Introduction 150

(Archivio Vatic. Secreto, Armad. VII, Caps. V, N. 14).

Sanctissimo 24 Patri et Domino nostro Papae.

(Giamil pag. 100; & pag. 604.)

A. Theiner. Annal. Eccl. ad an. 1578. t. 2 pag. 442. Romae 1856.

Archiv. Sec. vat. Brev. Ad Princ. XLIV. 24.

Venerabili Fratri Archiepiscopo

Ecclesiae Goanensis

GREGORIUS PP. XIII.

Venerabilis frater salutem et Apostolicam Benedictionem. Libentissime utimur hac opportunitate scribendi ad Fraternitatem tuam : volumus enim, perspectam tibi esse nostram erga te charitatem, cuius quidem habemus causas gravissimas profectas a tua pietate et studio. Dei gloriae atque animarum salutis, in utraque enim causa laborare te, gravissimorum virorum testimonia confirmant; Cupimus etiam, ut venerabilem fratrem Archiepiscopum Angamalensem in ipsa Synodo provinciali (nam ipsum quoque interesse volumus, deque ea re ad eum scripsimus (Cfr. pag, 605 et seqq.), benigne excipias, efficiasque, ut tum ibi,tum caeteris in locis tuam humanitatem et charitatem sentiat, hoc et fratri debere intelligimus, et multum interesse judicamus, ad inferendam istorum populorum animis Catholicam fidem, et Christi cultum propagandum; redduntur enim faciliores, ubi viderint, Christianos ipsos inter se diligere, suaeque legis observantes esse: neque vero ignoras, quam accuratum velit Apostulus esse Episcopum, idque hac potissimum de causa, ut is, inquit, qui ex adverso est, vereatur, nihil habens dicere de nobis ; Omnibus igitur in rebus ita Archiepiscopum tractabis, ut omnes agnoscant auctoritatem tuam. Non dubitamus te et rei ipsius aequitate, et Nobis obtemperandi studio id diligentissime facturum. Quod Tuae Fraternitati commendamus, sacerdotes Sodalitatis Jesu, nihil opus est, arbitramur enim experiri te, quanta cura et solicitudine versentur in causa Christi, inque hominibus ab impietate revocandis, atque ad Catholicam Ecclesiam, extra quam salus nulla esse potest, adjungendis; pro nostra tamen perpetua erga illam charitate commendamus eos, quantum possumus. Datum Romae apud Sanctum Petrum sub annulo Piscatoris die vigesima Novembris millesimo quingentesimo septuagesimo octavo, Pontificatus Nostri anno septimo.

A. Theiner Annal. Eccles. ad an. 1578. t.2. pag, 441. Arch. Sec. vat. Brev. ad Princ. XLIV. 24. Gregorii XIII, an. VII. Epist. 181, fol. 121.

Abrahamum Assyiro-Chaldaeum Angamalae Archi episcopum in oris Malabaricis, cui parent Christiani S. Thomae in Indiis, Gregorius XIII. Pont. amantissimis litteris recreat, monetque ut ad suos in Ecclesiae sinum reducendos utatur opera patrum Societatis Jesu, quos ei valde commendat, deinde suadet, ut Synodo provinciali Episcoporum in Indiis Goae propediem cogendae interesse velit, nihilque timeat molestiarum.

Venerabili Fratri Archiepiscopo Angamalensi.

Venerabilis frater, salutem et Apostolicam benedictionem, Iucundissimae Nobis fuerunt litterae Fraternitatis Tuae. Erant enim plenae charitatis et pietatis in Apostolicae Sedis auctoritate agnoscenda, et tua catholica fide testificanda (vide N.XXI, pag. 83). Scis autem, hoc esse firmissimum fundamentum salutis, Episcopum vero non sua tantum salute contentum esse debere. sed etiam laborare, ut alios a fraude Sathanae, atque impietate ereptos ad Catholicam Ecclesiam atque ad Christum adjungat, inque eo ejusdem Christi adjutorem esse. Hoc autem et cupere et laborare Fraternitatem tuam, nec quidquam magis velle, quam Christi fidem, quam latissime propagari, incredibili cum voluptate cognovimus uti etiam ad hanc rem opera Sacerdotum Sodalitatis Jesu, quod summopere probamus commendamusque eos Fraternitati Tuae, quantum possumus, novimus enim illius Ordinis hominum Dei gloriae et animarum salutis zelum, quantoque cum fructu in eo versentur. Illud etiam pernecessarium judicamus, ut una cum caeteris Indiae Episcopis atque Antistitibus intersis Synodo Provinciali quae haberi solet Goae: neque enim alia Synodus est, cui interesse possis, neque ipse propriam habere potes; scis enim, te hactenus sine suffraganeo esse, nihil autem est, quod verearis, ne quid injuriae aut molestiae accipias : scribimus enim ad Episcopos ipsos (cfr. antecedentem epist.), ut te amanter honorificeque excipiant, nec nulla in re laedi sinant, id illos et rei ipsius aequitate et Nobis gratificandi atque obtemperandi studio adductos, facturos speramus. Datum Romae apud Sanctum Petrum sub Annulo Piscatoris die XXIX Novembris. MDLXXVIII. Pontificatus Nostri anno septimo.

‘Episcopum vero non sua tantum salute contentem esse debere etc. i.e, "The Bishop ought not to be content with his salvation alone, but he should also labour for others who have been snatched off by the fraud of Satan and by impiety and bring them to the Catholic Church and Christ and thus he ought to be a minister of Christ.’ This passage some, (Mackenzie p. 20 and Bishop of Cochin in his `Some Elucidations’ p. 23.) according to their own interpretation, say that the Pope meant to inform Mar Abraham not to be satisfied with his own salvation only but also to convert his own flock from heresy. This interpretation seems to be very hard to be admitted : for it is against common sense to say that a Bishop alone is Catholic in a diocese and none else of them for whom he is the Bishop. From the reading of the whole letter the passage is clear enough to show that the Pope meant to exhort him (Mar Abraham) to convert heathens of his territory and not to be content of his own flock only. ‘Sed etiam laborare ut alios ..... a fraude satanae atque impietate ereptos ..... ad Christum adjungat’ = ‘but also to labour in order to join to Christ others who are snatched away by the deceipt of the devil and impiety’ (Vide Mackenzie p. 93, ‘A Review of Some Elucidations’ p. II). It is also clear from the letter that the Pope exhorted Mar Abraham to work for the propagation of the faith with the help of Jesuit fathers.

A. Theiner. Annal. Eccl. ad an. 1578. t. 2 pag. 441. Archiv. Sec. vat. Brev. Ad Princ. XLIV. 24. Gregorii XIII. an. VII. Ep. 201. fol. 136.

Epistola Gregorii XIII Pontificis, qua Lusitaniae Regem rogat, ut catholicos in Patriarchatu Aethiopiae et in oris Malabaricis degentes, praesertim Abrahamum Assyrio-Chaldaeum Angamalae Archiepiscopum, habeat quam commendatissimos.

Charissimo in Christo Filio Nostro

Henrico Portugalliae et Algarbiorum

regi illustri

Charissime in Christo fili noster, salutem et Apostolicam benedictionem. Libenter commendamus Majestati Tuae ea, in quibus potest tua excellens pietas sese exercere ad Dei gloriam atque ad animarum salutem, qui nihil magis velle ac libentius facere te certum habemus. Quod autem hoc tempore occurrit, tale est : Christiani qui in Patriarchatu Aethiopiae sunt dicuntur gravi in periculo sese, tum propter intestinas Aethiopum ipsorum inter se discordias ac tumultus, a quodam Asmaco homine potentissimo, qui a suo Rege defecit, excitatos, tum propter Turcarum caeterorumque Maumethanorum finitimorum vim atque insidias : rogamus Majestatem Tuam, ut Christianos illos quam commendatissimos habeas, mandesque proregi Indiae, ut curet intestinos tumultus sedari pacemque conciliari; tum ut et eosdem Christianos iis auxiliis juves, quibus opus esse intelliges : dicuntur enim magnopere indigere, periculumque esse, ut una cum hominibus ipsis Christi fides in ea regione intereat. Commendamus etiam Majestati Tuae venerabilem fratrem Archiepiscopum Angamalae, quem accepimus graviter a nonnullis vexari, erit Nobis gratissimum, si mandaveris Proregi et Gubernatoribus Indiae, ut eum tueantur, neque injuria opprimi sinant. Datum Romae apup Sanctum Petrum sub Annulo Piscatoris die III Decembris MDLXXVIII. Potificatus Nostri anno septimo.

