@@diegobarragan4904 Syro Malabar Catholics are fully Catholic, and while prior to the restoration of unity when the Portuguese went to India, they did depend on the Nestorian Church for Holy Orders and Episcopal consecration, once communication was restored between the Holy See and the Christians in India, a segment (this Church) restored communion between the two. There are others of this Rite who are in communion with the Nestorian Church and another group who under English Rule entered communion with Anglicanism and have a mixed rite with Syro Malabar and Anglican Elements. Austin, if you have it in the Moody Library look for Donald Attwater's Churches of the East. Long out of print it's a two-volume study of the Churches of the East not in communion with Rome and a volume of those in communion with Rome.
@@diegobarragan4904 I guess you have to understand the context of the Latinization of the Church in India (as a Brazilian who is fairly acquainted of the historical data of the Portuguese Empire maybe I could try to explain it) exactly as a sort of “anti-Nestorian” impulse. First of all, the Chaldean Catholic Church repudiated Nestorianism as a condition to enter into union with Rome. And the exact same happened with the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church. Besides, the three individuals Nestorius, Theodore of Mopsuestia and Diodore of Tarsus (the "Greek Doctors" as the Assyrian Church of the East calls them) are NOT part of the festivities of the Chaldean Catholic Church or the Syro-Malabar Church although they were part of the Old Calendar of the Assyrians - the same happened with some others implicated in the Nestorian controversy. They were also obliged to confess the Virgin Mary as the "Mother of God" rather than the "Mother of Christ", although the usage of the latter is not forbidden “per se”. Both are present in that form in their liturgy today. What happened in 1552 with the Chaldean Catholic Church split from the Assyrian Church of the East is more or less parallel to what happened in 1599 with the Synod of Diamper (and the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church) as far as doctrine goes and the condemnation of “Nestorianism”. The particular case of the East Indian Malabar coast is that this very synod marked an increasing influence of Jesuits, Franciscans and Carmelites of Portuguese background on the region, due to post- Council of Trent’s fervor to suppress dogmatic errors in Portuguese colonial domains. It also explains the (failed) struggle to “latinize” the Church by Portuguese missionaries PRECISELY as a matter of theological suspicion, although the formal condemnation of “Nestorianism” was already and undoubtedly made by the Chaldean Catholic Patriarch Mar Abdisho IV Maron (Patriarch from 1555 to 1570) in 1561-1562. Patriarch Mar Abdisho IV Maron went to Rome in 1561 and made a formal profession of faith in front of Pope Pius IV and received the “Pallium” in 1562, that means the sign of confirmation of authority, election and communion with the Catholic Church and it all had to happen in light of the Council of Trent’s dogmatic precision (check _“R.D. Patriarchae Orientalium Assyriorum De Sacro Oecumenico Tridentini Concilio”_ ). At that time it was naturally understood that the jurisdiction of the Chaldean Patriarch, just as the jurisdiction of the (Assyrian) Catholicos of the East, extended from ancient Persian Empire to India. But with the Synod of Diamper - and as the Roman reception of its terms - it became progressively evident that the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church was received not under the jurisdiction of the Chaldean Church but as an autonomous ‘sui iuris’ Eastern Catholic church. The Chaldean Catholic Church had huge expansion in the areas of Iraq and Iran (the large majority of Christians in that area are Chaldean Catholics today) or the ancient Persian Empire but it failed to expand to the Malabar Indian coast. Take the example of the most famous patriarch of the Chaldean Church in the 19th century was Joseph VI Audo: he is remembered for his struggles with Blessed Pope Pius IX about his unsuccessful attempts to extend the Chaldean jurisdiction over the Syro-Malabar Catholics. So the curious part of it is that Syro-Malabars, who had to fight against the Portuguese colonizers over their suspicion of “historical Nestorianism”, which lead to the risk of “Latinization”, accused the Chaldean Patriarch of a sort of a “Nestorian habit” (kind of) as if he wanted to mimic the millenary jurisdiction domain of the Patriarch/Catholicos of the East over India. Nestorianism, therefore, was genetically abjured from the life of Syro-Malabar Catholics since its very beginnings. Pretty much the same happened with an Assyrian group that became part of the Oriental Orthodox community (the one known as the “Malankara Orthodox Church”, a Miaphysite Oriental Orthodox church) and yet another branch that joined the Russian Orthodox Church in 2015: they had to renounce “Nestorianism” doctrinally. But that doesn’t mean they must abolish their old liturgical practices (as the millenary anaphorical prayers of the time of the Assyrian Church) if they are understood to be doctrinally sound chants. I guess that was the reference made by Melvin. Nestorius is not venerated as saint among Chaldeans or Syro-Malabars and so isn’t Theodore of Mopsuestia, the one who is supposedly the actual polemical founder of “Nestorianism”. As said, Nestorius, Theodore of Mopsuestia and Diodore of Tarsus are NOT part of the festivities of the Chaldean Catholic Church or the Syro-Malabar Church. It is the same of Mark of Ephesus: he is NOT part of the Byzantine Catholic calendars although Photius and Palamas are indeed (due to the fact that Mark of Ephesus formally rejected the dogmatic proclamations of the Council of Florence that the EO Patriarchs had already signed), even if some individual Catholic, unconscious/ignorant of it, says otherwise. To summarize: according to Catholics, if one wants to know if a person is venerated as a saint for any Eastern Catholic “sui iuris” churches, he or she must look for the liturgical calendars of that autonomous Church, all in accordance with the canons of the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches (CCEO).
