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93-671: In the East Syriac tradition the liturgical year starts with Annunciation season. The season is equivalent to the season of Advent in the Western liturgical tradition . Like Advent, it is a time for the celebration of the Nativity of Jesus . But unlike Advent, the whole season is a celebration of the Nativity, while in Advent the first 24 days are a preparation for the Nativity on 25 December. Historically,

186-783: A belief in Penance as a Sacrament among the ancient Nestorians or for the practice of auricular confession among the Malabar Nestorians are not conclusive. The Chaldeans have a similar form to that of the Roman Rite. The Assyrian Church of the East omits Matrimony from the list, and make up the number of the mysteries to seven by including the Holy Leaven and the Sign of the Cross , but they are now rather vague about

279-733: A bishop of East Syriac Rite sent by the Church of the East . Though most of the Saint Thomas Christians gradually relented in their strong opposition to the Catholic influence, the arrival of the Mar Gregorios marked the new step towards permanent schism. Those who accepted new liturgical practices (West Syriac Rite) and theology of the Syriac Orthodox Church of Antioch became known as the "New Party" ( Puthenkuttukar , also known as

372-528: A name which can be defended on archaeological grounds. Brightman, in his "Liturgies Eastern and Western", includes Chaldean and Malabar Catholics and Assyrians under "Persian Rite". The catalogue of liturgies in the British Museum has adopted the usual Roman Catholic nomenclature: Most printed liturgies of those rites are Eastern Rite Catholic. The language of all three forms of the East Syriac Rite

465-735: A rebellion, which became known as the Coonan Cross Oath . As a response to these events, Rome sent Carmelites from the " Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples " to the Malabar Coast. They first arrived in 1655, and began to deal directly with the Archdeacon Mar Thoma I. Although they were unable to sway the Archdeacon, Carmelites gained the support of other local leaders, including Palliveettil Chandy , Alexandar Kadavil and

558-626: A request to Pope Pius IX , asking for confirmation of his jurisdiction. Without waiting for a reply, he dispatched Mar Elias Mellus , Bishop of 'Aqra , to India in July 1874. Mar Mellus had substantial success convincing local Christian communities in Thrissur District, and also some churches in Kottayam District, to recognize him as their bishop. Although the churches were called by the name Syro-Malabar (also known as Chaldean Syrians at that time),

651-808: A schism with the Catholic Church), the Assyrian Church Patriarch Mar Dinkha IV and Pope John Paul II signed a common declaration at the Vatican in 1994; the Common Christological Declaration (1994) document asserted that the split that occurred due to the Council of Ephesus in 431 AD was "due in large part to misunderstandings," affirmed for both that "Christ is true God and true man," recognized "each other as sister Churches" and vowed to resolve remaining differences. In 2001,

744-863: A small community of around 50,000 people in the Hakkari Mountains under the headship of the Shimun line. A small group of Indians eventually rejoined the Assyrian Church of the East, forming the Chaldean Syrian Church in the 1900s, although the main body of the Malabar Christians remained as the Syro-Malabar Church . A large group joined the Oriental Orthodox West Syriac rite churches in their own set of schisms. Additionally,

837-407: Is a selection of from four to seven psalms, varying with the day of the week, and also a Shuraya, or short psalm, with generally a portion of Ps. cxviii, varying with the day of the fortnight. At the morning service the invariable psalms are cix, xc, ciii (1–6), cxii, xcii, cxlviii, cl, cxvi. On ferias and "Memorials" Ps. cxlvi is said after Ps. cxlviii, and on ferias Ps. 1, 1–18, comes at the end of

930-620: Is always associated an anointing , which as in other eastern rites answers to Confirmation, Holy Order and Matrimony , but not Penance or Unction of the sick. The Chaldean Catholics now have a form not unlike the Byzantine and West Syriac. The nearest approach to Penance among the Nestorians is a form, counted as a sacrament, for the reconciliation of apostates and excommunicated persons, prayers from which are occasionally used in cases of other penitents. Assemani's arguments (ibid., cclxxxvi–viii) for

1023-539: Is anointed all over, and there are four consecration crosses on the four interior walls of the sanctuary, and these and the lintel of the door and various other places are anointed. The oil is not that of the Holy Horn, but fresh olive oil consecrated by the bishop. Few of the manuscripts, except some lectionaries in the British Museum, were written before the 15th century, and most, whether Chaldean or Nestorian, are of

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1116-630: Is called Nithi Mar (May He come, O Lord) from its opening words. The Liturgy of the Apostles is so vague as to the purpose of the Invocation that, when the words of Institution are not said, it would be difficult to imagine this formula to be sufficient on any hypothesis, Eastern or Western. The Anaphorae of Nestorius and Theodore, besides having the Words of Institution, have definite Invocations, evidently copied from Antiochean or Byzantine forms. The older Chaldean and