A. Theiner. Annal. Eccles. ad an. 1580. t. 3. pag. 231. Archiv. Sec. vat. Brev. Ad Princ XLIV. 24. Gregorii XIII. An. VIII. Ep. 126. fol. 272.

Epistola Gregorii XIII Pont. qua Clerum et Christianos S. Thomae in oris Malabaricis ab insidiis cuiusdam Simeonis 53 schismatici Ediscopi cavere monet, ne ab eo se abduci patiantur, suis desertis Praesulibus Abrahamo Archiepiscopo 54 et Georgio Episcopo 55 Palurensi.

Dilectis Filiis Clero et Populo Christiaorum

S. Thomae in Provincia Angamalensi

Dilecti filii, salutem et Apostolicam benedictionem. Quaecumque facultas datur declarandae atque exercendae pietatis, Deoque inserviendi debent Catholici omnes eam cupidissime amplecti, imprimis vero eam, quae pertinet ad fidei orthodoxae stabilitatem, et incorruptam Ecclesiasticae disciplinae sinceritatem : neque enim possunt homines a catholica fide alieni et criminibus involuti ad sempiternam illam felicitatem et gloriam pervenire, ad quam facti sunt, et sanguine ac morte accerbissima Domini Nostri Jesu Christi vocati. Utrumque hoc salutis fundamentum, fidei nimirum sinceritatem et vitae ac morum sanctitatem conantur haeretici ac schismatici evertere, hominesque a Deo abducere, secum in sempiternum interitum trahere : ministri scilicet, et filii Diaboli, perpetui capitalisque hostis Dei gloriae atque animarum salutis. Ex hoc numero accepimus esse istic Simeonem quemdam, qui dum se Episcopum facit, quid aliud nisi fur est et latro ? his enim nominibus huiusmodi monstra appellat Dominus Noster. Omnes, inquit, quotquot venerunt, fures fuerunt et latrones, veniunt autem, qui non vocati nec missi, tamen audent pastorum nomen ac munus occupare. Neque tantum dicitur Simeon hoc contentus esse, sed illa etiam facere, quae sunt insaniae suae consentanea; conari scilicet Catholicos ab Ecclesiae unitate sejungere, orthodoxam fidem corrumpere, falsa dogmata disseminare. Nos igitur vestrae salutis, vestraeque Ecclesiae tranquillitatis cupidissimi hortamur, monemus, proque potestate Nobis a Christo tradita mandamus, ne ab ista peste vos corripi sinatis, sed eam omni studio vitetis, ab ejus sermone et vocibus refugiatis, illum ut catholicae fidei, vestrae salutis, Christi gloriae hostem atque eversorem horreatis, eque vestro numero et conventu ejiciatis, neque inter vos versari aut vestris in locis consistere permittatis; idque etiam in caeteris haereticis et schismaticis faciatis, ne scilicet pestifera eorum doctrina et contagione correpti pereatis. Obedite vero in Domino Abrahamo Archiepiscopo vestro, Georgio item Episcopo Palurensi, inque fidei sinceritate, morum simplicitate, Sanctae Matris Ecclesiae unitate permanete et vivite; sic enim ad sempiternam illam felicitatem et gloriam, quam repositam et paratam habet Deus iis, qui pie sancteque vixerunt, pervenietis. Quod ut vobis omnibus ejus bonitas largiatur, toto pectore oramus. Datum Romae apud Sanctum Petrum sub Annulo Piscatoris die quinta Martii MDLXXX. Pontificatus Nostri anno octavo.

It must be observed here that, though the election of the Archdeacon George as the Bishop of Palur was confirmed by the Chaldean Patriarch (Vide letter of Mar Abraham to Pope Gregory XIII P. 25, 26 of Documents) and approved by the Pope, he was not consecrated. The Portuguese who wanted to latinize the Syrians of Malabar and get them under their Latin administration blockaded all entry to Malabar for the Syrian Bishops. In like manner, probably they impeded also the consecration of the Archdeacon. Had the Syrians got, as they requested when the Portuguese took possession of the administration over the Syrian Church, the Bishops of their own rite, there would have been no occasion for so many dissensions and lastly the unfortunate introduction of Jacobitism in Malabar at the end of 17th. Century. Had it not been for the wise solicitude of Pope Leo XIII of immortal memory to preserve the Oriental Rites, the Syrians of Malabar would not yet have obtained their own Bishops according to their repeated prayers.

Quum interim memoratus Mar-Josephus naturae cesserat ac Simeon in Lusitaniam relegatus fuerat, Mar Abrahamus Malabaricam Ecclesiam solus rexit usque ad annum 1597, quo postquam dictam Ecclesiam Georgio a Christo Archidiacono commendasset (Cfr. NN. XX. XXVI). senio confectus vitam suam in urbe Angamalensi Clausit. De quo autem Praesule plura habes in nostro hoc opusculo huc illuc sparsim allata. Consule NN. XII, XIII, XIV, XV, XVI, XIX, XX, XXI, XXII, XXIII, XXV, XXVI, nec non praesentem Append. a pag. 604, usque ad pag. 608 inclusive.

Iste Archidiaconus in Epistola Pontificia Gregorii XIII, data die V. Martii anno MDLXXX ad Christfideles Sancti Thomae in India, Episcopus Palurensis appellatus est, ut infra ex ejusdem Epistolae expositione patebit Praeterea quum vertente anno 1599, Alexius Meneses Goanus Archiepiscopus in urbem Diamperensem Synodum convocasset, conatus est in ea antefatum Archidiaconum (licet catholicam fidem profitentem, ut palam fit ex documentis XVI, XVII, XVIII, XX) una cum aliis Chaldaeis sive Presbyteris, sive nobilibus viris cogere, ut anathema suo Patriarchae Babylonensi dicerent, atque ab illa hora in posterum nullum episcopum, nisi a Romano Ponitfice designatum reciperent; verum quum dicti Malabares antiquae suorum Majorum traditioni pertenacissime obfirmati permansissent, in Synodum nationalem undique convenerunt, in qua jurejurando interposito sanxerunt, se quotquot erant, quod eorum omnium etiam nomine, quorum personam gerebant, pollicebantur, nihil acturos praeter Georgii Archidiaconi voluntatem, nihil novi diversumque ab iis, quae antiquitus acceperant, se amplexuros, legem Sti Thomae eorum Apostoli pessundari, minime toleraturos; Antistitem demum aliunde, quam a Babylone electum, nullo pacto admissuros; quae omnia facultatum, et vitae ipsius impendio se promoturos polliciti sunt, atque id publico testimonio per totam illam regionem evulgarunt. Cfr. Ranlin, Historia Synodi Diamperitanae pag. 20, Romae 1745. Al. Asseman. in Commentario De Catholicis, seu Patriarchis, alias cit. pag. 226. (Giamil p. 603.)

Some historians relate, as it is also recorded often in the decrees of the Synod of Diamper, that the Syrians contented that the Church law of St. Thomas the Apostle was different from that of St. Peter. But these historians confounding the existing difference in rites and discipline (which the Christians of St. Thomas meant) between both, the Syrian and Latin Churches, assert that the difference was concerning dogma. Similarly if the historians speak of the resistance of the Syrians to receive Archbishop Menezes it is due solely to the difference in rites and not to the difference in faith, as some misunderstand.

