Sunday, November 29, 2009

Ahathulla Bava

Ahathulla Bava is one of the Patriarch belonging to Mother Church (Antioch).

But nowadays the Roman Catholic historians ('His Storians') proved that His Grace was from Antioch, but he was a Roman Catholic bishop.

This argument is published only by some writers. [India constitution gives to the freedom of writing. So anyone can write their own opinion.]

Some Modern Roman Catholic writers’ argument is Ahathulla is a Catholic Bishop. They said that
'' Ahathulla , belonging to the Antioch, was born in Aleppo in Syria around 1590. He became a monk of the Order of St. Antony and later was appointed as the archbishop of Damascus. Due to the work of the Latin missionaries in Aleppo, Ahathulla became a Catholic. Finally he reached Cairo in Egypt. Then he reached India (Cfr. Pallath, Paul THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN INDIA, Marthoma Yogam Publications, Rome, 2003, pp-94, Cfr.Fr.Bernad Thoma, Mathoma Christians, Vol.2, pp71-72)

Fr. Bernad Thoma says with Roman Document. Page 68 ...But this document is unbelievable, because It’s later made by Roman Catholic Historians.

Some Protestant and Nestorian Writers’ View is that Ahathulla is a Nestorian Bishop.

Nowadays Indian Orthodox Church 'His Storians' argument is Ahathulla was a Bishop of Syrian Orthodox Church, But the Patriarch excommunicated from the Church. Then he went to Alexandria Patriarch. Alexandrian Papa sent him to India. ( Cfr. Fr.Dr.Joseph Cheeran,K.V.Mamman,Advocate PC Mathew, Indian Orthodox Sabha Charithravum Samskaravum Kottakka Publications, Manganam ,2002 pp270-275)

It is an unbelievable argument.

Because according to some ancient catholic and protestant writers,

1) James Hough says in History of Christianity in India from the Commencement of the Christian Era,London,1839. Page299. Ahathalla is a Syrian Bishop from Antioch. But he lived in Cairo. And the Cairo was under the jurisdiction of Coptic Patriarch.
2) Raulin J.F. says in Historia Ecclesiae Malabaricae cum Diamperitana Synodo, Roma,1745, Ahathalla is Jacobite Bishop.
3) Assemani J.S., Bibliothecae Apostolice Vaticanae Codicum Manuscriptorum catalogus, pars1, tom.2.Romae 1758; Ahathalla is either Jacobite or Nestoian.


Our Church Historians argues that Ahathalla was a Patriarch of Antioch.

1) E. M Philip, The Indian Church of St.Thomas, Kottayam,pp133-135.

2) Pukadiyil Ittoop Writer, Malayalathulla Suriyani Christianikalude Sabha Charithram, Kottyam, pp 136

3) Kaniyamparambil Corepiscopa, The Syrian Orthodox Church in India and its Apostolic Faith.(English) pp 80-83

4) Paulose Aprem Ramban, Malankara Sabha Bharichittulla Seemakaraya Pithakkanmar,pp XI

But in Rome (Vatican Library states a strong evidence about Ahathalla. It was written by Alexander VII Papa (Cum Nobis) that Ahathalla was a non catholic Patriarch.

I found that document in Vatican Library but it was written in Latin Language. I am sorry ,I cant read latin.

One of My friend (He is a Catholic Priest, he asked me not to publish his name) said to me that there is a document in Lisbon(Capital of Portuguese) that clearly giving evidence about Ahathulla Bava. I wrote a letter to the archive authority with a recommendation letter from one of my University professor for verifying the fact. But there is no response from them. (3 years before one Indian Orthodox Priest went to Lisbon for collecting some documents ,but the authorities did not allowed him to check the details)
Above mentioned Friend said to me that Ahathulla is Patriarch Mor Ignatius Hadayat Allah (1597-1639). In 1639. He went to Cairo to meet Syrian Christians in Alexandria. That time the Malankara church was in a need of a bishop and they wrote letter to Antioch for getting one from Jacobite Patriarchate. But the letter reached in Alexandrian Patriarchate. During a visit to the Syrian Christians in Alexandria, Patriarch Mor Ignatius Hadayat Allah (Ahathulla) met with Alexandrian Patriarchate and he came to knew about the matter of the letter. Mor Ignatius Hadayat Allah (Ahathalla Bava) decided to go to Malankara. HE started his journey from Cairo.But he reached in the hands of Portuguese authorities in India(1642). We have no idea about the place where he was caught.(Near Karachi..?).The Holy Antiochian synod came into a wrong conclusion about this missing and thought Bava was died. At last Ignatius Simon (1640-1659) became the Patriarch of Antioch. Later Portuguese authorities brought to Mylapore (in 1652.) Ahathalla was a former Maphriyono of the East (1597-) as Mor Pathros V Ahadyatallah. And later he became the patriarch of Antioch.

This is not a wonderful story. Above mentioned friend showed me some Arabic documents. I tried to get a copy of that ancient hand written Arabic book. BUT NO CHANCE.


Above mentioned things are quiet convincing…But there are some doubts......

1) All the historians said Ahathalla reached in Mylapore...Why He reached in Mylapore .?
Geographically from Cairo to India, first Sea port is Karachi, Surath, Goa etc. He would have been reached one of these places. Then Portuguese authorities captured HIM.

2) Ahathalla was the former Maphriaya of the East. After his arrival (around 30 years ) Maphriyana Baselious Yeldho also reached in India.

Let me conclude

A lot of documents about our church are lost or hidden in different parts of the world. For example Life History of Yeldho Mor Baselius , we cannot prove them fully. But a strong document (about Yeldho Bava) in Berlin Library . It was said by Itteera Malpan from Kothamangalam to the Kottayam Magistrate during the time of Church case.

1 comment:

Dn. Zach said...

Mor Haydat Allah pray for us!

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