1209-652: Is from the 6th century account of Alexandrian traveller Cosmas Indicopleustes . The East Syriac rite remains in-use within churches descended from the Church of the East, namely the Assyrian Church of the East of Iraq (including its archdiocese, the Chaldean Syrian Church of India) and the Ancient Church of the East , as well as in two Eastern Catholic churches, the Chaldean Catholic Church of Iraq and

1302-707: Is organized as a metropolitan province of the Assyrian Church of the East , and represents traditional Christian communities of the East Syriac Rite (hence the name) along the Malabar Coast of India. It is headed by Mar Awgin Kuriakose . The Church uses the East Syriac Rite , and employs the Divine Liturgy of Saints Addai and Mari . Its members constitute a traditional community among Saint Thomas Christians (also known as Nasrani ), who trace their origins to

1395-456: Is preceded by a preparation, or "Office of the Prothesis", which includes the solemn kneading and baking of the loaves. These were traditionally leavened, the flour being mixed with a little oil and the holy leaven ( malka ), which, according to tradition, "was given and handed down to us by our holy fathers Mar Addai and Mar Mari and Mar Toma", and of which and of the holy oil a very strange story

1488-517: Is the Eastern dialect of Syriac , a modern form of which is still spoken by the Assyrian Church of the East , the Ancient Church of the East (which broke away from the Assyrian Church of the East in the 1960s due to a dispute involving changes to the liturgical calendar, but is now in the process of reunification), and the Chaldean Catholic Church. The Chaldean rite originally grew out of

1581-619: Is told. The real leavening, however, is done by means of fermented dough (khmira) from the preparation of the last Eucharistic Liturgy. The Chaldean and Syro-Malabar Catholics now use unleavened bread. The Liturgy itself is introduced by the first verse of the Gloria in Excelsis and the Lord's prayer, with "farcings" (giyura), consisting of a form of the Sanctus. Then follow: There are four or five Lections: (a)

1674-405: Is uncertain. While some hold that this essential passage dropped out in times of ignorance, others say it never was there at all, being unnecessary, since the consecration was held to be effected by the subsequent Epiklesis alone. Another theory, evidently of Western origin and not quite consistent with the general Eastern theory of consecration by an Epiklesis following Christ's words, is that, being

1767-507: Is very similar to that of the Byzantine Rite, and to some extent the Jewish rite . The Mystery of Crowning , while not viewed as a sacrament in much of East Syriac Christianity, features several rituals, including the crowning of the couple and, within the Assyrian Church of the East, the consumption of hanānā –a mixture made with the dust of a martyr's tomb–by the betrothed. The orders of

1860-659: The Edessan Rite , Assyrian Rite , Persian Rite , Chaldean Rite , Nestorian Rite , Babylonian Rite or Syro-Oriental Rite ), is an Eastern Christian liturgical rite that employs the Divine Liturgy of Saints Addai and Mari and utilizes the East Syriac dialect as its liturgical language . It is one of the two main liturgical rites of Syriac Christianity , along with the West Syriac Rite (Syro-Antiochene Rite). The East Syriac Rite originated in Edessa , Mesopotamia , and

1953-573: The Jacobites ), while the remaining pro-Catholic fraction became known as "Old Party" ( Pazhayakuttukar ), later forming the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church . A minority within the Christian community tried to preserve the traditional use of the East Syriac Rite and re-establish ties with patriarchs of the Church of the East, who occasionally sent emissaries to India. At the very beginning of

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2046-641: The Malabar Coast , was consequently followed by the missionary activity of the Catholic Church . Portuguese authorities used intimidation to force local Christians into becoming Eastern Catholics , though under the jurisdiction of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Goa . The Archbishops of Goa, backed by the Portuguese and the Jesuites , claimed full jurisdiction over the local Christians of the Malabar Coast. In

2139-707: The Ming Dynasty , the large Church of the East structure was all but destroyed- reducing it to a few small communities in Persia, their homeland in Mesopotamia, Cyprus, the Malabar Coast of India, and the Island of Socotra . These remaining communities were later whittled away at in other events. The Church of the East in Cyprus united themselves to Rome in 1445, there was a Schism in 1552 between Mar Shimun and Mar Elia which weakened

2232-651: The Nestorian Schism , the Church of Seleucia-Ctesiphon cut itself off from Western Christianity. In 498 the Catholicos assumed the title of " Patriarch of the East ", and up until the 1400s the Church of the East spread throughout Persia, Tartary, Mongolia, China, and India due to the efforts of Missionaries. However, at the end of the fourteenth century due to the conquests of Tamerlane and his destruction of Christian settlements across Asia, in addition to other factors such as anti-Christian and Buddhist oppression during