Hisce autem praemissis, fas erit aliquid adhuc addendum circa ea, quae post praelaudati Mar-Abrahmi interitum fuere peracta. Isto itaque demortuo, instigationibus concionatorum jussu Alexii Meneses Goensis Archiepiscopi omni in Malabariae portu custodes positi fuere, ne quis Ecclesiasticus a Chaldaeorum Patriarcha missus illas in regiones ingredi possit dictoque Mar-Abrahamo in munere succedat, hac autem super re audiatur Cl. Raulin S. Augustini Ordinis Alumnus in Historia Synodi Diamperitanae (cui memoratus Alexius praeerat) pag. 17 "Ut autem, ait, caveretur, successoris Chaldaei accessus, qui timebatur, ad Ormuzium unicam viam Exploratores missi sunt, qui caverent, ne aliquis Ecclesiasticorum e Chaldaea, Perside, aut Armenia (Aramaea) transiret in Indiam, absque speciali Goensis facultate. In omnibus propterea Portubus Indiae inquisitum fuit in exteros quoscumque illuc adventantes, ac diligenter cautum, ne personati, aut Nautae, aut Trapezitae (quod erat frequens) larvis Episcopi, vel Presbyteri Babylonici aditum ad eam Regionem invenirent, quae quidem agendi ratio unicum fuit opportunumque cum praesenti, tum futuro discrimini auxilium."

Hac autem agendi ratione, Chaldaeis Malabaricis Latini ritus Praesules praeesse coepcrunt 56, inconsultis ac perpetuo obsistentibus tum Chaldaeorum Patriarchis, cum iisdem Malabaribus, et utrisque quidem reluctantibus, Latini Antistites gentes illas ab anno 1599, ad an. 1653, gubernarunt, et omnium primus Alexius Meneses Augustinianus, qui Synodum anno 1599 in oppidum Diamper nuncupatum convocavit, in qua plura sive disciplinae, sive doctrinae capita auctoritate propria condidit, plures mutationes et novitates in Syro-Chaldaicis libris Ritualibus et liturgicis introduxit, pluresque unici exemplaris Codices flammis absumendos tradidit 57 Chaldaeis Malabaribus luctantibus. Ut vero ea de re circa gesta in Synodo ista aliquid sub oculis habeas, accipe verba Decreti XIV. Actionis III, pag. 104. "Qui vero aliquem ex libris (Syriacis)praedictis apud se habere compertus fuerit, ultra memoratam censuram (i.e. praeter obedientiae praecepti transgressionem et poenam excomunicationis) poenis aliis graviter a Praesule punietur." Item in Decreto XV, pag. 107. "Quae habentur integra in ipsorum (Sanctorum) cultum Officia, simul cum Officiis de adventu et Christi Nativitate a Breviariis revulsa, et in frusta discerpta comburantur". Denuo in Decreto. XVI, pag. 107: "Praecipit Synodus in virtute sanctae obedientiae, et sub anathematis poena Cassanariis 58 Chet amazibus 59 aliisque quibuslibet cuiuscumque dignitatis et conditionis in hac dioecesi, ut infra bimestre a publicatione huius Decreti ad ipsorum notitiam perlati, omnes et quoslibet libros Syriace scriptos, Illmo Metropolitae vel per se ipsos, vel per interpositam personam, tradant ... Sub eodem pariter obedientiae praecepto et anathemate praecepit, ut nemo ex hac dioecesi cuiuscumque conditionis fuerit librum aliquem Syriace transcribere audeat, nisi ad id Praesul facultatem ipsi scripto concesserit, facta expressa mentione libri, ad quem transcribendum facultatem concedit." Haec et alia plura ejusmodi noxia ea in Synodo incaute et plerumque sine ulla ratione sancita fuere uti legentibus examinantibusque ejusdem Synodi acta liquide elucescit, quod quidem Diamperensium censorum inscientiam plane ostendit.

Item perperam Syro-Chaldaeis Malabaribus nonnullos tribuunt errores, quos revera non habent, vel qui errores non sunt, sed peculiares quidam Ecclesiae Syro-Orientalis Ritus in sacramentorum praesertim administratione usurpati ut scite animadvertit etiam doctissimus Assemanus in Bibl. O. t. 3, part. 2, pag. 391.

Operae pretium duco hic adnotasse etiam quod nunquam memorata Synodus a S. Sede fuit approbata, neque adprobari integre poterat, quia multa ibi facta fuerunt vi per auctoritatem civilem 60, et multa contra antiqua et perpetua decreta Sedis Apostolicae, ne quid innovetur aut immutetur in Ritibus Orientalibus, nisi quod contra fidem et mores forte irrepserit juxta illud Sancti Gregorii Magni celebre dictum (Epistola ad Leandrum) "In una fide nihil officit Sanctae Ecclesiae consuetudo diversa" aliqua etiam contra sanam doctrinam. Haec omnia diffuse recenset, carpit et confutat clarissimus Assemanus sub oculis et jussu R. Pont. Innocentii XI scribens B.O. t. 3, Part. 2 a pag. 391, 345, Ac ante ipsum Richardus Simonius contra Crozaeum Protestantem virum, qui patrocinium Synodi Diamperitanae propter suum scopum susceperat, demonstrando Menesem, Gouveam et patres Diamperenses in Synodi illius decretis peccasse et errasse tum facto tum jure, contra praxim S. Ecclesiae et mentem Summorum RR. Pontificum circa tutelam et integritatem Rituum Orientalium. vide Assemanum, op. cit., pag. 345-6.

Haec interim sufficiant obiter hic adnotasse, at vero si quis ampliorem hac super re notitiam habere cupiat eum ad auctores a nobis supra allegatos mlttimus, qui de rebus ea in Synodo gestis fusius tractarunt, et nos ad Praesules Latini ritus, qui per id temporis Malabares nostros rexere aggredimur asserentes, quod anno 1600, Franciscus Roz e Soc. Jesu, postulante Philippo tertio Hispaniarum a Clemente Papa VIII, Episcopus creatus, Alexium Menesem Antecessorem excepit, et primo sedem suam Angamalae fixit, posthac Cranganorae usque ad an. 1617, quo naturae cessit, Francisco autem ex eadem Sodalitate successit Hieronimus Xavier Navarrensis, celebris ille vitae Christi Domini Persica lingua scriptor, qui eodem anno 1617, Goam perrexit, ibidemque mox vita defunctus est, et anno subsequenti memorato Hieronimo suffectus est Stefanus de Britto, qui vertente decimo septimo Episcopatus anno decessit, hinc anno 1636, Franciscus Garcias ejusdem Soc. Jesu alumnus Cranganorae urbis titulo Archiepiscopus est inauguratus, et cum ejus regimen Malabares abiecissent, fato functus est anno 1659.

