The St. Thomas Christian Encyclopaedia of India	Indian Church History Classics : The Nazranies
Important Announcement [The following is the text of a communication issued by the Chancellor of the  Major Archiepiscopal Curia of the Syro Malabar Church. May we request all webmasters to kindly make the desired correction as early as possible] This is to bring your attention to the fact that the website www.thesyromalabarchurch.org is no longer a site owned by the Syro-Malabar Church .  The official website of the Syro-Malabar Church now is www.smcim.org  Therefore, may I request you to make this correction regarding the link given in your website for the Syro-Malabar website.   I would be very grateful to you if you could make this correction immediately and send me a confirmation in our e-mail address smcim@smcim.org regarding implementation of the correction.  Thanking you and with prayerful regards, Fr. Antony Kollannur, Chancellor Major Archiepiscopal Curia Mount St. Thomas, P.B. No. 3110 P.O. Kakkanad 682 030 Kochi 21.09.07 International Day of Prayer for Peace Worldwide On 21 September, churches and communities throughout the world are committing to the International Day of Peace through prayer, meditation and other forms of spiritual observance. For 2007, the WCC office for the Decade to Overcome Violence (DOV) has made available prayer and liturgical resources developed in the context of this year's DOV focus on Europe and its theme “Make me an instrument of your peace”. The International Day of Prayer for Peace was proposed at a 2004 meeting between WCC general secretary Rev. Dr Samuel Kobia and UN secretary general Kofi Annan. The WCC's invitation to pray for peace on 21 September, or the Sunday preceding it, coincides with a United Nations' initiative "to encourage worldwide, 24-hour spiritual observations for peace and nonviolence on the International Day of Peace, 21 September 2007 in every house of worship and place of spiritual practice, by all religious and spiritually based groups and individuals, and by all men, women and children who seek peace in the world."     Third International Conference on the  History of Early Christianity in India         Announcement   The Third International Conference on the History of Early Christianity in India and the Middle East will be held at the  premises of the Century Park Hotel, Amman, Jordan from 13 th to 20th of September 2008. This includes the four days' visit to the Biblical places in Jordan and Israel for four days from 17-20th  of September 2008.   The International Centre for the Study of Christianity in India ( ICSCI ) will host this unique Conference in Collaboration with the Middle East Council of Churches ( MECC) and Ecuminical Studies Centre at Jordan.   We invite scholars all over the world to participate and present research papers/topics pertaining to the history of early Christianity in India and the Middle East . The hosting committee has decided to include fifty papers on early Indian Churches and another fifty papers on early Christianity in all the countries of the Middle East .   In addition to the delegates who present research papers, it has been decided to accommodate good number of observers who can actively participate in the deliberations of the Conference.  For further information contact: Dr. John Samuel, IAS, Chemmanchery, Chennai. Your queries may also be routed through this site: www.indianchristianity.com 00919846033713 kunjethy13@gmail.com
NEW PREFECT FOR THE CONGREGATION  FOR THE ORIENTAL CHURCHES   Pope Benedict XVI named Archbishop Leonardo Sandri as prefect of the Congregation for Eastern Churches. He has been undersecretary of state for general affairs.   The Vatican press office announced today that Archbishop Sandri, 63, will succeed 76-year-old Cardinal Ignace Moussa I Daoud, who had presented his resignation after having reached the normal retirement age.
Leonardo Sandri was born in Buenos Aires on Nov. 18, 1943, into a family of Italian origin. He was ordained a priest in 1967. He entered the diplomatic service of the Holy See in 1974 and served in Madagascar, and from 1977 to 1989 with the Vatican secretariat of state. From 1989 to 1991 he was an adviser in the office of the papal nuncio to the United States and the Organization of American States. On Aug. 22, 1991, he was named prefect of the Pontifical Household. He was made the assessor for general affairs for the secretariat of state in 1992. On July 22, 1997, he was named papal nuncio to Venezuela and ordained archbishop that same year. On March 1, 2000, he was made papal nuncio to Mexico and on Sept. 16, 2000, he was named "sostituto" or undersecretary of state for general affairs. In a declaration published by the Vatican press office, Archbishop Sandri affirmed: "I am aware that I have been entrusted with the great treasure of liturgical prayer, the spiritual tradition, monastic life, the lives of many saints, and the teaching of the fathers and doctors of the Eastern Church. "It is a treasure that even today we hope is researched, revisited, delved into, and loved so that it can offer to the contemporary expectations of the universal Church and of the world of our time the wealth of the doctrine and spirituality of the Eastern tradition." Archbishop Sandri greeted the Christians "who are suffering in the Holy Land, in Iraq, in Lebanon, and elsewhere from violence, from fear and uncertainty about the future; I think of those who have to leave their homeland and everything they have." Archbishop Sandri will continue his work in the secretariat of state until July 1.
