Introduction

The ancient and beatific Kalloorkkadu Marth Maryam Church has been recognised as a Basilica. Champakualm Kalloorkkadu Church is a very ancient and important Syro Malabar church. It is one among the second-generation Mar Thoma Nasrani (Saint Thomas Christian) churches in Kerala. According to local traditions, this church was founded in AD 427 and originated from the Niranam church which was founded by Apostle Thomas himself. It was one among the only 7 Forane Churches in the southern Vicariate of Kottayam in AD 1887 when the Syro Malabar hierarchy was restored.  The Vicariate of Kottayam included the geographical area of today’s Arch eparchy of Changanacherry and parts of the Arch eparchy of Ernakulam-Angamali, the whole area south of river Periyar in Kerala. Today, this area is represented by 7 Syro Malabar Eparchies with Bishops however, the ancient church of Champakulam was neglected as only a Forane Church. Now, this Church has been recognised as a Basilica by the Pope of Rome. This means that this Church has a special relation with the Pope of Rome reflecting the Universality of Catholic Church and acceptance of the Primacy of Rome which the East Syrian Church always held. This new title is a recognition of this ancient Christian community of Champakulam from the Universal Church. Thus, Champakulam Kalloorkkadu Church has a global perspective today.

Churches in the East and the Universal Church

Churches in the East, especially the Churches in the East Syriac tradition had been alienated from the rest of the Christendom due to political reasons like the feud between the Roman and the Persian Empires and logistical reasons like geographical inaccessibility. The East Syriac Church took a Nationalistic strategy through the synods in AD 410, 420 and their Metropolitan of the Capital city assumed primacy and called Grand Metropolitan in presence of Western Fathers[i]. In AD 424[ii] the Synod of Markabta declared their Metropolitan of the capital city as a Catholicos.  Later, the Church of the East was wrongly accused of Nestorianism. The so-called Nestorianism seems to be a misunderstanding due to expression of the faith with certain ambiguous terms in Greek. Dr Adrian Fortescue writes ‘we saw that Greek words used in the Nestorian controversy are sometimes ambiguous and add to the confusion by the fact that we are not always sure what the people who use them mean[iii] .’ Adrian Fortescue further comments in ‘Lesser Eastern Churches’ that the so-called Nestorianism of East Syrians was only a vehement denial of the Monophysitism[iv]. We can see later in the Council of Chalcedon, Monophysitism was condemned. The Chalcedonian Doctrine can be considered as a modified version of the old Antiochene Doctrine of the so-called Nestorianism[v].

The Christology of the Church of the East is based mainly on the work of Babai the Great of 6th century- ‘The Book of Union’ which describes about the union of Divine and Human natures of Christ. Babai’s interpretation can be considered as the best interpretation of the Antiochene position (Churches of the Greco-Roman tradition) insisting on the perfection of the human nature of Christ and assumption of the form of servant by the Word of God.[vi]

Also, the reconciliation of Patriarch Iso Yahb II (628-643 AD) in Antioch with the following appellation of the faith of the Church of the East that ‘our belief in a Christ who, as Perfect Man, was consubstantial with us; – and who, as Perfect God, was consubstantial with the Father, in one “Personalitas”[vii] confirms their pro-Chalcedonian position in par with the Greco-Roman Churches.

 

Even though the East Syriac church was religio-politically and geographically separated from the Churches of the Greco-Roman traditions, they were in an active give and take relation with the Western Church, reflecting the Universality of the Church. Churches in the East Syriac tradition always accepted the Bishop of Rome as ‘primus inter pares’. This can be seen in writings of Patriarch Isho Yahb of Adiabene[viii], Patriarch Timothy I the Great[ix] and many other Fathers of the Church of the East.  East Syriac church accepted many doctrines of western Greco-Roman churches in different time periods.  The Chronicles of  Seert tells us about translation of the works of  Theodore of Mopseustia and Diodore of Tarsus into Syriac- examples of adopting some Western theology for the benefit of the Church. Thus, these theological advancements lead to the later development of Anaphora of Theodore and Nestorius.