X. Anno circiter 1654, Atalla.

Chaldaei Malabares quum a praememorato Garcia defecissent a Summo Pontifice saepe sui ritus Syro-Chaldaici Antistites petierunt, quod nequaquam obtinuissent, hinc more antiquo a suo Babylonis Patriarcha Episcopos sibi postularunt, et eis datus est Atalla (Deus-dedit), qui cum ad Indos festinasset Melioporemque appulisset, Evangeli Praeconum instigatione a Lusitanis interceptus est carcerique traditus, quo quidem in India audito, Malabares, conspiratione facta in Matanger, Rapolino et Mangate ingentes turbas ciere coepernut atque manu facta vigintiquinque mille armatorum quodam Archidiacono ductante copias praefatum Garciam in obsidem libertatis Atallae Epicopi capere in urbe Cochino conabantur, eo vel magis indignatione exarserunt, cum illis est nuntiatum dictus Atalla Goam fuerat adductus atque a Tribunali Inquisitionis saeculari brachio traditus flammisque addictus Cfr. Jos. Assemanum B.O. t.3, part. 2. pag. 447, 461. Le Quien, “Oriens Chr.” col. 1281-2, Raulin, ‘Historia Synod. Diamp.,, pag. 441-2. Huius facti notitiam fusius tradit memoratus P. Vincentius in cit. Opere, lib. II, Cap. VIII, pag. 153-4.
(Vide Giamil pag. 611.) 
notes :
1 Summ. Pontifex praesentem epistolam, quam hic producturi sumus, ad Patriarcham dirigens, ei enixe Abraham Archiepiscopum Chaldaeum ex India Romam venientem commendat, maximeque hortatur, ut, cum in India ordinaria polleat jurisdictione, eidem Abrahamo, illuc redituro, dioecesim ac residentiale locum, urbem Angamalensem juxta ipsius Abrahami desiderium assignet, nec non inter ipsum et alterum Chaldaici Ritus episcopum ibi commorantem dividat, ut unusquisque eorum libere ac rite suo munere fungi valeat. Praeterea et alia perhonorifice de Abrahami fide, pietate, morum honestate, et singulari in tolerandis persecutionibus patientia describit Pontifex, ut ex ipsius epistolae lectione facile concipitur.
2 Istas pontificias litteras in Abahami commendationem datas ad Goanum nempe Archiepiscopum et Cocchinensem episcopum videbimus infra, ubi eas ipsasverbum de verbo ex ms. Archivii vat. productas exponemus.
3 Episcopus iste cujus meminit hic Pontifex, est ille Josephus, de quo superius sub numero VIII locuti sumus ad calcem pag. 31, qui jussu sui Patriarchae in Indiam se contulerat antequam Abrahamus Angamalae Archiepiscopus illuc profectus fuerat : videsis pag 85., 86. sub numero XXII. Hic autem Abraham ab isto Josepho multas molestisa in suo muuere obeundo passus est, ut ipsa Pontffcis verba aperte significant.
4 Haec documentorum pars iam sub prelo pressa lucem expectabat, casu fortuito in praedicti Patriarchae epistolam incidi, quam in responsum, reor, esse ad hanc Pii IV epistolam, vide infra in Appendice sub n. III.
5 Notandum quod Abraham, quem hic Goano Archiepsicopo enixe commendat Summus Pontifex, ex India Romam redux suum Patriarcham primo in urbe Babylonis seu Bagdadi inviserit, ab eoque commendatitias ad Romanum Pont. literas acceperat, quarum Pontifex hic meminit. Nos autem frustra quidem hasce litteras in Sanctae Sedis Archivio omni studio inquisivimus, sed hae una cum aliis etiam magni momenti documentis, manu alienigena fuerunt abreptae. Ni fallor, hoc accidisse, tempore Gallorum Reipublicae. i.e. anno 1798 quo omnia mss. Archivii Vat. in Galliam fuere translata.
6 Videsis numerum VIII, pag. 34 et seqq. rursus numerum X.
7 Hoc documentum infra producemus ab integro sub num, XXI
8 i.e. Josephum Episcopum de quo jam paulo ante locuti sumus.
9 Ista Patriarchalia privilegia regiones Indiae respecientia, iterum jam fuere comprobata atque confirmata ab ipso Julio III. Cfr. nn. V. VI, ubi sunt allata Pontificia Brevia quae intuentur Joannis Sulakae approbationem et canonicam eius confirmationem in Patriarcham Assyriorum, seu Chaldaeorum.
Here must be noted, neither the author of the ‘Bullarium Patronatus Portugalliae nor any other Portuguese writer gives out the above Papal letters which are not so favourable to their position !
10 Iste Ahraham anno ultimo Pii IV vitae, hoc est, ann. 1565 ex Indiae regionibus Romam venerat, et, prout verba huius Pontificiae commendationis ostendunt, eum orthodoxam fidei professionem coram Romano Pontifice praemisisse, licet et ejusdem fidei confessionem aliquot post annos iterum professum fuisse. Ac scripto eam ad Gregorium XIII, misisse ut infra sub N. XXI, hanc ipsam verbotenus ex Archivio vat. producemus.
11 Parte per conformarolo al rito Latino, :-From this it is clear that the Portuguese in India intended to make Mar Abraham conform to the Latin Rite.
12 Iste Episcopus ni fallor, est Simon ille qui post Abdjesu Patriarchae mortem ex Babylonia in Indiam missus fuerat, ibique ut ex Malabaria Abraham Angamalae Archiepiscopum reiiceret, nihil intentatum reliquit. A st demum Fratrum Minorum consilio Simon iste Romam est profectus, indeque jussu Sixti V. Pontificis in Lusitaniam relegatus est, illicque in Olyssipone civitate dies suos clausit. Vid. Joseph. Aloysium Assem. De Catholicis seu Patriarchis Chald. et Nest. commentarius pag. 225.
13 Rex iste quamvis ethnicus, justitia et Christianae Religionis puritate victus, Gregorio XIII Pontifici, utpote universae Christi Ecclesiae Capiti, antea jam in Abrahami Assyrio-Chaldaei Angamalae Archiepiscopi commendationem sponte scripserat. Ac insimul etiam ab eodem Pontifice sacras Indulgentias pro quadam Ecclesia recens ab Archidiacono Georgio a Christo ejusdem Nationis fundata, [cfr. numerum XVI huius lucubrationis], per suum Legatum enixe petierat. A st Legatus hic, morbo Olyssipone correptus, suas Regiasque litteras Pontifici deferri curavit, hinc ex iis, capta occasione ad eumdem Legatum ac sui Regem scribit Pontifex, non modo ad Christianos in India degentes tuendos, verum etiam valde se optare ipsum Regem veritatem Evangelicam amplecti. Consule numerum XVIII.
14 Vide numerum XVI.
15 De hoc Abrahamo Angamalae Archiepiscopo cfr. nn. XII, XIII, XIV, XV, XVI, XIX, XX, XXI, XXII, XXIII, XXV, XXVI,
16 De Archidiacono hoc consule. nn. XVI, XVIII, XX, XXVI.
17 De istis Indulgentiis videsis n. XVI et XVIII.
18 Cfr. n. XVI.
19 Sera, seu Serra cuius Abraham Archiepiscopus dicitur, est vox lusitanica quae latine seriem montium continuam significat, et hic improprie pro Sede residentiali accipitur, i.e. pro Angamala, quae montium Malabariae urbs est. Cfr. Mansium Collectio Conciliorum, Tom. VI, pag. 2, ad ann. 1599.
The name Sera more properly means the land of Perumal and derives from Ceraman Perumal.
20 Quamvis non est hic expresse notatum nomen oratoris, tamen ex contextu satis clare concipitur, eum fuisse unum ex Patribus Apostolicis Societatis Jesus, qui ob bonum Catholicae Religionis, nihil intentatum reliquissent, ut christiani in India Orientali degentes, quantum fieri possit, arcto vinculo in communione cum Romana Ecclesia custodirentur, et propter hunc laudabilem finem Pater ille Orientalem Angamalae Archiepiscopum una cum eius Archidiacono Georgio a Christo, Romano Pontifici enixe commendat, eumque vehementer supplicat, ut vellet Apostolicis litteris eos Auctoritati civili, ac Praesulibus Latini Ritus in illa regione commorantibus etiam commendare, nec non Pontificem quoque deprecatur, ut dignetur eis quaedam sacra ac salutaria Sanctissimae Nostrae Religionis solatia concedere.
21 Sanctus Hormez hic, seu Hormisda Persa-Chaldaeus nominatissimi Monasterii Rabban Bar-Eta. Monachus celeberrimus, postquam religiose admodum, ac sancte in laudato Monasterio per multos annos vixerat, tandem Superiorum permissu ad montem Beth-Edre [Beth-Edre Chaldaice Domum Adjutorii interpretatur quae ea aetate in Assyriae regione Urbs celeberrima extitit, nostris autem diebus nonnisi oppidulum a quodam populo falsa numina colente inhabitatum. qui facile cum antiquis Manichaeis comparari potest, eo quod praeter verum Deum, et Satanae, seu Daemonio tribuit cultum. Ejus Religio yasidiana hodie audit] contendit, ibique inhabitat, ac brevi tempore magnum Coenobium condidit [Consule Codicem Syr. Musei Borgiani di Propaganda Fide h. v. 5. ubi Chaldaice continetur vita Sancti Hormisdae] quod usque ab initio plusquam centum cellulis constabat, quae effossae omnes in solida montis rupi, quod et hodie existit sub nomine Rabban Hormez vel Sancti Hormisdae in toto Oriente notum. Paucis itaque post annis plures habuit discipulos, qui morum puritate, virtutum ornamento, vitaeque austeritate, omni exceptione majores, ac multi ex illis sui Magistri exemplum secuti, diversorum in deversis regionibus Orientis Coenobiorum Fundatores fuere, quod accidit septimo saeculo erae vulgaris sub Patriarchatu Mar Jesujabi Gadalensis, qui Chaldaeis Nestorianis praefuit ab anno 628. usque ad annum 647, quique pro more, Episcopos ac Presbyteros in Indiam, Sinarumque regiones misit. Confr. Jos. Assemanum B.O. to 4 pag. 81, et to. 3, pag. 108. Interim S. Hormisda ob vitae honestatem, ac virtutum singularitatem magno in honore ac Sanctitatis fama semper apud Orientem Christianum habitus est; hinc plura in omni Orientis parte nomini ejus addicta fuere oratoria atque fundatae Ecclesiae. Non minus ac in ipsis Indiae orientalis regionibus, quo Assyriorum seu Chaldaeorum Natio expandebat et adhuc est. Insuper jure liturgico, institutum est, ut bis in anno ejus memoria celebraretur, hinc est et hodie Chaldaica Ecclesia ubique speciali Ritu in sacra Liturgia, duobus praescriptis diebus ejus commemorationem colit, scilicet prima, fit in secunda feria hebdomadae tertiae Paschatis. Secunda vero, fit die prima Septembris in memoriam Apertionis oculorum cujusdam caecci nati, quae apertio ducentis annis post ejus obitum hac die mirabiltiter secuta est per ejus intercessionem.