First Century BC-3rd C. A.D.Harbour Settlement Discovered in Kerala India at Pattanam (Muziris?) Archaeologists in Kerala have discovered a 2000-year-old port settlement probably dating back to the first BC to third AD, in Pattanam about 50 km from the modern day port city of Kochi.[For details on Muziris in Ancient Roman/Greek Literature cf. http://www.indianchristianity.com    (> Books   >   Kodungallur...)] The Kerala Council for Historical Research (KCHR) in its findings suggests that this could be the lost town of Muzires (Muziris) mentioned in early Roman manuscripts when ancient Rome had trade links with South India. ''Periplus mentions that the Roman ship came only up to the coast and they could not directly come up to Muzires. Then smaller boats brought goods from the ships to the site,'' said K Selvakumar, archaeologist. (For Psudosthomos or False Mouth : See Kodungallur... book by Prof. G. Menachery, 1987, reprint 2000.) ''This is a Roman amphora piece, the bottom bit amphora was the jar that was meant for transporting wine, olive oil, fish sauce etc. We have found 160 pieces of amphora here,'' said P J Cherian, Director, KCHR. Research on the site spreading across nearly 24 hectares has just begun and it might take another 10-15 years for the full extent of the settlement to be revealed. But there's evidence that the port settlement was highly developed. ''At the higher level, you find a township, a kind of urban culture evolving brick structures and a pottery that is not local,'' Cherian added. A two thousand year old sea port, its culture and its people all shrouded in a mystery waiting to be unveiled by the slow and painstaking efforts of the archaeologists. (Vide  story below: The MUZIRIS Heritage) (for details cf. NDTV site)
Third International Seminar Conference on Christianity in Sept. 2008 in Jordan: Fourth in Syria in Oct. 2009 After successfully holding the First International Seminar Conference on "Early Christianity in India" in New York at the Concordia University, the Bronx in 2005, and the Second International on the same topic at Chennai in Jan. 2007, now negotiations are being finalised to hold the Third International on Early Christianity in the Middle East and India in Jordan in September 2007. Educational Visits to the Holy Land / Egypt are likely to be clubbed with this Seminar Conference, according to Dr. John Samuel, Director of the Institute for Asian Studies, Chennai. Learned scholars in related fields are presenting well researched papers at the Seminar, both from India and the Middle East, and from the United States and Europe. One delegation of 35 scholars from the US has already expressed their desire to participate. The Fourth International is likely to be held in Syria in October 2009 where the theme could be Early Christianity in Syria and India. The best scholars in the field have already been requested to prepare their presentations. Work on the volumes containing the hunred odd papers presented at New York and the hundred odd papers presented at Chennai is nearing completion, and is likely to be released during the Jubilee celebrations of the Institute for Asian Studies tentatively scheduled for May 2007.
Guide to Thomapedia                        The SEVEN Indices in the Thomapedia  The Thomapedia is the Enlarged 2000 Edition of the 1973 2nd Volume of the St. Thomas Christian Encyclopaedia of India                     both edited by Prof. George Menachery U S and Canada Libraries having the Encyclopaedia                                                                                      Order Thomapedia                              Send US$ 35.00 (Thirty-five only) for the Paper Back Edition and   for the Hard Bound Library Edition send US$ 60.00(Sixty only) to The Thomapedia, Ollur 680306 India. Free Regd. Airmail Delivery			Thomapedia Index I Index to Title Words and Contributors Thomapedia Index II Index to Photographs Thomapedia Index III Index to Dates Thomapedia Index IV Index to Personal Names Thomapedia Index V Index to Place Names Thomapedia Index VI Index to Subjects, Events Thomapedia Index VII Index to Bibliographical Details

