The evidences from the available ancient documents associate following East Syrian prelates with India. David of Basrah ( ca.295 AD), John of Persia and Greater India ( 325 AD), Mar Komai ( 425 AD), Ma’na of Riwarddasir ( Persia) ( 470 AD), Patriach Sabrisho I ( 6/7th century), Bishop Thomas ( 8th century), Mar Sabrisho and Mar Peroz ( 9th century), Mar Jacob ( 14th century).

Clear and precise evidence is available in the letters of two East Syrian Patriarchs, Mar Ishoyahb III ( 647/8 or 650/1) and Mar Timothy I ( 780-823 AD).

There are some fragmentary evidences which seem to suggest that there were Indian Bishops in earlier centuries. Patriarch Thimothy in 8th Century calls Archdeacon ( Arken), head of faithful of India.

“Metropolitans of All India” some time after the ninth century were definitely consecrated in Persia and send to India.

At the time of Portuguese arrival in India (1504), the hierarchy of Church of Saint Thomas Christians consists of a Metropolitan and three suffragan Bishops. Mar Yahballaha (Jaballaha) was the metropolitan and Mar Denah, Mar Jacob and Mar John were the Bishops.

The entire Saint Thomas Christians were one rite and one Church till the middle of Seventeenth Century.

which assert the presence of East Syrian Liturgy is the Vatican Syriac MSS-22, written at Cranganore, Malabar in 1301 AD. This is an Epistolarium copied to use in Malabar from a text used in Cathedral of Beth Koke in Seleucia- Ctesiphon. The Prelate, Mar Joseph, who was send to Malabar by the Chaldean Patriarch in 1556 died at Rome in 1569. He has left a number of manuscripts in Rome. These are parts of the Vatican Library. The Vatican Syr. Codex 45, 46, 66 are that of the Pontifical, Missal and Rituals. These provide valuable information about the liturgy which was in use before the Syond of Diamper in Malabar.

He was succeeded by Bishop Brito SJ and Bishop Garcia Francis SJ.

Archdeacon George ( of the Cross) died 1637 AD and was succeded by Archdeacon Thomas (Thomas de Campo)  in 1637 AD. A regular fight ensured with the Bishop and Archdeacon. The historic Coonan Cross Oath happened on Jan 3rd 1653 AD.

The Archbishopric of Angamale was downgraded to a Bishopric under Goa in 1600 AD. Portuguese Padroado rule was thus imposed and the Bishops for Saint Thomas Christians were appointed by Portuguese Padroado.

It was held in the church of Diamper (Udayamperoor) from June 20 to 26, 1599. The Synod issued 200 decrees distributed in nine actions (sessions).

seven in hymns or anthems, four in formulae pertaining to the deacon, one in response of the people, one in the text of the gospel lesson, one in affecting the whole creed. In the prayer of the priest there are five changes in pre- anaforaml part of the Qurbana of Addai and Mari. There are four changes with in the anaphora and eleven in the four variables hutame ( Sealing prayers).

The corrected rite was printed by Gouvea in 1604, Portugal. According to Placid, it was never in actual use by the Church in Malabar. With regard to Taksa and Divine Praises, the lack of sufficient books and the impossibility of making new ones prevented it from getting destroyed during the destruction at the Synod of Diamper

In 1601, Franics Roz SJ became the first Latin prelate of Saint Thomas Christians. He was well versed in Syriac and Malayalam. He made further changes in the liturgy in the order in conformity with the Latin rite. There are ancient Manuscripts which contain the ordinary of the Qurbana and rubrics for the Raza ( most solemn celebration) which mentions the Second Diocesan Synod of Angamali celebrated by the first Latin Arch Bishop Franics Roz ( 1601-1624) of Saint Thomas Christians in 1603. This manuscript is preserved at Carmelite Monastery, Mannanam.( 68 Pages- which contains text of the Qurbana, rubrics for the most solemn celebration called Raza- The title of the text is “ The Order of saying Raza in the Indian Church clarified by Mar Franics in the Synod of Angamale on the forth month of the forth year of his Administration”

In 1606, Bishop Francis Roz SJ codified ‘ Diocesan Statutes” which gives a better picture of the Malabar Church after the period pertaining to Synod of Diampoor. This MSS is at Vatican library ( Codex Borgiano Indiano No-18). The Syriac title is “ Thukasa d’maritha Thomaytha d’hendo which means Statutes of the Thomite fold in India. The Malayalam title is Malankara Mar Thoma Sleeha Edavakede Kalpanakal meaning Statutes of St. Thomas fold of Malankara Church. This is written in Malayalam of Sixteenth century with a slight mixture of Syriac and Tamil. ( A copy of this is in Manjumel Monastery but not complete)

Matheiken mentions that , the Malabar Qurbana remained altogether Oritental in general arrangements and almost entirely so in its texts and formulae. Romanisation effected to an extent more in the externals. This ‘ Diocesan Statutes” were brought to light recently by J Matheiken. This MS has 142 folios.

The Portuguese authorities arrested and deported him to Goa via Cochin.