22 Hoc autem Monasterium Rabban Hormez subsequentibus annis magis, magisque majorem famam semper acquisivit, ob plura mirabilia, quae Deus operatus est super Sancti Fundatoris tumulo et per ejus intercessionem, quapropter postea factum est, residentia Patriarchae Chaldaeorum, quemadmodum plura authentica attestantur documenta, praesertim duae relationes genuinae, quarum una est illa, quam anno 1610 ipse Chaldaeorum Patriarcha Elia Vii ab Oriente ad Paulum V Pontificem miserat. Altera vero est illa, quam praestiterant duo peregrini Chaldaei, qui christiani S. Thomae audiunt, cum mensi Martii anni 1606 ex Thibetiani Imperii regione Romam venerant ad SS. Apostolorum Petri et Pauli Sepulcra invisenda sub Pontificatu ejusdem Pauli V prout infra, ex ipsa expositione harum relationum patebit, quas nos ex Archivio Vaticano secr., producemus sub numeris XXVIII - XXIX. Istud autem Monasterium et hodie a MonachisChaldeis inhabitatum est, qui suum habent Superiorem, titulo Abbatis Generalis, nec non instituta monastica a S. Sede approbata nomine Congregationis, ipsius Sancti Hormisdae. Cfr. P. Martin, La Chaldèe esquisse, nistorique, Rome, Imprimerie de la Civiltá Cattolica, 1867, pag. 76 etc. Ac placet etiam hac de re referre huc Decretum Apostolicum ex vol. V, pag. 357, n. 261, Juris Pontificii de Propaganda fide Contractum.
GREGORIUS PP. XVI
ad perpetuam rei memoriam
Monachorum instituta, quae severioris vitae et christianarum exercitio virtutum peculiare Catholicae Ecclesiae ornamentum adiiciunt, Apostolicae nostrae auctoritatis robore libenter munimus.
Jam vero, quum Monachi Chaldaei in Conventu S. Hormisdae haud longe ab urbe Mosulensi in Mesopotamia degentes Nobis humiliter supplicaverint, ut eorum Institutum confirmare velimus, Nos de venn, fratrum nostrorum S.R.E. Cardinalium negotiis Propagandae Fidei praepositorum Consilio eorumdem votis adnuendum censuimus. Igitur omnes et singulos, quibus hae litterae favent, peculiari beneficentia prosequi volentes, et a quibusvis excummunicationis et interdicti, aliisque ecclesiasticis censuris, sententiis, et poenis quovis modo et quacumque de causa latis si quas forte incurrerint huius tantum rei gratia absolventes et absolutos fore censentes; memoratum Monachorum Chaldaeorum Institutum titulo S. Hormisdae nuncupatum. ordinis tamen S. Antonii Abbatis cui pariter regulas jam pro Monachis Antonianis nationis Maronitarum per Constitutionem fel. rec- Clementis XII Praedecessoris nostri, quae incipit “Misericordiarum Pater,, approbatas proponimus, nonnullis tamen adjectis modificationibus nationi et locis congruentibus juxta Instructionem per eamdem Congregationem de Propaganda Fide tradendam auctoritate nostra apostolica tenore praesentium, in perpetuum confirmamus et approbamus.
Decernentes has litteras firmas, validas et efficaces existere et fore, suosque plenarios et integros effectus sortiri et obtinere, ac illis in omnibus et per omnia plenissime suffragari, sicque in praemissis per quoscumque Judices ordinarios et delegatos, etiam causarum Palatii Apostolici auditores Judicari et definiri debere, ac irritum et inane, si secus super his a quoquam quavis auctoritate scienter vel ignoranter contigerit attentari.
Datum Romae apud S. Mariam majorem sub annulo Piscatoris die XXVI Septemb. 1845. Pontificatus nostri anno XV.
We must note “Because the reduction of these christians of St Thomas to the obedience and to the rites of the holy Roman Church greatly depends on the good disposition of the Archbishop and Archdeacon of Angamali in Malabar who both have the care of those Christians”. Here the author of the letter openly speaks of the means by which the Syrians were to be reduced to the Latin rite. This is proved also by the decrees of the III Provincial council of Goa (session 3. decree 7.) In which the fathers of the council ordered the translation of the Roman Pontificial and ritual into the Chaldaic Language for the use of the Syrians of Malabar. Bullarium Patronatus Portugalliae Appendix Vol. I. Page 75
Secondly. There was no reason for Archbishop Menezes to condemn st Hormisdas the abbot, as heretic, while the same is even today venerated as Saint by the Catholics of the East with the approbation of the Holy Church. Moreever, Abraham, Narsei, Michael, Johanan &c. who were condemned as heretics by Dom Menezes are still reckoned as Saints among the Catholics of the East.
23 De hac fidei Mar Abrahami Professione, aliquid jam sub numero XIV (pag. 73) innuimus, ubi Pii IV Epistolam ad Episcopum Cocchinensem exposuimus, inibi innuit Pontifex, Abrahamum hunc Angamalae Archiepicopum quemdam libellum professionis suae fidei, manu sua subscriptum, tradidisse, Professionem vero, cujus meminit Pius IV, aliam praeter hanc fuisse puto, Nam illa de qua loquitur Pontifex, emitti debuisset ad minimum, anno 1565, quo ista Pontificia Epistola fuit data, dum haec quam producimus, exarata est anno 1577, sub Gregorii XIII Pontificatu, hoc est, duodecim annis postea, prout id primo ictu, ex ipsorum documentorum lectione intelligitur.
24 Proceres Chaldaei Malabares ex India totius suae Nationis nomine ad Romanum Pontificem Gregorium XIII petitionem mittunt, qua eum supremum Ecclesiae Caput agnoscunt, ideo ipsum enixe supplicant, ut Assyriorum seu Chaldaeorum Babylonensem Patriarcham admoneat, ut juxta antiquam atque vigentem consuetudinem ad eos regendos mittat Episcopos ne Christiani illarum regionum propriis pastoribus carentes damna patiantur. Hoc autem Malabarium Procerum documentum multa continet admodum perutilia ad historiam, praesertim Syrochaldaicae Ecclesiae locupletandam ac illustrandam,
25 De isto Mar Helia, seu Elia infra sub N. XXIV videbimus, ubi sermo erit de ejus reditu ex India ejusque in urbem missione ad confirmationem ac Pallium petendum pro Simone Denha Patriarcha suo.
26 De hoc Mar Josepho vide ea, quae sub numeris X et XII exposuimns 
27 Abdjesus hic cum ea aetate Assyriorum, seu Chaldaeorum esset Patriasha, ordinaria jurisdictione in Indiae regionibus pollebat, approbante Sede Apostolica, vide Pontificias litteras, quas sub numeris VIII, IX, X, XI, XII, XIII, XIV produximus.
28 De hoc Mar Abraham Angamalae Archiepiscopo, confer numeros XII, XIII, XIV, XV, XVI, XVII, XVIII, XIX, XXI, XXIV.
29 Raisbandar is a compound Syriac word from resa (head) and bandar (bazaar) i.e. head of the town or prefect of the station.
The expression made in the above petition of the Malabarians to the Pope that they have received the Syriac language from St. Thomas the Apostle &c. is intended to mean not ‘directly’ but ‘indirectly’ for there was no reason to St. Thomas to introduce into India the syriac, a language then unknown to the people here. The St. Thomas Christians of Malabar received the Syriac language as late as the 4th. century from the Syro-Chaldean missionaries who came together with the syrian colony from Syria and Babylon where it was introduced by the Apostle St. Thomas himself.
30 Verbo ‘incautas’ abraso, in textu, ei substitutum est verbum ‘illicitas’ quod factum esse creditur a Cardinali Ursino.
31 Ex. Archiv. Vatic. 23 Maj 1898.
32 De isto Elia aliquid jam diximus ad calcem pag. 85 sub numero XXII. Duobus nempe annis post ejus ex India reditum, a Synodo Episcoporum suae nationis anno 1580 Procurator creatus, Romam profectus est, ut confirmationem et Pallium pro Patriarcha suo a Sancta Sede obtineret, videsis Clmum. Assem. B.O. to. III, pars. I, pag. 621. Ea enim occasione, per Eminentissimum Cardinalem Caraffam, prouti Chaldaeorum protectorem, plura scitu digna de Chaldaicae Ecclesiae statu sive in Malabaria, sive alibi explanavit, ut infra sub numero XXV patebit ex ipsius declaratione, quam ex Archivio vat. secr. desumptam producemus.