Wow, this was unexpected. I’m Byzantine Catholic, and it’s not every day that I see my brethren from even further East getting representation on the internet. Needless to say, I am STOKED for this. I’m very glad to see someone covering a very under-appreciated and under-represented lung of the Catholic Church! Good on you for doing this, brother.
@@diegobarragan4904 They’re not Nestorian. Repudiation of Nestorianism was one of the conditions for being readmitted into communion with the Roman see.
@@diegobarragan4904 They do not venerate Nestorius. They use the anaphora attributed to him (which most likely is not actually from him) and the anaphoras attributed to other Nestorians (which likely don’t go back to them either), but they do not venerate him.
I was baptized in a Syro-Malabar Church and will be getting married in one. But I was catechised in the latin rite of the Roman Catholic Church while growing up in the Middle East. I feel right at home in either rite, despite the cultural differences. As Pope John Paul II once said, “The Church must breathe with her two lungs!”
@@mimi_j Any Catholic can partake in any communion or mass in all 24 Catholic churches. Yes, this also includes Sunday and mandatory church day obligations.
@@mimi_j Only Orthodox Christians are blessed to partake of the Holy Gifts. God is fire and consumes the unworthy. Rome and it's 24 churches are Apostates and innovators / breakaways from Holy Orthodox, Catholic and Apostolic church. Peace be unto all.
Noo wayyy!! Syro Malabar Catholic heree! I'm soo happy to see this and grateful for the representation! God bless you Austin and thank you for this little suprise!
Thanks for showing! I am Malankara Syriac Orthodox (also know as Jacobites, we are one of the Oriental Orthodox churches found in Kerala). The ecclesiastical history of the church in India is fascinating. Much of what was shared here is similar to my church tradition.
@@sometimesIcook Syro Malabar and Malankara Orthodox weren't United, but yeah, we were in communion with eachother. Even after the arrival of Latin missionaries, we were in communion with eachother. But then, due to the then Latin Church's representative to Kerala churches attempted to latinize Nasrani churches and this ended up in a huge backlash and both churches declared an oath to not recognise the Latin church until they give us full autonomy. After hearing about the backlash, the then Pope immediately called him back and tried to resolve the issue. But he failed to reconcile the Malankara Church due to him not agreeing to give full autonomy. But he did succeed in reconciling with Syro Malabar Church. Because of this, the Syro Malankara stopped being in communion with Syro Malabar and that's how Syro Malankara and Syro Malabar Church split.
@@Nikola-xn3bb nope, before it was one group of Syrian Christians. The split only happened post the Coonan cross Oath when a portion entered into communion with Rome (Syro-Malabar) and the rest opposed it (Puthenkoor) from which rest of the Syrian churches such as Malankara Orthodox and the Jacobite church emerged.
Austin is a straight-up gift to the Church. He'd get a reward recognizing him as an honorary member of the C.C. from the Holy Family any day. Looking forward to this video
There's so many Eastern Catholic and Oriental Orthodox churches that are unknown and unexplored for me (and a lot of people). I definitely look forward to this.
Syro Malabar church became independent from Chaldean Catholic church in 16nth Century. It was actually diocese of India (Bes Hindaye ) of Chaldean Catholic church. It follows same East Syriac liturgy of Chaldean Catholic church and Assyrian Church.
I’ve been watching your podcasts for over a year now since getting into Christian apologetics, and what a shock to see you cover my very own cathedral! So dope! Thanks for your open heart to explore all these different churches!
