No. 15.] THE AND LITERARY REGISTER. No. I. FOR AUGUST, 1818. A Brief History of the Syrian Churches in the South of India. (Continued from page 216.) IN 1597 the Archbishop received intelligence of the death of Mar Abraham; and, according to the Pope's Brief, appointed Francisco Roz, a Jesuit, Vicar Apostolic of the Diocess. In the May following, on the return of the Archbishop to Goa, from which he had been some time absent on a visit through his Diocess, it was determined that George, the present Archdeacon of the Syrians, should, in conjunction with Francisco Roz, and * the President of the College of Vaipicotta, be constituted Bishop of the Diocess. The Archbishop's patent was accordingly sent, accompanied by the Confession of Faith of Pius the IVth. which the Archdeacon was requested to sign: but, as he objected to the persons who had been proposed ás assistants, nothing was then done. A short time after, however, the Arch• deacon was appointed Governor of the Churches; and was again urged to sign the Confession, which he deferred to do, requesting four months to consider the question, hoping that a Bishop might, during that time, arrive from Babylon; not knowing, perhaps, that the ports were closely blocked up by the Portuguese. At the expiration of the appointed time, the signature of the Confession was again urged, which the Archdeacon peremptorily refused, and immediately assembled a synod of the people; who, enraged at the treatment of their Bishops, and probably foreseeing the ruin of their Church, promised, with an oath, to defend their Archdeacon and their privileges to the uttermost. This re. VOL. If. EVOL. II solution was published, added to an other, that no Catholic priest should be permitted to enter their Churches; and that they would in future acknowledge no prelate who should not come from Babylon. This resolute conduct alarmed Menezes in some degree; yet, as nothing was permitted to damp his zeal for his Church, and the honour of his Master, he determined to visit those Churches in person, when he would be enabled to act as opportunities might suggest: but, as war had at that time fallen out between the kings of Mangate and Paru, in whose territories a great number of the Churches lay, it was determined to defer the visit till the follow ing spring. In the mean time the Archbishop wrote to the Archdeacon, apprizing him of his intention, and requesting him immediately to submit to the Church of Rome. This letter very much alarmed the Archdeacon, knowing, as he did, that his people were by no means able to cope with the Portuguese; and fear ing, moreover, the king of Cochin, whom he knew to be the ally of Menezes. He, therefore, returned for answer, that he would sign the Confession, provided some priest who was not a Jesuit was sent to receive his subscription. This was not exactly what the Archbishop wished; yet he consented to send a Franciscan Friar to the Archdeacon, who, after all, refused to sign the Confession of Faith of Pius the IVth. at that time; but signed a paper, in which be professed himself a Catholic, and consented to believe AS THE CHURCH DID. The duplicity of this was clearly perceived by Menezes, who, at length, succeeded in obtaining the subscription of the Archdeacon; though his attachment 29 to his ancient customs and Church remained the same.nvocătre did The Archbishop, perceiving that negociations would eventually produce nothing, resolved, at length, to undertake his projected visitation; and accordingly, having arranged some political measures to be transacted on his route, and provided himself with a body of armed men, he embarked on board a galley at Goa, Dec. 27, 1598; and, in a short time, arrived at Cochin. The Archbishop, after a splendid reception by the governor and principal inhabitants, apprized them of his intentions to reduce the Chris tians of St. Thomas, and requested their assistance in this important measure, which they promised. The king of Cochin, however, probably unwilling to give up so many brave subjects, and perhaps perceiving that the meditated reduction of that people was undertaken for no other purpose than that of adding strength to the arms of Portugal, which were already sufficiently powerful to, awe the native princes, thought proper to throw some impediments in the way of the Archbishop's arrangements, which, how ever, his superior policy enabled him to remove; and, at length, the prelate proceeded without molestation, on his pious warfare. might propose; but to demur on questiens of greater moment, as it was probable Menezes would soon return to Goa, and leave them in possession of their ancient rights; especially as they then expected a Bishop from Babylon, to whom alone they should tender their obedience. The Archdeacon, accordingly, at tended by his guard and two Paniquais, proceeded to Cochin, where he was received and conducted to the palace of the Archbishop by the governor of the city. After the usual forms of respect, the Archdeacon took his seat, and the Paniquais placed themselves at the right and left of the Archbishop, with their swords drawn, in order to defend the Archdeacon. But, on closing the