33 I. e. Ignatius David Iacobitarum Patriarcha, qui anno 1580, una cum fratre suo Nehemé ex Patriarcha in communionem cum Romana Ecclesia venerat, cfr. M. Le Quien. Oriens Christianus. T. II, pag. 1404-1406, videsis etiam Relationem, quam Pontifici Syxto V subjecit Leonardus Abel Sydonensis Episcopus, quamque in linguam Gallicam vertit cl. A D’Avril, ac Parisiis anno 1866 typis mandavit titulo, Une Mission religieuse en Orient, pag. 7-8, et nos eam infra italice ex authentico scripto Arch. Vat. Secr., Arm. XI, Caps. VII, N. 7. extractam producemus sub num .XXVII.
34 Forsan Komane hodie pagus prope Civitatem Amadiae in Assyria. 
35 Forsan Telhasch, seu Telahes olim urbs celeberrima in Assyria, et hodie nonnisi oppidulum, cujus incolae sunt infideles, inter quos paucae christianae familiae Chaldaici Ritus.
36 Hic est celeberrimus ille Mar Elia Hormes Abib Asmar Amidae et Jerusalem Archiepiscopus, cuius ut plurimum meminit Josephus Assemani insua Bibl. Orientali, aliique Occidentales scriptores, qui ob inadequatam intelligentiam nominum orientalium, parum exacte eum citant nomine Hermetis, loco Hormez Archiepiscopi Caramit, i.e. civitatis Amidae, quae vulgo Diarbekir appellari solet. Reversus itaque ex Malabaria post Abediesus IV Patriarchaè obitum in Assiriam, anno 1578 Chaldaicam Ecclesiam administravit usque dum Mar Aatalla, seu Jaballaha vixerat, qui in extrema senectute ipsum Abediesum exceperat. Rebus sic stantibus, duobus vix annis exeuntibus, supremum vitae diem Mar Aatalla obierat; hinc anno 1580 ei successit Simon Denha, Gelu, Seert, ac Salamassae Archiepiscopus, qui recens Mar Eliae Hormez opera ac studio cum Ecclesia Romana in communionem venerat [Cfr : n. XXVII.] Peracta igitur novi Patriarchae electione, laudatus Mar Elia a Patrum Synodo Romam missus est, ut Electo Patriarchae a Sancta Sede Apostolica Confirmationem, palliumque peteret, uti ex ipsa Episcoporum Epistola ad Pontificem Gregorium XIII transmissa patet, quam et nos ex Archivio Sanctae Sedis, sub numero XXIV, protulimus Cfr. etiam Jos. Assemanum Bibl. Orient. T. III, pars I, pag 621 Al. Assemani De Catholicis, seu patriarchis Chaldacorum et Nestorianorum Commentarius, pag 228. Leonardum Abel Sidonensem Episcopum, in relatione, quam nos infra sub num. XXVII producemus. Adolfum D’Avril, La Chaldëe Chrétienne, pag 44, Parisiis 1892. Praeterea cum in Urbem pervenisset, eum honorifice in hospitem Emin. Cardinalis Caraffa Chaldaicae Nationis Protector suscepit, ac capta occasione, per eumdum Cardinalem, Romano Pontifici perfectam de suae Nationis statu obtulit Relationem, quam prima vice hic sub n. XXV nos ex Archivo vat. Secr. exhaustam producimus. Tandem cum duobus annis circiter Romae permansisset, ac ab Apostolica Sede Confirmationem, Pallium, Sacraque alia dona pro Patriarcha suo obtinuisset anno 1582, ab Urbe in Orientem reversus est [vide n. XXVII, ac nec non Jos. Assemanum, Bibl Orient. ut supra etiam Al. Assem. in Opusculo et pag. paulo ante a nobis citatis.] Ac cum Tripolim Syriae urbem pervenisset, itineris pericula timens, omnia, quae a Sancta Sede Apostolica receperat, ante discessum suum Veneto Consulatui ad Alepinam Civitatem misit, sperans illico se postea transiturum sua reposita adipiscere, Rebus igitur sic compositis, ad montem Libanum profectus est, ubi paucis post diebus hac vita defunctus est. Cfr.n. XXVII.
Huius Eliae legitur subscriptio ad calcem Libri Declarat. Offic. Ecclesiast Cod. Syr. Vat. 149, pag. 332 ubi haec habetur epigraphes Absolutus, et perefectus est, et finem accepit hic Codex anno Graecorum 1873 (Chr. 1562) diebus vigilantissimi Pastoris Mar-Abdjesu Catholici Patriarchae Orientis qui Patriarcha factus est Magnae Romae ..... Scripsit autem hasce chartas Elias cognomento Bar-Asmar Abib ex civitate benedicta Amida, gradu quidem Metropolita.
37 Consule nn. IV, V, VI.
38 i.e. Simeon Denha Bar Mama. 
39 Videsis nn. VIII, IX, X, XII, XIII, XIV, XV.
40 H.e. Celeberrimum illud Coenobium quod usque a medio saeculi vi in dioecesi Seertensi Kurdestani est conditum, ac sub Mar Jacobi Huischaja, i.e. inclusi, vel solitarii nomine recognitum. Cfr. La Chaldèe esquisse, par P. Martin. Rome 1867, pag. 18. ad calcem. Laudatum Coenobium situm est super montem quemdam elatum, ad septentrionem Tigris Fluminis, et non longe ab eo, Praedictus Mar Jacob in dispersione Coenobitarum Monasterii montis Islae coactus fuit et ipse ab eo discedere: ideo inspirante Domino, versus Arzoun, ea aetate notatissimam civitatem, commeatus est, ac inibi in monte Cuidam sancto solitario nomine Mar, vel Abba Huischa (i.e. inclusus) occurrit, qui in quadam illius montis caverna commorabatur, et hunc comitatus est. Inde insimul Coenobium illud condidere, quod usque hodie nostri Mar Jacobi nomen gerit. Consule, J.B. Chabot, “Le Livre de la Chasteté, pag. 14, n. 24.” Rome 1896. E.A. Mallis Budge, “The Historia monastica of Thomas bishop of Marga vol. I. pag. 37, London 1893”.
41 Simon hic provecta aetate cum esset confectus, et grave Patriarchale onus gestare non posset, illud curae ac sollicitudini Eliae Hormez Asmar Amidae Archiepiscopi commendavit. Hic autem toto tempore, nempe doubus annis, quibus Simon ille vixerat Patriarchatum laudabiliter administravit. Cfr. n. XXIV, in nota.
42 Anno 1580, defuncto Mar Aatalla, seu Jaballaha, hic Simon Denha a suis catholicis Patriarcha proclamatus est, [vide n. XXIV in nota, et Chronicon Eccl. Gregorii Barhebraei, Lovaniana editio, T. III, Sect. II, pag. 572; Jos, Guriel, Elementa linguae chaldaicae, pag. 196, n. 93; Jos. Assem. B.O.T. III, pars I, pag. 621. Al. Assem. in Commentario saepe cit. pag 228. M. Le Quien. Oriens Christianus, T. II, pag. 1096 et 1161], et cum Amidam ubi Praedecessores sui residebant petere non potuisset ob diras vexationes sui aemuli Eliae Nestorianorum Patriarchae in Mossoulana urbe commorantis, sedem suam in Monasterio Sancti Joannis prope khusravam civitatem fixit, ac commoratus est usque ad supremum vitae diem. Postea vero sui Successores catholicam communionem amputantes, assumpto Simonis nomine [Cfr. Al. Assem. lib. et pag. cit; P. Strozzam apud eumdem Al. Assem. in nota, Chronicon Eccl., paulo ante cit. pag. 572], inibi haud degere cessarunt usque ad praesentem aetatem, qua Nestorianis praeest Simon XVI utraque potestate pollens, civili videlicet et Ecclesiastica, quique hodie (1902) residet prope illam regionem in quodam oppido Koccianus nomine, quod est in Curdestano Turcico-Persico.
43 De Abedjesu hoc, ejusque Fidei professione videsis nn. VII, VIII, cum notis respectivis.
44 De ista procuratione consule Epistolam Synodicam, quam Mar Elia Hormez Romae degens obtuli Pontifici Gregorio XIII, quamque nos etiam superius produximus sub n. XXIII, huius lucubrationis.
45 Laudati fratres ambo ex Sancti Dominci Ordine erant alumni; et cum essent in Syro-Chaldaico sermone periti, eos Julius III Pontifex juxta Sulakae Patriarchae desiderium una cum eo in Orientem misit. Cum itaque Amidam pervenissent mox Nestorianorum Patriarcha in laudatum Sulakam diram movit persecutionem; hinc paulo post, opera malorum hominum Sulaka noster neci traditus est. Eius loco suffectus fuit Abdjesus IV Patriarcha, qui memoratos Fratres, Ambrosium scilicet et Antonium una cum aliis Assyrio- Chaldaeis, Monachis, et doubus ejusdem nationis Archiepiscopis, Elia nempe Hormez Abib, et Josepho defuncti Sulakae fratre in Malabariam ad Chaldaeos inibi degentes visitandos atque adjuvandos misit. Verum et illic easdem a Lusitanis molestias passi sunt; hinc poulo post praedictus Ambrosius supremum diem in civitate Cocchin clausit. ejus autem socius Antonius et ipse ab istis vexationibus defatigatus, Romam reversus est, ubi a Pio V Pontifice, Episcopus vici Maltensis creatus est. Confer n. XXVII, et, Al. Assem. in Commentario saepe laudato pag. 219-220 221. Postmodum vero hac de causa et Elia Hormez etiam coactus est, ut, cum concomitante uno ex illis Monachis Chaldaeis in Mesopotamiam rediret, caeterisque inibi relictis cum Archiepiscopo Josepho, qui quidem et ipse postquam Nationis suae populos inviserat, Romam petit, ubi sub Pontificatu Gregorii XIII, paucis post diebus vivere desiit.
46 De Mar Abrahamo hoc videsis ea, quae superius exposuimus sub nn. XI, XII, XIII, XIV, XV, XVIII, XIX, XX, XXI, XXII, XXIV, XXV