2325-634: The Roman Rite , marks the start of the liturgical year, and begins on the Sunday that falls between November 27 and December 3 inclusive. The season extends past Advent to also include Christmastide . However, the present-day liturgical calendar of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church (one of the churches that uses the East Syriac Rite) regards "Annunciation" and "Nativity" as separate seasons, with

2418-657: The Syriac or Aramaic language. For Aramaic, it especially refers to the form that is found in certain chapters of Daniel. That usage continued until the Latin missionaries at Mosul in the 17th century adopted it to distinguish the Catholics of the East Syriac Rite from those of the West Syriac Rite , which they call "Syrians". It is also used to distinguish from the Assyrian Church of the East , some of whom call themselves Assyrians or Surayi or even only "Christians", but they do not repudiate

2511-609: The Syro-Malabar Church of India, which are both now in full communion with the See of Rome . The words of Institution are missing in the original version of the Liturgy of Saints Addai and Mari. However, the Eastern Catholic churches have added-in the words of Institution in their version of the liturgy. Although Nestorius was condemned in 431 AD through the Council of Ephesus (resulting in

2604-649: The "Antiphon of the Bema" (Communion) is sung. The Communion is in both species separately, the priest giving the Host and the deacon the Chalice. Then follows a variable antiphon of thanksgiving, a post-communion, and a dismissal. Afterwards the Mkaprana, an unconsecrated portion of the holy loaf, is distributed to the communicants, but not, as in the case of the Greek antidoron, and as the name of

2697-827: The 17th and 18th. The books in use are: These last six are excerpts from the Takhsa. Of the above the following have been printed in Syriac: For the Church of the East: For the Chaldean Catholics: Chaldean Syrian Church The Chaldean Syrian Church of India ( Classical Syriac : ܥܕܬܐ ܕܡܕܢܚܐ ܕܐܬܘܖ̈ܝܐ; Malayalam : കൽദായ സുറിയാനി സഭ / Kaldaya Suriyani Sabha ) is an Eastern Christian denomination, based in Thrissur , in India . It

2790-410: The 18th century ( c. 1708), bishop Mar Gabriel (d. c. 1733) arrived to India, sent by the sitting patriarch. He succeeded in reviving the traditionalist community, but was faced with rivalry both from West Syriac (Jacobite) and pro-Catholic party. The Chaldean Syrian Church's current Metropolitan, Mar Aprem Mooken , has argued that the church represents a continuation of the ancient Church of

2883-399: The 3rd century, relations between Christian communities in India and neighbouring Persian Empire were well established, thus enabling Patriarchs of Seleucia-Ctesiphon , as heads of the ancient Chaldean Syrian Church of the East , to establish their jurisdiction over India. Since the East Syriac Rite was the principal liturgical rite of the Church of the East , that rite was also used by

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2976-415: The Anaphora of Theodore. Then follows the Preface of the usual type ending with the Sanctus . The Post-Sanctus (to use the Hispanico-Gallican term) is an amplification—similar in idea and often in phraseology to those in all liturgies except the Roman —of the idea of the Sanctus into a recital of the work of Redemption, extending to some length and ending, in the Anaphorae of Nestorius and Theodore, with

3069-407: The Annunciation season in the Syro-Malabar Church came to an end in early January with the feast of Epiphany ( Pindikuthi Perunnal ) which was the more celebrated feast. But by the 20th century, due to influence of the Western tradition and the secular world, Christmas day (December 25) became the focal point of the season. In the East Syriac Rite , the Season of Annunciation, like Advent in

3162-442: The Apostles, Summer, "Elias and the Cross", "Moses", and the "Dedication" (Qudash idta). "Moses" and the "Dedication" have only four weeks each. The Sundays are generally named after the Shawu'a in which they occur, "Fourth Sunday of Epiphany", "Second Sunday of the Annunciation ", etc., though sometimes the name changes in the middle of a Shawu'a. Most of the "Memorials" (dukhrani), or saints' days, which have special lections, occur on

3255-403: The Chaldean Catholic Rite) which seem as if they were already consecrated. He sets aside a "memorial of the Virgin Mary, Mother of Christ" (Chaldean; usual Malabar Rite, "Mother of God"; but according to Raulin's Latin of the Malabar Rite, "Mother of God Himself and of the Lord Jesus Christ"), and of the patron of the Church (in the Malabar Rite, "of St.Thomas"). Then follows the proper "Antiphon of