doors to exclude the multitude, a serious affair had nearly taken place; for the friends of the Archdeacon, supposing that this was done in order to make him prisoner, began to prepare for violent measures; crying out, that the time had at length arrived, when they should manifest their attachment to their religion and Archdeacon. But, hearing from within that all was well, they desisted. P After this the Archbishop proposed his visitation of the Syrian Churches; and named the College of Vaipicotta was the first place to be taken in his route, whither he wished the Archdeacon to proceed, in order to meet him, and to witness and second his proceedings; to which the Archdea con gave his assentirritaokÎn The first step taken by Menezes, was a letter to the Archdeacon, requesting his presence at Cochin: but, the Archdeacon not appearing, Letters of Safe Conduct were despatched, giving the strongest assurances that not thing that had passed would be noticed. A The Archbishop embarked accordingly for Vaipicotta, where he arrived in due time; but found that the Archdeacon had not made his appearance. From the College of the Jesuits he proceeded to the Parish Church, dressed in his pontificals, and attended by the scholars and governors of the institu tion. There he delivered an elabo rate sermon, from the words of St. John, chap. x. 1. He that entereth not by the door, &c. From these words he attempted to show that the Church of Rome was the door of the Sheep This word, frequently called Casanars, is compounded, according to La Croze, of Kasheesha, Priest, and Naire, noble; the former a Syriac, the latter a Malabar word † Persons who have a number of armed men at their command. fold; and that the Patriarchs of Ba bylon were thieves and robbers. Af ter this he ordered the congregation to attend him on the day following, in order to be confirmed, a ceremony hitherto unknown among them. At the same time he informed them of the existence of purgatory ;* of which * It may not be amiss to enter here a little minutely into the consideration of this question; as the Romanists have, since the time of Menezes, assumed that every Eastern Church has, in common with itself, the seven sacraments; namely, Baptism, Confirmation, the Eucharist, Penitence, Extreme Unction, Holy Orders, and Matrimony. It appears, however, from the Acts of the Council of Diamper, held under Menezes in 1599, that the Christians of St. Thomas held only three sacraments; namely, Baptism, the Eucharist, and Holy Orders. This was remarked by La Croze, (p. 342.) and opposed to the erroneous statements of Renaudotius, in which he had assumed, as above remarked, an universal consent with the Church of Rome in the use of the sacraments. La Croze, moreover, asserted, (p. 205) that the Eastern Churches had not recognized even the number of seven sacraments prior to the times of the Crusades, when they had probably adopted it in Imitation of the Latins. Asseman, however, (Tom. III. pt. ii. p. 391, &c.) in his refutation of La Croze, objects that the Christians of St. Thomas had, in this particular, deflected from the faith of their forefathers; and then professes to show, from what he deems ancient authors in the Syrian Church, that not only the number of seven sacraments was acknowleged, but that the very sacraments of the Romish Church were originally held by the Nestorian Church. The first author, however, that he produces, is Ebed Jesu, Metropolitan of Soba who flourished in the beginning of the fourteenth century. With respect to the other authors, whose names he mentions, (p. 240) some of whom lived as early as the seventh century, it is sufficient to remark, that not one of them lias acknowledged the existence of seven sacraments, much less identified them with those of Rome. La Croze has, moreover, shown, (p. 342) that, prior to the twelfth century, no mention is made of the seven sacraments, even among the writers of the Latin Church; and that Allatius could not, in like manner, produce one testimony to the same effect from the ancient Greek Fathers. 1 Ebed Jesu (Bib. Orient. Tom. III. pt. ii. p. 240) does, indeed, acknowledge seven sacraments, yet these do not coincide with those of Rome: "There are," says he, 48 seven sacraments, which are, according to the intention of the Divine Books, 1. Orders, which is the completion of all the sacraments. 2. Holy Baptism. 3. The Oil of Unction. 4. The Offering of the Body and Blood of Christ. 5. The Remission of Sins. 6. The Holy Leaven. 