47 Cfr. nn VII, XI, XII, XXIV in notis.

48 Notandum, quod Ecclesia Chaldaica non modo illic in Ciliciae partibus floruit tempore unionis, quam Timotheus insulae Cypri Archiepiscopus anno 1445 egerat cum ecclesia Romana, [Cfr. n. III, nec non Jos. Assem. Bibl. Orient T. III. pars II, pag. 410, Al. Assem., in Commentario supra laudato, pag. 209-210, in adnot M. Le Quien Oriens Christianus T. II, pag. 1291-2] Verum etiam florere non desiit sequiori tempore Maxime in celeberrima Famagustae urbe, Quam Turci, victis venetis, post decem mensium obsidionem una cum tota Cypri insula ditioni suae subjecerunt anno 1571. Hinc ab ea aetate ob minus modestam novi Moderatoris administrationem, Chaldaei ac etiam caeteri Orientales populi ex illis regionibus sensim sine sensu demoliri ceperunt, quinimo paulo post omnino defecere.

49 Quod autem Assyrios - Orientales, seu Chaldaeos usque ab immemorabili aetate in Hierosolymorum Urbe Ecclesiam et alias possessiones habuisse, non solum Mar Eliae Amidensis Archiepiscopi suadet narratio; sed etiam invicte id pluribus authenticis probatur documentis, quae ex Sanctae Sedis Archivio deprompta nos jam partim produximus supra, et partim infra producemus. Cfr. interim nn. I, XXIV in adnotatione XXVII, XXIX, XXXI, XXXXII et n. IV in Appendice nec non Delationem, seu relationem quam obtulit Sixto V Pontifici Leonardus Abel Sidonensis Episcopus, quamque in sermone Gallico versam, parisiis, 1866, edidit Cl. Adolfus D’Avril titulo Une Mission religieuse en Orient, pag. 29. Jos Assem. B.O.T.I, Cap. 50-51, M. Le Quien Oriens Christianus, T. II, pag. 1289-90 et 1299-1300, G.E. Khayyath, Syri Orientales, seu Chaldaei-Nestoriani et R.R. Pontificum Primatus, pag. 43, 117, 125, 153, 154, 155, Romae, Typis S.C. de Propag. Fide, 1870. Ebedjesus autem Sobensis Sedes Metropolitanas Nestoriano Patriarchatui subjectas censens Jerusalem octavam Sedem numerat, vide, Librum Ordinationis Judiciorum Ecclesiasticorum, tract. I, Cap. VII, Bibliotheca Monasterii SS, Virginis Chaldaeorum, et Khayyath in opera cit. pag. 154, inter Sedes Metropolitanas in loco vigesimosecundo ponit Jerusalem.

50 De isto Archidiacono, qui Georgius a Christo appellatur confer nn. XVI, XVII, nec non Al. Assem, "De Catholicis, seu Patriarchis Chaldaeorum et Nestorianorum Commentarium, pag. 225-226" Ast laudatus Assemanus cum de Georgio hoc disseret, contradicit aperte sensui genuino tot documentorum, quae nos sub citatis numeris produximus. Insuper ne quidem Auctor iste in loco citato recte judicat de Orthodoxia fidei Abrahami Angamalae Archiepiscopi. Nam plura extant authentica documenta, et ut plurimum Pontificia, quae omnia invicte huius Abrahami fidei Orthodoxiam vindicant, videsis huius lucubrationis numeros XI, XII, XIII, XIV, XV, XVI, XVII, XVIII, XIX, XX. Praedictum auctorem non potuisse reor, huiusmodi consulere documenta, quae, usque ad hosce annos in Sanctae Sedis Archivio clausa, nullique patere poterant.

51 Simeon hic mox in Indiae regionem ex Assyria jussu Patriarchae sui Babylonensis ingressus, omni conatu pontificalia officia, uti loci Ordinarius, exercere sategit. Inde Chaldaei Malabares in duas factiones scissi sunt, quam ob causam magis diram vexationem ab Abrahamo Angamalensi Archiepiscopo AssyrioChaldaeo passus est. Hisce autem sic stantibus, Simeon ille, Fratrum Minorum consilio, Romam petiit, ac paucis post diebus, invite Urbem reliquit, i. e. Syxto V pontifice iubente, in Lusitaniam relegatus est. Olysiponeque anno 1599 in Fratrum Minorum convento diem supremum clausit. Confer Joannem Mansi, Collectio Concil. T. VI, pag. 2 et seqq. Al. Assemanum, De Catholicis seu Patriarchis Chaldaeorum et Nestorianorum Commentarius, pag. 225.

52 De quo paulo ante jam dictum est in adnot. (1) ad pag. 98 praes numeri.

53 De isto Simeone consule adnotationem ad pag. 74. nec non pag. 602.

54 De hoc Angamalae Archiepiscopo vide relata ad pag. 608.

55 Iste Antistes est Georgius ille, alias Archidiaconus appellatus, de quo supra dictum est sub NN. XVI, XVII, XVIII, XX, XXVI.

56 Vide Cap. I, praesentis Append. pag. 556-558 et N. Land. "Anecdota Syriaca" t. 1, pag. 123, et segg. Lugduni Batavorum, 1862.

