Patriarchal Bull-Lets us look at some of the questions which are still troubling
HABE...@aol.com
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His Holiness through the Patriarchal Bull of May 07, 2009 (NoE85/09) unequivocally assured us that the Knanaya people all over the world belong to the universal Knanaya Samudhayam governed by the constitution of the Malankara Suriyani Knanaya Association. Unless the Association declares us to be independent of the mother church, we in the US, Canada and Europe will always be under the Malankara Suriyani Knanaya Samudhayam. Even though we are blessed with an Archbishop for America, Canada and Europe we are only as independent as the Malankara Suriyani Knanaya Association allows us to.
Lets us look at some of the questions which are still troubling some of us
1. When we already have an Archbishop how could there be another archbishop for our Samudhayam? Does that mean we are splitting up our Knanaya Community into two?
Answer: No, Certainly this doesn’t mean we are splitting-up. Under the Syrian tradition there are only Metropolitans and all Metropolitans are Archbishops. Besides H.E. Mor Severios is not only the Archbishop but also the Chief Metropolitan of the Knanaya Samudhayam who has jurisdiction over the entire Universal Knanaya Community
2. The third last sentence in His Holiness' Bull #E77/09 vaguely suggests that His Grace Mor Sillvanos may be under the direct supervision of the Patriarch. Is it true? if so, then North American Knanaya Community is separating itself from the mother church?
Answer: Just like when a priest is ordained, he is ordained on behalf of the Metropolitan. Priest is acting in the absence of the Metropolitan on his behalf. Same way all the bishops are ordained for the Patriarch. However it does not mean that the bishop is under the direct rule of the Patriarch. When a Metropolitan is under the direct rule of the Patriarch that Metropolitan is addressed as the “Patriarchal Vicar” in official corresepondence from the Patriarch, even though he is a Metropolitan.
Third paragraph of the Kalpana further clarifies by saying "However the North American Knanaya Community has a separate constitution and it is functioning as a regional administrative unit of the Malankara Syrian Knanaya Archdiocese. In these circumstances we are pleased to appoint our beloved His Grace Mor Silvanos Ayub as the Metropolitan and Archbishop of the Malankara Knanaya Churches in America, Canada and Europe......"
His Holiness has further clarified this point with Bull No E85/09 and specifically stating that ….”North American Knanaya Community shall always function as a regional administrative unit of the Malankara Syrian Knanaya Archdiocese, unless otherwise decided by the Knanaya Association in India.”
3. It is disconcerting to note that the Patriarchal Bull was sent directly to the North American Knanaya Community through Mor Sillvanos and not following the usual protocol of delivering thru the Metropolitan of the Malankara Suriyani Knanaya Samudhayam? This is creating further suspicion amongst the Knanaya Community members that this is a move to make the North American and the European Community to separate and become independent of the mother church. Is there any fact to this contention?
Answer: Appointment of bishops are traditionally carried out by His Holiness as was the case with the ordination and appointment of Mor Gregorios, Mor Ivanios, Mor Silvanos and even the ordination and appointment of Mor Severios as the Archbishop of the Knanaya Samudhayam. When a Metropolitan is appointed, the Patriarchal bull is always addressed to that particular Metropolitan and copies are sent to other Metropolitans including the chief Metropolitan. That is the right of the Patriarch and our Syrian tradition. Even the late lamented Mor Clemis Metropolitan was ordained and appointed as the Metropolitan of the Knanaya Samudhayam by the then holy Patriarch. So this fear of separation is unfounded
4. Our people in the US, Europe, Kerala and elsewhere in the World are genuinely concerned about the long term implications of this unprecedented appointment of an Archbishop outside Chingavanam without proper consultation with the Metropolitan of the Knanaya Archdiocese or the Knanaya Association (or even the Knanaya Committee). Our people view this as a grave encroachment to our long standing independent status of the universal Knanaya Community/Diocese and undermines the fundamental right of all Knanaya members anywhere in the World to be a part of the universal Knanaya Samudhayam/Community.
Answer: Metropolitan appointments are intimated directly to the Metropolitan who is being appointed even though it is with the knowledge and approval of the chief Metropolitan of that Diocese. North American Knanaya Community's status with the Knanaya Samudhayam has not changed at all with this appointment of H.G.Mor Silvanos as the Archbishop. All Metropolitans are Archbishops in the Syrian Orthodox Faith. Patriarch will only ordain and appoint a Metropolitan selected by the Knanaya Association and recommended by the chief Metropolitan. However to add additional “feathers to their cap” is a privilege of the Holy Father and done by the sole discretion of His Holiness. Nobody’s recommendation was needed to elevate His Grace Mor Severios to “His Eminence the Archbishop and the Chief Metropolitan” of the Knanaya Samudhayam. It was absolutely done by His Holiness by his own authority.
We should also be proud of the fact that His Holiness has elevated our status by giving us an Archbishop here to stand tall with the other archbishops in America, Europe and Canada.
We should be grateful to His Holiness for his love and affection for our Knanaya Community and for watching our back and genuinely wanting us to be successful not only in India but elsewhere in the world.
If we really love our Knanaya Samudhayam, we should love all our Metropolitans. All of them are our spiritual fathers and each and every one of them deserves our unconditional love, affection and respect. Then we can expect great things from them and God’s blessings. As we are not perfect, they are also not perfect. No matter how imperfect they are they are called and separated by God for His Church. So let us give them the due respect and support they deserve and need to take our community to a higher spiritual, cultural and social level. Also let us keep in mind that we are (if not, ought to be) a godly people and we should conduct ourselves in such manner and refrain from using vulgarity and profanity in expressing our feelings toward our spiritual fathers.
If you look at our history you will know that we were sent to India by the Patriarch of Antioch with priests and deacons under the leadership of Mor Knai Thomma along with Mor Joseph, a bishop. And we were under the direct rule of the Patriarch for many centuries. Seeing our zeal for the Lord and the loyalty to the throne of Antioch, Ignatius EliasIII, the Patriarch of Antioch gave us independent status in Malankara thru Bull #42 {(Knanaya Magna Carta) for a full text of the Kalpana#42 go to www.Knanaya.us under “important Patriarchal Bulls} at the same time keeping the powers to consecrate, ordain and to appoint Knanaya Metropolitans. Again it would be nice to remember that this is a privilege given to us by the Patriarch. So please stop acting like we are above the Patriarch. Through out the history of the Knanaya people all of our Patriarchs have been very benevolent to us. They treated us with great magnanimity and utmost respect. Let us as a Community show in return the same respect to the holy throne of Antioch and to the holy Patriarch
Abe Abraham Vazhayil |