7. The Signing of the life-giving Cross:" where no mention is made of the sacraments of Confirmation or Matrimony. With regard to Confirmation, Menezes was well aware that it was wholly unknown in India; for in the Acts of the Synod of Diamper (Geddes, p. 213) he says, "Forasmuch as hitherto there has been no use, nor so much as knowledge, of the Holy Sacrament of Confirmation among the Christians of this Bishopric, &c." Father Simon, Renaudotius, and Asseman, have, however, evaded this, by the sweeping observation, that Menezes knew nothing at all about the matter and adding, that the Sacrament of Confirmation in the East is included in that of Baptism. It is remarkable (Geddes, p. 210) that the Jesuits in England had formerly recourse to the same expedient; and asserted, moreover, that Confirmation was not very necessary, and might be dispensed with. It should follow, if this mode of arguing be granted, that the Syrians acknowledge eight sacraments, which effectually destroys the fancied agreement in number. But it does not appear, from the Syrian writers themselves, that any such construction ought to be put upon the use of the Holy Oils in Baptism."The Oil," (Bib. Orient. Tom. III. pt. ii. p. 247,) says Elias, Bishop of Anbara, who flourished early in the tenth century," with which the priest anoints the heads of baptised persons, is a mystical sign of the confidence which the saints do hence receive." And Timothy II Metropolitan of Mosul and Arbela, A. D. 1318, says, (Bib. Orient. Tom. III. pt. il. p. 261.) So Water, Oil, the Priest, and the Prayers of the Priest, are the substantial parts of Holy Baptism; if one of which be wanting, Baptism is by no means complete." Words the same effect are used by George, Metropolitan of Arbela, who flourished about the middle of the tenth century. What is cited by Asseman from Joseph Ih in which he reproaches the Nestorians for not acknowledging the sacrament of Confirmation, vanishes, when we know that this Joseph is one of the Sham Patriarchs that was set up by Pope Innocent the XIIth A. D. 1696, and whose authority was never acknowledged at Mosul. It appears, therefore, that the Christians of St. Thomas had not deflected from the usage of their forefathers in not acknowledging the sacrament of Confirmation; and that the citations made by Asseman himself tend to prove the statements of La Croze, which they had been intended to refute. likewise they had never before heard. This sermon and confirmation had but little effect, it should seem, on the minds of the Syrians: for the Arch bishop at length perceived, that, notwithstanding his presence at the morning and evening prayers, still the Patriarch of Babylon was mentioned as head of the Church. This he determined no longer to suffer, although the Jesuits insisted on the expediency of making some sacrifices to the prejudices of the people. He accordingly excommunicated the Patriarch; and compelled the Archdeacon and Casanars to sign the excommunication, and affix it to the Church doors for publication. ing to the Archdeacon, requested his permission to fall at once upon their adversaries; and either to revenge the cause of their injured Bishops and Patriarchs, who had now ruled them for more than 1200 years, or fall in the attempt. The Archdeacon, probably foreseeing that nothing less than the extirpation of their whole race would result from such a proceeding, advised the people to submit for the present to their afflictions; observing, that there was a time for all things, and that the present was one for dissimulation rather than revenge; that 'he had, indeed, signed the excommunication; but this he had done purely out of fear, well knowing that the Archbishop was seconded by the King of Cochin, in whose territories they re Asseman and Renaudotius, however, go still further, and would prove, from the use of this Holy Oil, the sacrament of Extreme Unction as acknowledged in the Eastern Churches: but not to mention that this would swell the number of sacraments to nine, and that Ebed Jesu does not admit it in his enumeration of the sacraments, and that (Bib. Orient. Tom. II. pt. ii. p. 276) George of Arbela only mentions the laying of hands upon the sick as one of the duties of the Priest, it cannot follow by any just mode of arguing, that Extreme Unction was ever yet considered as a sacrament in the East. It would hardly have been expected that Asseman would have attempted to show that Matrimony was considered as a sacrament by the Syrians, when Ebed Jesu had excluded it from his enumeration of them. Yet, that nothing may be left untried to support the faith of the Church, he has attempted this also. Simon Sulaka," says he, “when a Monk, at Rome, in 1553, expressly enumerated Matrimony in the number of the sacraments." The account given by Geddes (Hist. Church Mal. p. 12.) of this Simon Sulaka, is, I think, a sufficient refutation of his statements. "In the year 1552, one Tum Siud, or Simon Sulacan, a Monk of the Order of St. Pachomius, who pretended to have been chosen Patriarch of Mosul, or Seleucia Parthorum, or Babylon, for they are all the same, by the whole Clergy of Persia and Assyria, came to Rome and submitted himself to the Pope......He presented Letters and a Confession of Faith to the Pope, which he pretended were sent by all the Eastern Bishops. In these Letters the Pope's Supremacy was exalted as high as if they had been writ by a Parasite Canonist, &c... Tum Siud, after he was dismissed at Rome, instead of returning to Babylon, went and lived in an obscure place called Charamet, or Amed,” &c. As to the citation from Ebed Jesu, (Bib. Orient. Tom. III. pt. ii. p. 318) in which St. Paul's words are translated, "This is a great sacrament, but I speak of Christ and the Church," it is unnecessary to dwell upon the refutation of such sophistry. It