Thomas of
Kenai
According an ancient
tradition a Persian merchant,
Kenai Tomman arrived in India
in the middle of the fourth
century with a group of
people. He helped the Thomas
Christian community to solve
the problem of succession of
bishops. Bishops from Persia
ruled over the Thomas
Christians till the end of the
sixteenth century. He obtained
many privileges for the Thomas
Christians from the kings and
strengthened the community.
The immigrants maintained a
rule of endogamy, marrying
only from within their own
community. They keep their
ethnic identity as a distinct
community among St. Thomas
Christians. This community had
their own priests and
parishes. In 1911 a separate
vicariate apostolic, Ottawa,
was erected for them. Mar
Karaoke Kunnacherry is their
present bishop and Mar Matthew
Moolakatt is his auxiliary.
The bishop of Kottayam has
jurisdiction over all the
members of this ethnic group
within the provinces of
Ernakulam, Chenganacherry,
Trichur and Tellicherry. At
the time of the Coonan Cross
Oath some of this group left
the Catholic communion and
became Orthodox. When Mar
Ivanios and followers returned
to communion some of the
members of this community also
came to communion, but instead
of joining the Malankara
Church they joined the diocese
of Kottayam in the Syro-Malabar
Church although they follow
the Antiochian liturgy. |