3348-681: The Christian communities of India, located mostly along the Malabar Coast . In the 7th century India was designated as its own ecclesiastical province , headed by metropolitan bishops . Throughout the entire medieval period, Metropolitans of India belonged to the ecclesiastical hierarchy of the Church of the East. In 1490–1491, Patriarch Shemon IV responded to the request of Christians from India, and appointed two bishops, Mar Yohannan and Mar Awgin, dispatching them to India. These bishops, were followed by Mar Yahballaha, Mar Dinkha and Mar Yaqobin 1503–1504. They were later followed by Metropolitan Abraham , who died in 1597. By that time, Christians of

3441-424: The Church of the East are those of reader ( Qaruya ), subdeacon ( Hiupathiaqna ), deacon ( Mshamshana ), presbyter ( Qashisha ), archdeacon ( Arkidhyaquna ) and bishop ( Apisqupa ). The degree of archdeacon, though has an ordination service of its own, is only counted as a degree of the presbyterate, and is by some held to be the same as that of chorepiscopus (Kurapisqupa), which never involved episcopal ordination in

3534-421: The Church of the East had monasteries (which is no longer the case) seven hours of prayer were the custom in them, and three hulali of the Psalter were recited at each. This would mean a daily recitation of the whole Psalter. The present arrangement provides for seven hulali at each ferial night service, ten on Sundays, three on "Memorials", and the whole Psalter on feasts of Our Lord. At the evening service there

3627-428: The Church of the East is attributed to these two, but it is said to have been revised by the Patriarch Yeshuyab III in about 650. Some, however, consider this liturgy to be a development of the Antiochian. After the First Council of Ephesus (431) -- the third Ecumenical Council —the Church of Seleucia-Ctesiphon, which had hitherto been governed by a catholicos , refused to condemn Nestorius . Therefore, as part of

3720-417: The Church of the East. When a priest is engaged in sacerdotal functions, he is called Kahna (i.e., lereus; sacerdos) and a bishop is similarly Rab kahni (Chief of the Priests, archiereus , pontifex ). Quashisha and Apisqupa only denote the degree. Kahnutha, priesthood, is used of the three degrees of deacon, priest, and bishop. The ordination formula is: "N. has been set apart, consecrated, and perfected to

3813-402: The Church, and the Christians of Socotra were Islamized in the 16th century. The Church in India was divided and cut off from their hierarchy due to the Portuguese support for Synod of Diamper in 1599. Due to these events, the diaspora of the Church of the East diminished. The Elia line eventually developed into the Chaldean Catholic Church and the Assyrian Church of the East was turned into

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3906-432: The East hierarchy in India. In 1862, an attempt was made to reestablish direct ties between the community in India and the Patriarch Shimun XVIII , who consecrated an Indian born Mar Abdisho Thondanat (d. 1900) as Metropolitan of India, but his task proved to be very difficult and challenging. In order to place Christians of the East Syriac Rite in India under his authority, Chaldean Catholic Patriarch Joseph Audo sent

3999-415: The Evangelist, who added to it some of the water which fell from the pierced side. At the Last Supper Jesus gave two loaves to St. John, bidding him keep one for the Holy Leaven. With this St. John mingled some of the Blood from the side of Christ. After Pentecost the Apostles mixed oil with the sacred water , and each took a horn of it, and the loaf they ground to pieces and mixed it with flour and salt to be

4092-413: The Fridays between Christmas and Lent, and are therefore movable feasts, such as Christmas, Ephiphany, the Assumption, and about thirty smaller days without proper lections are on fixed days. There are four shorter fasting periods besides the Great Fast (Lent); these are: The Fast of the Ninevites commemorates the repentance of Nineveh at the preaching of Jonas, and is carefully kept. Those of Mar Zaya and

4185-404: The Holy Horn and the blessing of the oil take the place of the Offertory. The Anaphora is paralleled by Sursum corda, Preface, and Sanctus, a Nithi Mar, or Epiklesis, upon the oil, a commixture of the new oil with that of the Holy Horn, and the Lord's Prayer. Then the font is blessed and signed with the holy oil, and in the place of the Communion comes the Baptism itself. The children are signed with

4278-420: The Holy Leaven. The Holy Horn is constantly renewed by the addition of oil blessed by a bishop on Maundy Thursday. The baptismal service is modeled on the Eucharistic. The Mass of the Catechumens is almost identical, with of course appropriate Collects, psalms, Litanies, and Lections. After the introductory Gloria, Lord's Prayer, Marmitha (in this case Psalm 88) and its Collect, follow the imposition of hands and

4371-467: The Interpreter . The first is the most popularly and extensively used. The second was traditionally used on the Epiphany and the feasts of St. John the Baptist and of the Greek Doctors , both of which occur in Epiphany-tide on the Wednesday of the Rogation of the Ninevites, and on Maundy Thursday. The third is used (except when the second is ordered) from Advent to Palm Sunday . The same pro-anaphoral part serves for all three. The Eucharistic Liturgy