may, perhaps, not be amiss here to remark, that the matter of the Holy Leaven, as also that of the Oil, is considered among the Christians in the East as a sacrament, supposing they have preserved them from the apostolic times. This is a great proof of their superstition and ignorance, which we may reasonably hope that a revival of true religion among them may induce them to disregard. The attempt of Asseman to show that Auricular Confession was in use among the Syrians, is no less ridiculous than that of endeavouring to establish the sacrament of Matrimony; for it is well known that Joseph II., whose words he cites to this effect, was like Simon Sulaka, a sham Patriarch of Amed, set up also by the Pope: he died A: D. 1714. It would be superfluous to enter into the question of Transubstantiation, as it is evident, from Asseman's own citations, (Bib. Orient. Tom. III, pt. ii. p. 294, 5,) that some of the best and most ancient writers, of both the Nestorian and Jacobite community, did not hold it; and, consequently, that the Christians of St. Thomas could hot, with propriety, be accused of innovation in this particular. sided; and who would certainly revenge any affront offered to the Archbishop, on their lives and estates. With regard to himself, he was determined to die in defence of the religion of his country, rather than submit to the introduction of Popery. This he hoped the Christians of St. Thomas would consider a common cause; nor by any means be brought to allow that faith to be superseded by the delegates of Rome, which they had received at the hands of the Apostles. He was greeted by the loudest acclamations of the people, declaring that they would sacrifice both their lives and property in the cause of their ancient faith. The Portuguese were much alarmed on being informed of this proceed ing; and remonstrated with the Arch bishop on the rashness of the step. He, however, with the spirit that animated his coadjutors in Europe about the same time, replied, that he was so far from feeling any compunction for what he had done, that he was prepared to do the same again, should circumstances require it: for the pre sent, however, he should proceed in his intended visitation. The Archbishop accordingly proceeded to Paru, which is the Metropolis of a kingdom, in which the most respectable body of the Christians of St. Thomas resides. These people were probably less friendly to the Roman Catholics than those of any other Church on the coast of Malabar; for, notwithstanding two youths of a noble family among them had visited Rome, and obtained some privileges for their Church from Gregory XIII. yet their inveteracy to the Church of Rome was so great, that they banish ed these youths on the suspicion that they had been infected with Catholic superstitions, and wished to introduce them among the Christians of St. Thomas. The Christians of Paru had, at first, agreed to prepare some festivities for the reception of the Archbishop; but, hearing of his proceedings at Vaipicotta, these were quickly changed for arms. The Archbishop was received, therefore, on his landing, by only a few persons, with dejected countenances; and, on his proceeding to the Church, found it filled with armed men. These appearances of hostility in timated to the Archbishop the propriety of ordering his guards and servants on board, well knowing the dif ficulty of keeping the zeal and ignorance of both parties within their proper bounds. His own intrepidity and management, he foresaw, would effect more than could possibly be expected from the attachment of his adherents. He accordingly put on his pontificals; blessed the congregation; and then delivered an harangue of an hour and a half, in which he laboured to show that there was but one true religion, and that this was the Roman; and, consequently, that it was the duty of all Christians to submit to it. On concluding this harangue, he proceeded to establish the Sacrament of Confirmation; and exhorted all present. immediately to receive it. The sermon, indeed, produced no visible effect on the people; but, when he talked of confirming, he was no longer to be borne. The people exclaimed that they would never be confirmed by him: that Confirmation had never been taught by their Prelates; and that it was no Sacrament, but a device framed by the Portuguese, with the view of reducing them to slavery by making a mark on their forehead, and giving them a box on the ear-that although their brethren at Vaipicotta had basely submitted to this indignity, they would never permit him to touch their beards or their wives' faces: they would moreover advise him to return to his countrymen, while he was safe; as it was probable, that his interference with their religion and privileges might produce more serious consequences than he had at first ap prehended. The Archbishop is said to have listened to all this with great patience; and to have proceeded to prove that Confirmation was a Sacrament, which still more irritated the Syrians. At length the Archbishop, finding that his disputation only tended to make the matter worse, rose and said, with some vehemence, that he preached the doc |