 

Evolution of the Liturgy in the East Syriac Church was also influenced by the Western Churches. Even reading the gospel during the Liturgy was of Roman tradition[x]that the Church of the East adopted in AD 411-435 during the time of Bishop Rabulla of Edessa[xi]. Until then, Diatessaron (Harmony of Gospels) was used in the liturgy.  Diatessarons was written by Tatian[xii]. Tatian was a Mesopotamian but went to Rome and was a pupil of Justin the Martyr. Tatian returned to Mesopotamia after the death of Justin with a copy of the Harmony of Gospels and translated that into Syriac with the name Dietassaron[xiii]. This was read in the liturgy. It was Bishop Rabulla who suppressed the use of Diatessaron in the Liturgy and substituted a revision of the Old Syriac canonical Gospels.[xiv]  Even the Diatessaron itself was a translation of Harmony of Gospels that originated in Rome.

 

The common hymn in our Eucharistic Liturgy and the Liturgy of hours, Onitsa d’ Basalique originated in the Roman Empire. It was the hymn sung when the Emperor Constantine arrived for the evening prayers. The word for King in Greek is Baselius,  the hymn sung in honour of the King became Onitsa d’ Basalique in Syriac. This hymn was retained with a different meaning in honour of the Cross with the procession of the Cross by Patriarch Iso Yahb.[xv]

Thus, even though Champakulam Church is of East Syriac tradition and spirituality, it is quite right and very appropriate to get a recognition from the Roman Church. This is an occasion to rejoice.

Basilica in Roman Church

Basilica means a large and important church. The Latin word Basilica is a Greek loan word. The word Basilica means a Kingly architecture. In the past, in Rome, Basilicas were large buildings built for Royal business, like meetings and administration of law. These were civic centres for every major city in the Roman Empire. A Roman Basilica is a large hall with two rows of columns with a high central part and a lower isle on either side. This architecture is called basilica in that sense. When Emperor Constantine legalised Christianity as a Royal religion, early Christian Churches were built on the architecture of basilicas. In Rome, there are four Major Basilicas. They are Saint Peters Basilica, John Lateran Basilica, Basilica Maria Maggiore and Basilica of Saint Paul outside the walls. These four Basilicas have a throne for the Pope and altar specially designed for the Pope to celebrate the Eucharistic Liturgy.

Other Minor Basilicas are honorific titles given to an important church by the Popes. These are for making a strong bond with the church and community to the Pope of Rome.

There are 23 Minor Basilicas in India. These titles are given on the basis of the historic importance, religious importance like a connection with some saints and martyrs or relics or certain signs or miracles.

In a local Church or diocese, the Cathedral Church has more importance.  So Basilicas are inferior to the Cathedral Churches[xvi]. These are honorific titles given by the Pope like Monsignor etc.

Forane Church is also such an honorific title. In Roman Catholic Church, a priest is given honorific title Forane Vicar with some limited jurisdictional authorities. The church occupied by a Vicar Forane is called Forane Church. But in Syro Malabar Church, due to ignorance or certain other reasons at the time of the restoration of the hierarchy, a diocese was divided into different Foranes as local provinces.

Importance of Champakualm Church

The Champakulam Church is a very ancient and historically important Church of the Catholic Saint Thomas Christians. It always remained in the Catholic communion even in the midst of different schisms and types of strife, in a very volatile religiopolitical situation of Thomas Christians in the 16th to 19th centuries. Champakulam Church had a pivotal role in the ecumenical efforts of the Thomas Christian community under the leadership of Paremmakkal Thomman Cathanar. The saintly martyr of Nasranis, Ikkakko Cathanar was from Champakulam. Champakulam Church witnessed the resistance towards the unlawful invasion into the particular law and traditions by the European Missionaries. This resistance manifested in the form of strong defiance and opposition of Ikkakko Cathanar and the community towards spiritual colonisation and expression of racism by some foreign Missionaries[xvii]. The Church had an exemplary history of religious harmony with the rest of the community which could be viewed as a real witness of Christian faith to other communities that even a  King of Champakasserry is said to have considered getting himself converted to Christianity.

Thus, Champakulam Church has all the rights to be recognised as a Basilica.