Emergence of an Indigenous
Church
We saw earlier that our
forefathers liked the East
Syrian Prelates and the East
Syrian Liturgy. But after the
Latin hegemony they did not
want to go back to the rule of
the Chaldean prelates, but
wanted to be a particular
Church directly only under
Rome. They wanted to be ruled
by prelates of their own
nation and of their own rite
under Roman Papacy..25 26 It
is true that a few wanted to
go back to the Chaldean rule.
But this trend of dependence
was effectively opposed by
leaders of our Church. Fr.
Placid remarks in this regard:
“We have seen that Trichur,
Ernakulam and Chenganacherry
were the three Vicariates
Apostolic created in 1896 for
the Thomas Christians (or the
Syro- Malabarians as they
began to be called because of
the trouble caused by the
Chaldeans).The Vicars
apostolic were of their own
rite and nation, but a few
still desired to be under the
Chaldean Patriarchate. The
indigenous Prelates, however,
handled the situation so very
well that all such desires
were soon given up by everyone
concerned ” ((See Fr. Placid
Podipara C.M.I., The Thomas
Christians on page 202). |