4464-427: The Law and (b) the Prophecy, from the Old Testament, (c) the Lection from the Acts, (d) the Epistle, always from St. Paul, (e) the Gospel. Some days have all five lections, some four, some only three. All have an Epistle and a Gospel, but, generally, when there is a Lection from Law there is none from the Acts, and vice versa. Sometimes there is none from either Law or Acts. The first three are called Qiryani (Lections),

4557-440: The Malabar Catholic books have inserted the Words of Institution with an Elevation, after the Epiklesis. But the 1901 Mosul edition puts the Words of Institution first. Here follow a Prayer for Peace, a second Lavabo and a censing. The Host is broken in two, and the sign of the Cross is made in the Chalice with one half, after which the other with the half that has been dipped in the chalice. The two halves are then reunited on

4650-964: The Malabar Coast were facing new challenges, caused by the establishment of Portuguese presence in India . Saint Thomas Christian denominations Syro-Malabar Catholic , Syro-Malankara Catholic , Latin Catholic Malankara Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Church , Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church Malabar Independent Syrian Church Chaldean Syrian Mar Thoma Syrian , St. Thomas Evangelical Protestant denominations Andhra Evangelical Lutheran , Assemblies Jehovah Shammah , Christian Revival Church , Church of North India , Church of South India , Garo Baptist , Indian Brethren , Indian Pentecostal Church of God , Church of God (Full Gospel) , North Bank Baptist Christian , Northern Evangelical Lutheran , Methodist Church , Presbyterian , The Pentecostal Mission , Seventh-day Adventist , United Evangelical Lutheran The arrival of Portuguese in India, and gradual establishment of their presence along

4743-401: The Malabar Rite the Karazutha, the Offertory, and the Expulsion of the Unbaptized come before the Lections and the Creed follows immediately on the Gospel, but in the Propaganda edition of 1774 the Offertory follows the Creed, which follows the Gospel. The first Lavabo, followed by a Kushapa ("beseeching", i.e., prayer said in kneeling) and a form of the "Orate fratres", with its response. Then

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4836-483: The Metropolitan, and other remaining loyal to the Patriarch. In 1968, Thoma Darmo left for Iraq, to become head of the newly formed Ancient Church of the East . He appointed Aprem Mooken as new Metropolitan of India, for the fraction that joined the Ancient Church of the East. In the same time, the other part of community, that remained within the Assyrian Church of the East, were led by their own administrators and hierarchs, appointed by Patriarch Shimun XXI. First of them

4929-476: The Mysteries" (Unitha d' razi), answering to the offertory. This is a variant of the Nicene Creed . It is possible that the order or words "and was incarnate by the Holy Ghost and was made man, and was conceived and born of the Virgin Mary ", may enshrine a Nestorian idea, but the Chaldean Catholics do not seem to have noticed it, their only alteration being the addition of the Filioque . The Malabar Book has an exact translation of Latin. In Neale's translation of

5022-407: The Paten. Then a cleft is made in the Host "qua parte intincta est in Sanguine" (Renaudot's tr.), and a particle is put in the chalice, after some intricate arranging on the paten. The veil is thrown open, the deacon exhorts the communicants to draw near, the priests breaks up the Host for distribution. Then follows the Lord's Prayer , with Introduction and Embolism, and the Sancta Sanctis, and then

5115-463: The Season of Annunciation ending prior to Christmas. Churches that follow the West Syriac Rite call this period the Season of Annunciation (as with the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church ) or the Season of Announcements (as with the Maronite Church ). In this rite, the season begins six Sundays before Christmas, making it coterminous with Advent in the Ambrosian Rite . East Syriac Rite The East Syriac Rite , or East Syrian Rite (also called

5208-447: The Vicar of Muttam, the three councilors of Mar Thoma i. As a result of this, between 1661 and 1662, out of the 116 churches, the Carmelites reclaimed eighty-four churches, leaving Mar Thoma I with thirty-two churches. The eighty-four churches and their congregations were the body from which the later Syro-Malabar Church and the Chaldean Syrian Church have descended, while the other thirty-two churches and their congregations represented

5301-433: The Virgins are nearly obsolete. As compared with the Latin and Greek Calendars, that of the Chaldeans, whether Catholic or Assyrian, is very meagre. The Malabar Rite has largely adopted the Roman Calendar, and several Roman days have been added to that of the Chaldean Catholics. The Chaldean Easter coincides with that of the Roman Catholic Church. The other Sacraments in use in the Church of the East are Baptism , with which