The Archdeacon Thomas reached Cochin with a number of soldiers and demanded to see Patriarch Ahatallah and to examine his credentials. He said he would not demand the Patriarch’s release if the credentials were found false. The Portuguese agreed first but soon they deported Ahatallah to Goa with out showing him or his credentials to the Archdeacon and his followers. The behavior of Archbishop Gracis SJ has been haughty. A false rumor was spread that Ahatallah was drowned by the Portuguese off the coast of Cochin. The Archdeacon wrote to the Portuguese Captain that they wont obey any Jesuit and let any other four religious order come and they are ready to obey with out hesitation.7

All moved to Mattancherry near Cochin tied a long rope as tradition says to the open air cross called the Coonan Cross and holding the rope swore they would never be under the Paulists. ( ie, the Jesuits). All the Thomas Christians except a few ( 400 or 500 or 4000) adhered to those who had taken the Oath on Friday, January 3rd 1653.

A manifesto was also produced and it was said that Jesuits did not paid attention to the mandate of Pope and that the Archbishop was ordained by the order and command of Patriarch Ahatallh who came by the order of Pope.

Fr.Sebastaini went back to Rome to submit the Report leaving behind Fr.Matheo. In his absence the other group of Carmelites under the Fr.Hyacinth arrived and negotiated with the Archdeacon Thomas . But since another Archdeacon was appointed by Bishop Gracia SJ and he was not ready to give up his position, Mar Thomas I resumed his former stand.

Sebastiani came back in 1661 as Bishop and Administrator of Cranganore. Bishop Gracia SJ had already died in 1659. The Dutch defeated the Portuguese and captured Cochin in 1662 and forced all other Europeans to leave Malabar. Bishop Sebastaini, then consecrated Alexander Parampil as the Bishop. Fr. Matheo, who was a botanist, gained the favor of Dutch government and stayed back in Malabar.

Between 1661 and 1662, out of the 116 churches, the Carmelites reclaimed eighty-four churches, leaving Archdeacon Thomas only thirty-two churches. The eighty-four churches and their congregations were the body from which the Syro Malabar Church and Chaldean Syrian Church have descended. The other thirty-two churches and their congregations represent the nucleus whence the Syriac Orthodox (Jacobites & Orthodox) , Thoziyur, Mar Thoma (Reformed Syrians), Syro Malankra Catholics have originated.9

In 1665, Mar Gregorius a Bishop send by the Syriac Orthodox Church of Antioch arrived in Malabar and was received by Mar Thomas I. In the mean time, two new terms, Pazhayakuttukar to represent Catholic Syrians and Puthankuttukar to represent Jacobites also emerged. According to Paulinus of Saint Bartholmew, these names was already existing before the arrival of Mar Gregorius, that representations were already sent to Rome and that those who had decided to abide by the decision of Rome were called Pazhaykuttukar and others as Puthankuttukar.

Following are a brief sketch of events among the Catholic Syrians (Syro Malabar Church) and the Malankara Syriac Orthodox ( Jacobite ) with details leading to the formation of different groups which exist today.

Malankara Church The independent branch, known as the Malankara Church, forged a relationship with the Syriac Orthodox Church of Antioch.

However, relations between the Syriac Orthodox hierarchy and the native clergy were sometimes strained. In 1772 Bishop Mar Gregorios, a representative of the Syriac Orthodox hierarchy from the Middle East, had grown dissatisfied with how the Metropolitan Mar Dionysius I had treated him. Against Dionysius’ wishes, Gregorios consecrated as bishop a leading dissenter, the monk Kattumangatt Kurien, in a secret but canonically legitimate ceremony. The new bishop took the name Mar Cyril (Koorilos), and he was designated Gregorios’ sole heir.

Cyril claimed authority over the parishes of Cochin, and initially received the support of the Raja of Cochin. However, Dionysus saw him as a threat to his power, and in 1774 he appealed to the Raja and to the British authorities in India to suppress the rival bishop. Cyril left for Thozhiyur, outside their jurisdiction, and established what would become an independent church. This was the first of several churches to split off from the Malankara Church.

Cyril’s church was always small, but maintained stability by attracting devoted priests and emphasizing regularity in the ecclesiastical order. In 1794 Cyril consecrated his brother Geevarghese as bishop; Geevarghese succeeded Cyril as Mar Cyril II in 1802, and the succession has proceeded unbroken since.[5] As a result of an 1862 court case, the Madras High Court confirmed the Thozhiyur church was independent Malankara church, and it has subsequently been known as the Malabar Independent Syrian Church.

As the number of episcopal names in use is quite small, the individual’s baptismal name is usually prefixed.

Thus (to take the hypothetical example mentioned above), were K M George to be consecrated a bishop with the episcopal name Philoxenos, he would be called Geevarghese Mar Philoxenos (his baptismal name having been rendering into its Syriac form, or an Indian version of it).

In Syriac, the formula is “Philoxenos who is Geevarghese” (pylksns dhw gwrgs)

Sometimes, however, an individual may be more commonly known by the name of his family or of the place from which he is originated. So, for example, Malankara Metropolitan Mar Dionysios IV is usually known as Cheppar Mar Dionysios, rather than Philipose Mar Dionysios.