Among the 24 Individual churches (Sui Iuris) in the Catholic Church only the Latin Catholic Church and the Syro- Malabar Catholic Church have a continuous history from the first Century. The Syro- Malabar Catholic Church traces its origin from the Apostle Thomas who established 7 churches on the Malabar coast of India.
I am eastern othordox(OCA) I found this fascinating. I feel like it's orthodoxy, catholic and Indian culture in blender. Thank your for showing something I had no idea existed. God bless !
@@josephsebastian2025 I'm aware but still it's stands that I'm happy to see forms of Syriac Christianity particular to India on this channel (better?) :-)
@@adambrickley9088 Sure. I'm happy about it as well. We are not well known outside of our home state of Kerala in India. This might be an opportunity for more people particularly in the West to know about the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church.
@@josephsebastian2025 My other question would be how you get along with the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church - like are there a lot of things together or are the two worlds super separate (I might need to research that a bit as I write fiction and am planning a character who's a Syro-Malankara cardinal). Anyway, happy to see more branches of the tree on the channel :-)
Thank you for touring a Syro-Malabar Cathedral! Would love you to tour a Syro-Malankara Rite Catholic Church next. God bless you Austin! From a Malayali Latin Rite Catholic.
This led me into contemplative prayer, from beginning to end and a little beyond. Beautifully expressed instruction in the Faith. (Latin Catholic here).
I have been curious about the Syro Malabar rite. We have a , I guess, mission in Raleigh, NC. I am of the Latin Rite, but really appreciate the eastern rites. Our church breaths with both lungs. Lovely church.
This was an awesome video and makes me proud of my heritage! Thank you for taking the time to get to know the Syro Malabar Church! Fr. Joby is an amazing person and I’m glad you got the chance to spend time with him!
Great video! As a Latin Catholic with no direct exposure to Syro-Malabars (my country doesn't have any) this was more informative than I expected. On an unrelated note, cool sweater/t-shirt.
Onemore thing I wanted to add about the curtain behind the alter. It represent also the veil in the jerusalem temple, which was torn during the time of jesus's death on calvary. The curtain is two parts which reminds the tore veil in jerusalem temple.
Beautiful church and presentation by the priest. Gorgeous sacred art to help with Prayer & Meditation as "windows" into Heaven. To me, the most Catholic concept is the Presence in the Tabernacle. Did you notice the priest said Jesus is in the Tabernacle, then he said "Behind HIM" is the mosaic of the resurrected Jesus. Outsiders think of the art being the actual Jesus, but it's not. Jesus is in the Tabernacle Eucharistically, and a lighted red candle will let us know when there are consecrated hosts inside. The other very Catholic concept is to include the Death & Resurrection of Jesus as a "package". There isn't one without the other; it wouldn't make sense. But now, the Resurrection is true, and that's why we can ask those who passed away to pray for us, because they are not dead; they are alive in Heaven!
This is amazing! Thank you for taking the time to visit our Syro Malabar Cathedral! Proud to be a Syro Malabar Catholic 💯 also thanks to Fr. Joby for explaining our rite so beautifully!
I benefit greatly from the spirituality of the Syro Malabar Church, my Indian Spiritual Father is Syro Malabar, he has Tri-ritual faculties which makes it even more interesting. Praise God!
I loved this! This has honestly been the most comprehensive and approachable explainer of the distinctives of the East Syriac Rite that I've seen so far; this particular tradition has definitely not been highlighted enough on RU-vid.
Have you ever thought about touring a Byzantine Catholic Church?… in Chicago they have both Ruthenian and Ukrainian but they are open to all! I know you and your fiancée have liked a lot of elements of Orthodox worship and it might be worth it for both of you to check out a Byzantine Divine Liturgy! I found the truth of Catholicism and yet I could still express my faith in an Orthodox way that spoke to my soul!
This is amazing! Thank you for discovering Catholicism! There's so much faith, tradition and history! I love it and these tours are so informative and beautiful!^_^❤
0:42 Mar Toma Sh'licha would be Adon Toma HaShaliach in Hebrew (lord/master Thomas the Apostle) 6:18 Haikla is cognate with Hebrew Heikhal which means Temple 19:36 Beima is cognate with Hebrew Bimah which means platform
Thank you Austin. Looking forward. A fellow SyroMalabar Cath frm Philly. ✌️ The Syro-Malabar Church shares it's East Syriac liturgical patrimony with the Chaldean Catholic Church based in Iraq. So in terms of the title it's better to use Iraq instead of Syria. Iraq representing ancient Mesopotamia.