The MUZIRIS Heritage

Excavations have again been planned at PATTANAM and environs in the search for the treasures of Muzirss – primum emporium Indiae of the first centuries BCE/ACE. Read more about Muziris and Kodungallur / Cranganore on the Books page http://www.indianchristianity.com//html/Books.html

The ancient navigation route from Rome to the Malabar coast in India in Apostolic times.

In the first and second centuries, the most important Indian port was perhaps Muziris, on the Malabar Coast. Muziris was mentioned in the Periplus of the Erythraean Sea, in Ptolemy's Geography, and is prominent on the Peutinger Table. It is also celebrated in the Tamil-language Sangam poetry. A section of the map of India drawn after Ptolomy's Geographia. Muziris empo-rium is clearly more important than neighboring towns. As it was an "emporium," Roman merchants lived there perhaps for some time.

The Sangam poems though they never describe large buildings at Muziris, has glorious accounts of its role as a port. Neither Muziris nor Westerners are mentioned after the first centuries. section of the Peutinger Table, perhaps a fifth century copy of an earlier map. Map of South India. It appears that raw materials for stone and glass beadmakers beads passed through the Palghat Gap and down river to Muziris for export to the Roman West

The case of the mysterious Muziris is an example of what we can learn when we incorporate bead evidence into our understanding of trading networks. Many other things can be learned as well.

 Monks may live longer than other men, according to a German study.

The Benedictine publication Missionblatter has published the findings of a demographic survey by Marc Luy of Rostock, Germany, who analyzed the age of monks in different monasteries and found that on average, monks live 4 years longer than other men.

Professor Luy admitted that he still does not know why monks live longer. His hypothesis is that monks smoke less, have a regular daily routine, and do not cease working at age 65. He also believes that monks' spiritual lives help them to deal with daily stress.

The reserarcher also found that there is no difference between the average life span of monks and consecrated women.

The  report  of the study to hand does not say anything about the longevity of other consecrated men or priests in general.

[For YOUR EYES ONLY is a new LOL Series which would carry interesting pictures and illustrations which throw some useful light on St. Thomas Christian history, culture, customs, manners representing every church and denominations of Syrian Christians. Prof. George Menachery who is a renowned scholar with vast research experience in Thomas Christian traditions and history organizes this Series.]

For more info cf. http://www.indianchristianity.com/html/New Article.htm

 