5394-407: The actual situation was that from Irinjalakuda to northwards and south of Bharathapuzha River, and in some churches in Meenachil taluk, the Syro-Malabarians (also known as Chaldean Syrians at that time) were half Catholic and half Nestorian, with an East Syriac liturgy . Nevertheless, by 1877, 24,000 followers had joined his group, based in Our Lady of Dolours Church (now Marth Mariam Cathedral ) in

5487-577: The administration. Mar Abimalek Thomotheus organized ecclesiastical order and revived East Syriac rites and teachings in the local Thrissur church. These reforms caused some followers to break away and rejoin the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church, but through the reforms, the original East-Syriac oriented Church of India was revived, as it was prior to the Synod of Diamper in 1599. In June 1952, Patriarch Shimun XXI appointed Thoma Darmo as new Metropolitan of India , based at Trichur . During his tenure, several churches were built, preparation of new clergy

5580-550: The aspirations of local Christians of the East Syriac Rite for the full reestablishment of traditional ecclesiastical structure. Until his death in 1900, he partially succeeded in organizing the local church, that was named the Chaldean Syrian Church. After his death, local Christians appealed to Mar Shimun XIX , Patriarch of the Assyrian Church of the East in Qochanis who was forthcoming, and in December 1907 consecrated Mar Abimalek Timotheus as metropolitan bishop for India. He reached his diocese in February 1908, and took over

5673-439: The committee, established from the 1994 dialogue, drew-up guidelines for mutual admission to the Eucharist between the Chaldean Catholic Church and the Assyrian Church of the East, overcoming all other issues. Versions of the East Syriac Rite are currently used by Churches descended from the erstwhile Church of the East : Eastern Catholic Churches , in full communion with Rome . The variety of terms used as designations for

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5766-405: The definition or numeration. The only other rite of any interest is the consecration of churches. Oil, but not chrism, plays a considerable part in these rites, being used in Baptism, possibly in Confirmation, in the reconciliation of apostates, etc., in the consecration of churches, and the making of bread for the Eucharist. It is not used in ordination or for the sick. There are two sorts of oil;

5859-439: The end of the 16th to the beginning of the 20th century, the Church was consolidated during the tenure of Mar Abimalek Timotheus (d. 1945), who is revered as a saint by the Church of the East. Christianity in India traditionally traces its origin to Thomas the Apostle , who is believed to have evangelized in India in the 1st century. Honoring that tradition, Christians in India became known as Saint Thomas Christians . By

5952-449: The evangelistic activity of Thomas the Apostle in the 1st century. They are based mostly in the state of Kerala , numbering some 15,000 members in the region. The Chaldean Syrian Church is a modern-day continuation of the historical ecclesiastical province of India , that was active in continuity until the 16th century, as part of the ancient Church of the East . After the long period of internal schisms and struggles, that lasted from

6045-405: The faith to ancient Mesopotamia (today’s modern Iraq , eastern Syria , southeastern Turkey , and regions along the Turkish–Syrian and Iran–Iraq borders). According to traditional accounts, Thomas the Apostle is believed to have traveled as far as the Malabar coast of southwestern India. This account is not yet confirmed, as the earliest-record for an organised Christian presence in India

6138-440: The formula of consecration , it was held too sacred to be written down. It does not seem to be quite certain whether Church of the East priests did or did not insert the Words of Institution in old times, but it seems that many of them do not do so now. The Prayer of the Great Oblation with a second memorial of the Living and the Dead, a Kushapa. The G'hantha of the Epiklesis , or Invocation of Holy Spirit. The Epiklesis itself

6231-436: The latter implies, to non-communicants. The Chaldean Catholics are communicated with the Host dipped in the Chalice. They reserve what is left of the Holy Gifts, while the Church of the East priests consume all before leaving the church. Properly, and according to their own canons, the Church of the East ought to say Mass on every Sunday and Friday, on every festival, and daily during the first, middle, and last week of Lent and

6324-407: The liturgy of the Church in Edessa. The tradition, resting on the legend of Abgar and of his correspondence with Christ, which has been shown to be apocryphal — is to the effect that St. Thomas the Apostle , on his way to India, established Christianity in Mesopotamia, Assyria, and Persia, and left Thaddeus of Edessa (or Addai), "one of the Seventy", and Saint Mari in charge there. The liturgy of

6417-465: The name, etc." It is not quite clear whether oil should be used with this signing or not. Then any oil that remains over is poured into the Holy Horn, held over the font, and the water in the font is loosed from its former consecration with rather curious ceremonies. The Chaldean Catholics have added the renunciations, profession of faith, and answers of the sponsors from the Roman Ritual, and anoint with chrism. The marriage service ( Burakha , 'Blessing")