But the problem is that what is now called Iraq was a part of Assyria and Mesopotamia. Iraq is a new ARABIC name given by the British to the Mesopotamian regions.
Thanks, Brother Austin for this presentation. I have been Latin Rite all my 80 years and knew about the other Catholic Churches and attended many, but this good Father educated me about the Syro Malabar Church. Please educate us about the 22 other Catholic Churches. I have been trying to contact you about this query for a few months but seem unable to contact you. Thank you, Austin, my favorite Protestant, and Father, a future leader of the Syro Malabar church.
Dude Austin I’ve been watching you since the Interview with Bible illustrated and I just want you to know you have developed a lot so far in the short time I’ve been a viewer, love to see it! Continue on progressing hermano 🙏
@David Phillips You don't read comments do you??? Did I once say anything about "modern" Judaism??? 😣 And I certainly did not say anything was good or not good, much less modern Judaism! I certainly did not tell any Jew that their covenant is still valid! And I never said that we should not try to convert Jews! *STOP PUTTING WORDS IN MY MOUTH/COMMENTS!!!*
While watching, a passage from John17 kept popping into my head; “20 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; 21 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. 22 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: 23 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.” See how Jesus prayed the same thing twice; seems He thought it was important. Thank you both for the effort you made in the video; very well done!
The reason why we as a syriac branch of Christianity don't have many icons is often attributed to the fact that a lot of Syriac communities were supressed by Islam, which strongly opposed Icons.
What a really interesting video...thank you! ⭐ Austin ⭐ I think what makes your video's so interesting...is you! You are undeniably kind, intelligent, considerate, polite, humble, a loving Christian, etc. I guarantee that you have one or two unfavorable traits also, that we don't see (ha)... But your kindness really stands out! I am sure that you make your parents very proud! May God bless you and Eliza on your upcoming marriage! 🌹
Thank you so much! I love your realism with the comment about one or two unfavorable traits as well. Surely! Ask Eliza how well I dealt with not getting into grad school...😅
That's why the term "Catholic" was applied to the church because from the earliest apostolic period, the disciples took Christ's Great Commission literally so even before the New Testament scriptures were written, they had literally walked into the horizon to preach the Gospel.
I have to say you will find more east syriac tradition following churches in some parts of south India.Among syro-malabars there are 3 main factions-ones who want a completely latinised tradition (near Ernakulam-Angamaly arch diocese) ,ones who want a moderate acceptance of latin traditions without affecting core identity of east syriac tradition and the ones who want to go back to east syriac ecclesiastical traditions that never had an organic development as Vatican asks from us.
Not Latinised tradition , brother but the modernization inspired by Vatican II , ie acknowledging Royal Priesthood of Laity, thts why the mysteries are not hidden from Laity.. It's because of the 2nd Vatican council Liturgical language is converted into local Vernacular... By that Laity can understand and participate...
@@MelchizedekVision We don't believe Vatican 2 inspired modernism brother to say catholic church started with vatican 2 while Pius X and several magesterial documents condemn modernism. Only a minority liberal faction of syro-malabar church wants to adopt the bad practice of qurbana versus populum which started only in 1960s lacking a magesterial backing up on top of a theological backing up in scriptures and apostolic origin which Popes Like benedict 16 and Cardinal Sarah condemned as a bad liturgical practice. I go with view of cardinal sarah in that regard that facing east is facing God just like how all catholics viewed qurbana ad-orientam. Mentioning priestood of laity in vatican 2 is simply an affirmation of our 2000 year old tradition not that it asked to remove veils or bhema . It doesn't mean laity from today start should start wearing 'royal' bishporic vestments or priestly robes like kasheeshas. Vernacular language is also not a vatican 2 invention since apostolic churches always did liturgy in vernacular. But sacredness of eccelsaistical languages like latin,syriac ,greek,etc were reiterated too in sacrosanctum councilium from Vatican 2.