MALABAR CHRISTIANS OF ANCIENT DAYS By PROF. GEORGE MENACHERY			[For YOUR EYES ONLY is a recently started LOL Series which would carry interesting pictures and illustrations which throw some useful light on St. Thomas Christian history, culture, customs, manners representing every church and denominations of Syrian Christians. Prof. George Menachery who is a renowned scholar with vast research experience in Thomas Christian traditions and history organizes this Series.]
		The very costumes and ornaments of the Thomas Christians indicate - at least used to indicate until very recent times - their deep Spirituality and commitment to the Gospel message. What the Bible speaks of the deportment of women is fully satisfied in the dress of Syrian Christian women of Kerala; it is a costume where beauty meets modesty. Allow me to quote (the late) Mrs. K. M. Matthew from the 1973 St. Thomas Christian Encyclopedia: "The costumes they wear are worthy of special note which in many ways resemble those of the high caste Hindu women. A white cloth-length 51/2 yards by 12/2 yards [Mundu} is folded into a Pudava which is again folded into fan like pleats. This fan like arrangement, which is highly artistic completely, covers the back portion of the woman when she wears the
cloth. ... The upper portion of the body including the belly and the arm is completely covered with the loose blouse-like Kuppayam or Chatta. Going to the church they cover themselves from head to foot with a nice white cloth, when only the face will be visible. This dress is fully in keeping with the modesty and nobility of the Syrian Christian women. Naturally this dress is not meant to kill, the whiteness representing purity and chastity."
Again this is what Dr. J. Kolengadan has to say in the same Encyclopedia: "...the fan like appendage behind render their dress highly modest as well as artistically elegant...As they went out to church they had a veil like outer garment, with gold brocade, reaching to the ground showing nothing but the face..." The costume of the Syrian Christian women of Kerala does what the Purdah does but without its ugliness, unhealthy anonymity and abuses. Unfortunately today one has to watch the obituary columns of Malayalam newspapers to come across this unique costume - cry, the beloved country. D. Ferroli has this on the costumes of the Syrian Christians: " The mundu [of men] is fastened round the waist and reaches down to the heels. A towel is thrown over the shoulders...". "Except those who kept celibacy and those who had gone on a pilgrimage to the tomb of St. Thomas at Mylapore, all kept long hairs tied up in a bundle..."(Placid, Thomapedia, p.107>f,g.)
[Author Prof. George Menachery is a freelance Indian Journalist and Editor of the St. Thomas Christian Encyclopedia of India and the Indian Church History Classics. After teaching university classes for thirty years, he gave up the job as Head of the Department of Post-Graduate Teaching in order to concentrate on research and publication. SARAS (South Asia Research Assistance Services) provides information and research assistance for topics dealing with India in particular and South Asia in general. He has to his credit a large number of publications, research papers, articles, radio talks and TV programmes. His research activities and lectures have taken him to more than 20 countries in 4 continents.]
THE ROCK CROSSES OF KERALA CHURCHES By PROF. GEORGE MENACHERY			[For YOUR EYES ONLY is a new LOL Series which would carry interesting pictures and illustrations which throw some useful light on St. Thomas Christian history, culture, customs, manners representing every church and denominations of Syrian Christians. Prof. George Menachery who is a renowned scholar with vast research experience in Thomas Christian traditions and history organizes this Series.]
This is the pedestal of the stone cross in granite [rock] in front of the Ollur Church which is the oldest church in the Thrissur Corporation area. But the Ollur Church is less than 300 years old whereas there are more than a hundred churches which are 400 years or more old in Kerala. And there are dozens of exquisitely carved open air rock crosses or Nazraney Sthambams in front of many of these ancient Kerala Christian places of worship, e.g. at Kottekkad, Enammavu [now in the Trichur Archieparcal Residence, where it was shifted from the Lourdes Cathedral Christian Cultural Museum that was estd. in 1980 - discovered by this writer in 1980 at Enammavu from a mud deposit] Mapranam, Puthenchira, Parappukkara, Veliyanad, Kalpparambu [the last discovered by this writer in the mud deposits] Koratty, Angamaly
[one each in front of the three churches - the Western church cross, 27ft. tall- has been exactly reproduced in front of the Kakkanad Mount St. Thomas St. Thomas Christian Museum], Kanjoor, Malayattoor, Udayanperur, Kuravilangad,Uzhavoor,Chungam,Kaduthuruthy [2 Nos.], Muttuchira, Kudamaloor, Niranam, Kothamangalam, Chengannur, Thumpamon, Chathannur, Changanacherry [the base of the second cross was discovered by this writer in the Changanacherry cemetery], and many other places. These crosses have four members: the base with a socket often fixed on a huge pedestal (see pic), the huge monolithic shaft with cylinder-like projections at both ends, the arm with sockets above and below, and the capital which forms the fourth arm of the cross with a cylinder arrangement at the bottom. All these crosses rise from the lotus carved at the top of the base member termed the Pookkallu. Many of these crosses have exquisite carvings and sculptures esp. on the four sides of the pedestal, and in rare cases on the shaft as the Adam, Eve, and the Serpent on the Chengannur Obelisk Cross. Like the Egyptian Obelisks the cross is a ray of the sun - Horus or Christ.

[Author Prof. George Menachery is a freelance Indian Journalist and Editor of the St. Thomas Christian Encyclopedia of India and the Indian Church History Classics. After teaching university classes for thirty years, he gave up the job as Head of the Department of Post-Graduate Teaching in order to concentrate on research and publication. SARAS (South Asia Research Assistance Services) provides information and research assistance for topics dealing with India in particular and South Asia in general. He has to his credit a large number of publications, research papers, articles, radio talks and TV programmes. His research activities and lectures have taken him to more than 20 countries in 4 continents.]

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