6510-402: The names of the authors and call the Anaphorae of Nestorius and Theodore the "Second Hallowing" and "Third Hallowing". Otherwise there are no alterations except the addition of Words of Institution to the first Anaphorae. The recent Catholic edition has made the same alterations and substituted "Mother of God" for "Mother of Christ". In each edition the added Words of Institution follow the form of

6603-406: The nucleus of the Puthenkoor , which was eventually turned into the Malankara Syrian Jacobite Church , after the introduction of the West Syriac Rite . That process was initiated in 1665, when Mar Gregorios Abdal Jaleel , a bishop sent by the Syriac Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch , arrived in India. The dissident group under the leadership of Mar Thoma I welcomed him, apparently mistaking him for

6696-404: The octave of Easter. In practice it is only said on Sundays and greater festivals, at the best, and in many churches not so often, a sort of "dry Mass" being used instead. The Chaldean Catholic priests say Mass daily, and where there are many priests there will be many Masses in the same Church in one day, which is contrary to the Church of the East canons. The Anglican editions of the liturgies omit

6789-560: The oil on the breast and then anointed all over, and are dipped thrice in the font. The formula is: "N., be thou baptized in the name of the Father, in the name of the Son, in the name of the Holy Ghost. Amen." Then follows the post-baptismal thanksgiving. Confirmation follows immediately. There are two prayers of Confirmation and a signing between the eyes with the formula: "N., is baptized and perfected in

6882-526: The one is ordinary olive oil, blessed or not blessed for the occasion, the other is the oil of the Holy Horn. The last, which, though really only plain oil, represents the chrism (or myron) of other rites, is believed to have been handed down from the Apostles with the Holy Leaven. The legend is that the Baptist caught the water which fell from the body of Christ at His baptism and preserved it. He gave it to St. John

6975-498: The parish of Thrissur . In response, the Pope dispatched Latin Catholic leaders to remove Mar Mellus from the country and sent him back to Mesopotamia in 1882. After 1882, the majority of Mellus' followers returned to the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church , but some 8,000 Christians maintained their demand for restoration of traditional ecclesiastical order. In order to answer those requests, Mar Abdisho Thondanat revived his activity, fulfilling

7068-473: The process, local liturgical rite was Latinized , holy books were burned under the suspicion of Nestorianism , and connection with the Church of the East in Mesopotamia was denounced at the Synod of Diamper (1599). Coercive actions of the Portuguese padroado system ultimately caused resistance, and in 1653 a traditionalist faction of the local Christian community decided to follow Archdeacon Mar Thoma I in

7161-587: The psalms, are those of the feast or day, which are very few, and those of the day of the fortnight. These fortnights consist of weeks called "Before" (Qdham) and "After" (Wathar), according to which of the two choirs begins the service. Hence the book of the Divine Office is called Qdham u wathar, or at full length Kthawa daqdham wadhwathar, the "Book of Before and After". The year is divided into periods of about seven weeks each, called Shawu'i; these are Advent (called Subara, "Annunciation"), Ephiphany, Lent, Easter,

7254-463: The psalms. The rest of the services consist of prayers, antiphons, litanies, and verses (giyura) inserted, like the Greek stichera, but more extensively, between verses of psalms. On Sundays the Gloria in Excelsis and Benedicte are said instead of Ps. cxlvi. Both morning and evening services end with several prayers, a blessing, (Khuthama, "Sealing" ), the kiss of peace, and the Creed. The variables, besides

7347-606: The recital of the Institution. In the Anaphora of the Apostles the recital of the Institution is wanting, though it has been supplied in the Anglican edition of the Church of the East book. Hammond (Liturgies Eastern and Western, p. lix) and most other writers hold that the Words of Institution belong to this Liturgy and should be supplied somewhere; Hammond (loc.cit) suggests many arguments for their former presence. The reason of their absence

7440-576: The rite of the edition. The prayers of the Mass, like those of the Orthodox Eastern Church, are generally long and diffuse. Frequently they end with a sort of doxology called Qanuna which is said aloud, the rest being recited in a low tone. The Qanuna in form and usage resembles the Greek ekphonesis. The vestments used by the priest at Mass are the Sudhra , a girded alb with three crosses in red or black on

7533-528: The rite reflects its complex history and consequent denominational diversity. The common term East Syriac Rite is based on the liturgical use of East Syriac dialect, and other terms reflect particular historical and denominational characteristics. The Syrian and Mesopotamian (Iraqi) Eastern Catholics are now commonly called Chaldeans (or Assyro-Chaldeans ). The term Chaldean , which in Syriac generally meant magician or astrologer, denoted in Latin and other European languages (Greater) Syrian nationality, and

