  15. The Encyclopedia of Eastern Orthodox Christianity, John Anthony McGuckin
  16. 16.0 16.1 Mathew N. M. History of the Marthoma Church, Vol. I. Page 183.
  17. Tisserant, Eugene, Eastern Christianity in India: A History of the Syro-Malabar Church from the Earliest Times to the Present Day
  18. Bremer, Ernst; Röhl, Susanne, Language of religion, language of the people: medieval Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, p. 401
  19. 19.0 19.1 Neill, Stephen, A History of Christianity in India: The Beginnings to AD 1707, pp. 326–7
  20. Alexander Toepel (2011). Timothy B Sailors; Alexander Toepel; Emmanouela Grypeou; Dmitrij Bumazhnov (eds.). "A letter from Alexander Kadavil to the Congregation of St. Thomas at Edapally". Bibel, Byzanz und Christlicher Orient: Festschrift für Stephen Gerö zum 65. Geburtstag (Orientalia Lovaniensia Analecta 187; Leuven: Peeters). Uitgeverij Peeters en Departement Oosterse Studies: 388. ISBN 9789042921771. ISSN 0777-978X.
  21. "Kerala Syrian Christian, Thomas the Apostle in India, The tomb of the Apostles, Persian Church, Syond of Diamper - Coonan Cross Oath, Subsequent divisions and the Nasrani People". Nasranis. 13 February 2007. Retrieved 31 July 2017.
  22. Tisserant, Eugène (1957). Eastern Christianity in India : a history of the Syro-Malabar Church from the earliest time to the present day. Orient Longmans. OCLC 2383390.