Palliveettil Mar Chandy
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His Beatitude Palliveettil Mar Chandy |
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|---|---|
| Metropolitan and the Gate of All India. | |
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| Diocese | Kodungalloor |
| Installed | 31 January 1663 |
| Term ended | 1687 |
| Predecessor | Mar Abraham, last Chaldean Metropolitan of Saint Thomas Christians (1564-1597), appointed by Pope Pius IV |
| Successor | Kariattil Mar Ousep |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | 31 January 1663 (At Kaduthuruthi by Msgr. Joseph, with the title of Titular Bishop of Megara in Achala and Vicar Apostolic and Administrator of the Archbishopric of Cranganore). |
| Personal details | |
| Birth name | Chandy |
| Born | Muttuchira |
| Died | 1687 Kuravilangad |
| Buried | Marth Mariam Syro-Malabar Church, Kuravilangad. |
| Nationality | Indian |
Palliveettil Mar Chandy (anglicized Alexander de Campo) is the first known person to be appointed in India as a Metropolitan from among the native Saint Thomas Christians of Kerala. Until his time Indians held the office of deacon, archdeacon etc. (There was a plan to appoint George of Christ, Archdeacon of Mar Abraham (1568–1597) as Metropolitan of India. Thus he should have become, according to the plans of Mar Abraham, supported by the Jesuits, the first indigenous Chaldaean Metropolitan of the St Thomas Christians. However, from the last letter of Mar Abraham, where he requests the Pope to confirm George’s election as Bishop of Palayur and his successor, is dated 13 January 1584, while from another letter of the same Mar Abraham we learn that the consecration of George failed because of the latter’s death.).
He had an instrumental role in reclaiming eighty-four churches in Catholic side after the Coonan Cross Oath. After his death from 1678 till 1896 there were no native Bishops in the Catholic faction known as Pazhyakoor) of the Malankara Church. His cousin Archdeacon Thomas was invalidly consecrated as a bishop by 12 priests in 1653. By 1665 Mar Gregorios Abdul Jaleel, said to be a delegate of the Patriarch of Antioch was able to come to Malabar and validate the consecration of Mar Thoma.
Historically Saint Thomas Christians were part of East Syrian Church. They came into direct communion with the Church of Rome through the Chaldean Patriarchate with the arrival of Mar Joseph Sulaqa and Mar Elias in AD 1554. Historically, the title of the head of the Church of Saint Thomas was the 'Metropolitan and the Gate of India'. Ancient documents vouches this.
After the infamous Synod of Diamper in 1599, the Church of Saint Thomas Christians became subjected to Latin rite Bishops. The Latin Missionaries broke the historic connection of Thomas Christians with the Patriarchate of Chaldeans and downgraded the ancient Church of Christians of Saint Thomas into a mere suffragan of the Arch diocese of Goa of Latin rite. Later, the Metropolitanate was reinstated and the Arch Diocese of Angamaly was renamed as Archdiocese of Kodungalloor and its seat moved to Kodungalloor with Latin Prelates.
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