@@summersloth2899 because of Vatican 2 , 1. language of Holy Qurbana changed into Local vernacular 2. Acknowledged and re affirmed Royal Priesthood of laity that's why versus Populum Qurbana doesn't hide important part of Holy Qurbana from Laity... 3. Men and Women are given equal status thts why Women can enter Sanctuary and read Epistles , Old Testament
@@MelchizedekVision You are very wrong brother 1.Qurbana was always done in vernacular considering aramaic was the language of syriac speaking communities even before the time of incarnation of our lord but since church spread to many parts and people become unlearned of these languages in modern times , bishops of vatican 2 considered it as efficient way without leaving aside importance of sacred languages which are ought to be taught to the faithful too .Please read sacrosanctum councilium and magesterial documents like those written by liturgical commission on importance of ecclesiastical languages . Let's also not forget many of the grave mistakes done in translating latin mass and qurbana in syriac to vernacular languages like english and malayalam which was existant in catholic church for decades showing execution of Vatican 2 was done very badly. 2.Vatican 2 didn't mention anything saying or implying altar veils of east syriac tradition was against royal priesthood of laity infact east syriac tradition have always affirmed whole church is where people of God through their priesthood is assembled to worship God through qurbana. Veil of Madhaba is symbolic of God's presence on heaven being barred from people on earth until Jesus came. This is why we open madhaba during qurbana 2 times where each one shows sacredness of the mysteries of God being accessible to the people of God through Jesus christ while we still see this mystery of God in heaven being veiled from us until we are in heaven to achieve beautific vision like saints. This is from pope Francis-- “Even those traditions that preserve the use of the iconostasis, with the royal door, or the veil that hides the sanctuary at certain moments of the rite, teach us that such architectural or ritual elements do not convey the idea of God’s distance, but on the contrary exalt the mystery of condescension - of synkatabasis - in which the Word came and is coming into the world,” .Proof of burden is on you to show otherwise from Vatican 2 documents or magesterial ones or else you are just projecting your 50 year old non-existant theology against this 3000 year old tradition we inherited from judaism . 3. Men and women are not equal in their ministry in church and still it's not. Sacred orders are still reserved for men only in catholic church. It's only in 1983 Code of Canon Law(without distinguishing between male and female) said that "Lay persons can fulfill the function of lector in liturgical actions by temporary designation. All lay persons can also perform the functions of commentator or cantor, or other functions, according to the norm of law." Although that language did not explicitly authorize women to act as altar servers, many dioceses allowed females to act as altar servers . The Holy See provided a clarification On 15 March 1994, the Congregation for Divine Worship affirmed that both men and women may serve at the altar, that each bishop has the discretion to determine who may serve, and that "it will always be very appropriate to follow the noble tradition of having boys serve at the altar". So you are still strawmanning vatican 2 to support a modernist practice discouraged by church. Please also understand we will never have women priests too and those who have done that was always excommunicated.
@@summersloth2899 I was talking about Kerala local Vernacular is Malayalam before that Tamil... But Holy Qurbana was conducted only in Syriac... Due to 2nd Vatican council converted into local vernacular pls study church history
The west also have a similar thing to that veil screen, it is call the rood screen, pardon me if i got it wrong. It also symbolises the altar space as the holy sacred place, the heaven and the congregation space the earth. As time passed, the rood screen became the altar rail and now after the 1960s u dont see it anymore.
I believe Syro-Malabar is one of the Eastern Catholic churches that has no Orthodox counterpart, along with Maronites and Italo-Albanians. I'm curious how Christians get on with their non Christian neighbors in India, as well as how this particular tradition compares in numbers to the Syro-Malankara Catholics & Orthodox, as well as Indian Roman Catholics.
Syro malabar has orthodox counterpart which is malankara orthodox/malankara jacobite church. Together they all make up the st thomas christians or syrian christians community of kerala. Majority of st thomas christians are catholic today with syro malaabr being the biggest denomination but orthodox counterpart is also a significant population.
Their orthodox counterparts (i.e. the Indians who also use the East Syriac Rite) are the (very small) Chaldean Syrian Church, which is part of the Assyrian Church of the East. The above commenter is wrong. The Malankara churches - which include the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church (Eastern Catholic), the Jacobite Syrian Church, the Malankara Orthodox Church (both Oriental Orthodox) and the Mar Thoma Church (Oriental Reformed) - use the West Syriac Rite instead, so the Orthodox groups of the Malankara tradition cannot be regarded as an Orthodox “counterpart” to the Syro Malabar Church.
Looking forward to this. Have met individual members of this Rite in my country but it seems that the only non-Latin Rite Catholic Churches in South Africa are Maronite. Open to correction if anyone knows better.
Maronites are the largest Eastern Catholic (Syriac rite) denomination. There are around 5-6 million Maronites. The first Maronite presence in South Africa goes back to 1896.