7626-702: The secession of a large number to the Russian Church due to the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission in Urmia , a Kurdish massacre in 1843, and an attempt to form an Independent Catholic Chaldean Church on the model of the Old Catholics all resulted in more Eastern rite Assyrians separating. There are three Anaphorae ; those of the Holy Apostles (Saints Addai and Mari ), Mar Nestorius , and Mar Theodore

7719-717: The shoulder, the Urara (orarion) or stole worn crossed by priests, but not by bishops (as in the West), and the Ma'apra , a sort of linen cope. The deacon wears the sudhra, with a urara over the left shoulder. The nucleus of this is, as it is usual, the recitation of the Psalter . There are only three regular hours of service (Evening, Midnight, and Morning) with a rarely used compline. In practice only Morning and Evening are commonly used, but these are extremely well attended daily by laity as well as clergy. When

7812-533: The signing with oil, after which follow an Antiphon of the Sanctuary and Ps. xliv, cix, cxxxi, with giyuri, Litanies, and Collects, then the lakhumara, Trisagion, and Lections (Epistle and Gospel ), and the Karazutha, after which the priest says the prayer of the imposition of hands, and the unbaptized are dismissed. An antiphon answering to that "of the mysteries" follows, and then the Creed is said. The bringing forward of

7905-522: The theological name " Nestorian ". Modern members of the Assyrian Church of the East and the Ancient Church of the East distinguish themselves from the rest of Christendom as the " Church of the East " or "Easterns" as opposed to "Westerns" by which they denote Greek Orthodox , Syriac Orthodox or Latin Catholics . In recent times they have been called, chiefly by the Anglicans, the "Assyrian Church",

7998-546: The third Shlikha (Apostle). Before the Epistle and Gospel, hymns called Turgama (interpretation) are, or should be, said; that before the Epistle is invariable, that of the Gospel varies with the day. They answer to the Greek prokeimena. The Turgama of the Epistle is preceded by proper psalm verses called Shuraya (beginning), and that of the Gospel by other proper psalm verses called Zumara (song). The latter includes Alleluia between

8091-605: The variations of the three Anaphora begin. The Kiss of Peace, preceded by a G'hantha, i.e., a prayer said with bowed head. The prayer of Memorial (Dukhrana) of the Living and the Dead, and the Diptychs; the latter is now obsolete in the Church of the East. As in all liturgies this begins with a form of a Sursum corda , but the East Syriac form is more elaborate than any other, especially in

8184-455: The verses. The Deacon's Litany, or Eklene, called Karazutha (proclamation), resembles the "Great Synapte" of the Greeks. During it the proper "Antiphon [Unitha] of the Gospel" is sung by the people. The deacons proclaim the expulsion of the unbaptized, and set the "hearers" to watch the doors. The priest places the bread and wine on the altar, with words (in the Church of the East, but not in

8277-561: The work of the diaconate [or of the presbyterate] to the Levitical and stephanite Office [or for the office of the Aaronic priesthood], in the Name, etc., In the case of a bishop it is : "to the great work of the episcopate of the city of ..." A similar formula is used for archdeacons and metropolitans. The Consecration of churches (Siamidha or Qudash Madhbkha) consists largely of unctions. The altar

8370-420: Was Mar Dinkha Khanania , at that time Bishop of Iran, who was appointed Patriarchal delegate for India, in 1967. In October 1971, Patriarch Shimun XXI appointed Mar Timotheus II (d. 2001) as new Metropolitan for India. During the following years, several attempts were made to heal the schism. In 1995, under new Patriarch Dinkha IV of the Assyrian Church of the East, an agreement with Metropolitan Aprem Mooken

8463-575: Was historically used in the Church of the East —the largest branch of Christianity operating primarily east of the Roman Empire —, with pockets of adherents as far as South India , Central and Inner Asia , and a strong presence in the Sasanian (Persian) Empire . The Church of the East traces its origins to the 1st century, when Saint Thomas the Apostle and his disciples Saint Addai and Saint Mari brought

8556-544: Was organized, and the Mar Narsai Press was established. In January 1964, a dispute broke out, and Thoma Darmo was suspended from the metropolitan office by the Patriarch. Emerging dispute had several causes, including issues related to hereditary succession and proposed reform of church calendar . Thoma Darmo did not submit to the suspension, and the community became divided, splitting in two fractions, with one following

8649-599: Was reached, thus initiating the process of reconciliation. On that occasion, the validity of ordinations performed by Thoma Darmo after the suspension of 1964 was recognized, and in 1997 the suspension itself was annulled by the Holy Synod of the Assyrian Church of the East. The Chaldean Syrian Church in India now constitutes one of the four Archbishoprics of the Assyrian Church of the East. Its followers number around 45,000. The present Metropolitan, Mar Aprem Mooken (ordained in 1968),

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