St. George Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Church, Cheppaud

History

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Mor Ignatios Elias III

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St. George Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Church

Cheppaud, Kerala, India

St. Baselios Yeldho

Maphryono of the East (AD 1685)

Sacred tomb of Maphryono Mor Baselios Yeldho

at the MarThoman church, Kothamangalam

- located in the south west corner of the holy Madbaho-

In 1683, Mar Thoma II, the bishop of the Malabar Syrian Church sent a letter to the Patriarch, through one Joseph, a Syrian trade magnate from the Middle-East, requesting Holy Father to bless the Church in Malankara by deputing a Metropolitan and four Malpanos to counteract the destructive activities of the Romo-Syrians and to defend the Holy faith. In the same year a deputation from Malankara waited on the patriarch at Kurkuma Dayaro(Deir-al-Zaffran) in Mardin with a request for Metropolitans for safeguarding the faith and the Apostolic Succession.

The scene at the Kurkuma Dayaro is briefly described by Mor Athanasius Aphrem Paulose, Metropolitan of Beirut in his work, "Seemakkaraya Pithakanmar". In 1684, Patriarch Ignatius Abdul Masih I consecrated Holy Mooron in the Kurkuma Dayaro, assisted by Mor Baselios Yeldho, Maphryono of the East and other Metropolitans, under the Holy See of Antioch. Before their departure, the Patriarch in touching words acquainted them with the affairs of the Malankara Church and of the visit of the deputation. Immediately Mor Baselios, a native of Bakudaida, Karakosh, near Mosul volunteered to go to Malankara, relinquishing his administrative charge there. His self-sacrificing decision was praised by all. Mor Baselios, with the approval of the Patriarch, made arrangements at Mor Mathai Dayaro and started the long journey to a region totally unknown to him. He was accompanied by his brother, Jamma, Rembans Joea and Mathai and the newly consecrated Ivanios Hidayathulla Episcopa. They traversed the route via Basrah.

The party landed at Tellichery and fearing the Portuguese influence that was still extant in Malabar, dared not to travel by native boats, but took to the hilly, hazardous route, wearing layman's dress. After a laborious sojourn of months; they reached Kothamangalam via Pallivasal, in 1685 and stayed in the Cheriyapally. On 14th Elool (Sept) Mor Baselios Maphryono raised Mor Ivanios Episcopa to the rank of Metropolitan. Leaving him to the care for the Malankara Church, the saintly Mor Baselios breathed his last in the Cheriyapally at a grand old age after 13 days of his arrival there.

Inscription in the church, recording the life

and death of Mor Baselious Yeldho & his

companion, Mor Ivanious

Inscription in the church, recording the burial

of Mor Baselios Yeldho in 1685 and

the renovation of the church in 1849

Because of his tomb in the Madbaho (Holy of Holies) the church became a pilgrim centre

About four decades later, on 22nd August 1987, the Holy Episcopal Synod of Malankara Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Church convened by the then Catholicos of the East His Beatitude Mor Baselios Paulose II, requested the Supreme Spiritual head of the Syrian Church, the Patriarch of Antioch & all the East, to include the names of 'MAPHRYONO MOR BASELIOS YELDHO', 'Patriarch Mor Ignatius Elias III' and 'Mor Gregorios of Malankara', in the 5th diptych (Syriac - tubden) along with the Holy Fathers of the Church.

The Patriarch Moran Mor Ignatius Zakka I Iwas graciously agreed to the request of the Malankara Church and included their names in the Fifth diptych (Syriac - tubden) of the Holy Mass. Through the Patriarchal Bull No. E 265/87 dated October 20, 1987, His Holiness commanded the Church that the holy names of the aforesaid saintly High priests, should be remembered in the Fifth 'TUBDEN' in all churches in India and everywhere in the Universal Church, where Malankara Christians offer Holy Eucharist. His Beatitude the Catholicos of the East, forwarded the patriarchal bull through his circular No. 67/87 dated 10th November 1987, to all the Syrian Orthodox churches and thanked the Holy Father for this Historical proclamation.

On 20th December 1987, during the Holy Mass celebrated at the ancient St. Thomas church, Mulunthuruthy, Catholicos Mor Baselios Paulose II read the historical Proclamation of H.H. Patriarch, in the presence of all the Metropolitans of the Malankara Church and thousands of faithful assembled there. (Click Here for the concerned Encyclical of the Patriarch)

For more details, please visit Malankara Syriac Christian Resource