57 Cfr. Thomam a Jesu "De conversione omnium gentium" lib. VII, pag. 354-5. Antuerpiae 1613. Crozaeum "Histoire du Christianisme des Indes" hoc est, Historia Christianismi Indorum, Gallice edit. Hagae 1724. pag. 221, ubi magno animi aestu clamat "O ! infandum Edictum, O! jacturam: Nestorianorum libri, flammis traditi sunt; et antiquitatum Ecclesiae Orientalis studiosi, curiositate sua frustrati sunt. At non haec tantum, pessimorum Theologorum imperitia, et scholasticorum barbarie, monumenta perierunt."

58 Cassanariis, singul. Cassanarius a vocabulo arabico quod derivat a Syriaco Cassisa seu Cascischa, Prebyter.

59 Item Chamazibus, sing: Chamaz arabice a substantivo Syriaco Samasa sive Sciamascha. Diaconus, Minister, aut in genere Clericus. Ambae istae voces peculiarem Ecclesiasticam dignitatem designantes, penes Malabares per traditionem Syriaca denominione ab antiquo servatae sunt.

60 Cfr. Cap. I, huius nostrae Apdend. pag. 558-560 et Cl. N. Landi ‘Anecdota Syriaca’, t. 1, pag. 123 et seqq. Lugduni Batavorum 1862. nec non A. Gouvea, ‘Jornada do Arcebispo de Goa fez á Serra dos Christàos de Sam Thome’.

The adversaries of the Syrians, and especially ‘a friend of the Syrians’ in the Cochin Argus 11th. July 1903, say that Mar Joseph who had been sent to Malabar by the Catholic Chaldean Patriarch Abdiesu taught, on his arrival, Nestorian heresy and on that account he was captured and sent to Portugal and that on a promise, that he would mend himself in the future, he was released and sent back to Malabar and that, on his arrival here, having again taught Nestorian heresy, he was arrested by the Portuguese, and sent to Rome where he died.

We have to observe here (1st.) what the points of the Nestorian heresy, taught by Mar Joseph, were:

(2ndly.) whether the Portuguese or any other historians have been ever able to prove the points of the heresy taught by him:

(3rdly.)where could he have freely taught the Nestorian heresy, if he wished, without incurring the imprisonment and exile by the civil power ? Was it in Mesopotamia or in India?

(4th.)Whether the charges brought against Mar Joseph have ever been proved:

(5th.) Which party, i.e. the accused Mar Joseph or the accusers the Portuguese were more powerful and influential in the courts of Lisbon and Rome.

The proofs and argumentary evidences of the 5 above-cited questions may be summed up as follows:-

1st. The adverse historians do not speak of the point of heresy taught by Mar Joseph. They speak only in general terms, that he taught the Nestorian heresy.

After minute observations, they were able to gather, that some Portuguese in Cochin made a charge against Mar Joseph to the effect, that they heard him teaching their children to invoke in their prayer the Blessed Virgin Mary under the title of the "Mother of Christ."

To this charge, Mar Joseph gave the satisfactory answer, to wit, that what he was teaching was just the same as the Portuguese taught in their Prayers (Litany of the B.Virgin Mary where they called Her, "Mater Christi," Mother of Christ and that this was no Nestorian heresy.)1

2nd. It is an unquestionable fact that none of the Portuguese or the later historians, who have borrowed second hand informations from the former have ever been able to show the supposed particular points of heresy taught by Mar Joseph or Mar Abraham.

3rd. Mar Joseph , admitted by all to have been a Catholic Bishop in Mesopotamia and sent to Malabar by the Catholic Chaldean Patriarch, was ever free, if he wished , to teach Nestorian heresy there without incurring the displeasure of the civil power of his country, while he was not so in India where he had enemies the Portuguese to punish him for it and so he had not the freedom to do so.

4th. The charges against Mar Joseph were never proved.

It was in the year 1558 that Mar Joseph was, for the first time, sent to Portugal with the charges against him,2 where he remained for the space of six years as a prisoner. He was at last examined before a tribunal composed of ecclesiastical (cardinal Infant Henry included) and civil authorities where he was found innocent and therefore acquitted and sent back to Malabar.

Even Francisco de Souza, a Portuguese Jesuit historian admits the truth of this statement in his Oriente Conquistado, Part II Conquista I Divi. II para 23.

On his coming back to Malabar with the letter of Queen Catherine Mar Joseph was kept again in prison at Goa (as was done in the case of Mar Abraham on his return from Rome ) on the groundless suspicion that he deceived the authorities at home (Portugal) and was only permitted to return to his diocese when Mar Abraham made his appearance in Malabar. The aim of the Portuguese in doing so was purposely to make a division among the Syrians as it really turned out. The Portuguese again, on the charges made against Mar Joseph, as they afterwards did also in the case of Mar Abraham, arrested him3 and he was thus sent to Rome through Portugal in 1568 where by the order of Pope St. Pius V he was closely examined in which it was found that his faith was orthodox and Catholic and that he had no heresy in his teachings, as he had been caluminated and he was thus declared to be innocent . In order to reward his great patience, sufferings, and injuries he bore for Christ Pope St. Pius V revealed his mind to raise him soon to the Cardinalate; but his enemies left no stone unturned to make this scheme an utter disappointment and the fact he died very soon after, was hailed as a victory by his enemies. Even the author of the Oriente Conquistado (Part II. Conqui. I. Divi. II) admits the truth of these statements and says that Mar Joseph would have soon been raised to the purple, had he lived longer.4

5th. No one can deny the fact that in the court of Rome as well as in that of Lisbon, the Portuguese were more powerful and influential than Mar Joseph; for , they had the cleverest and ablest persons in these courts. Secondly, they had a large sum of money at their disposal to meet the expenses for advocating their case. Thirdly, they had influential personages. But in the case of Mar Joseph it must be admitted that he had not any such advocate to plead his cause, except his innocence and piety. From these facts and arguments it ought to be necessarily concluded that Mar Joseph was innocent of all the charges brought against him.

Mackenzie, in his ‘Christianity in Travancore’ p.65 and 66, note 41 and 43 says, "Oriente Conquistado; I;86 bitterly attacks Mar Joseph, ‘From this year 1558 there governed the Christians of St. Thomas one Mar Joseph with the title of Archbishop, and this Archbishop, in order to show himself a catholic and to gain the good will of the Portuguese, put the affairs of the Serra (Malabar) into better order so far as concerned the mass and Divine offices. He introduced vestments in the Roman style, for, before that they had celebrated covered with an amice5 and over that a stole. He gave orders to use our hosts and our wine, for, before that they had consecrated lumps (bollos) kneaded with oil and salt and sweet wine (mosto) squeezed from moistened raisins. He removed other abuses and ignorances and to obtain greater credit he often came down to Cochin and took into his employ Portuguese pages. Teaching them one day he recommended them to have great devotion towards the Virgin Mary, but told them not to call her Mother of God but Mother of Christ, and that they should never say, Holy Mary Mother of God, but Holy Mary, Mother of Christ, pray for us. The young Portuguese boys disliked this new doctrine and coming in to Cochin, told what had passed. It was the intention of this wolf in sheep’s clothing, a subtle heretic within, and very humble and modest without, to secretly pervert the few poor places near Cochin and Quilon, that through constant contact with the Portuguese professed the Roman faith. And as he was eloquent and cautious, he would easily have succeeded in his design, if God had not disclosed it.........In Rome this wolf succeeded once more in clothing himself with the fleece of a sheep, so much so, that they deemed him worthy of a cardinal’s hood. But God, with His high and admirable providence, cut short the threads of his life in that city". (Oriente Conquistado II. 75.)

We observe the following few lines on the above passages:-

The author of the Oriente Conquistado admits that Mar Joseph was humble, modest, eloquent and cautious, and he had removed abuses and ignorance of the Syrian Church in Malabar and he had recommended great devotion towards the Blessed Virgin Mary and at last at Rome he was deemed worthy of a Cardinal’s hood, but we regret to say that the author with his passion and prejudice interpreted them in a contrary sense and ventured to call him a wolf in a sheep’s clothing adding that his intentions in removing the abuses etc. were to show himself a Catholic and to obtain the esteem and approval of the Portuguese. Supposing that Mar Joseph had behaved so as the author thinks to gain the good will of the Portuguese and secretly pervert the few poor places near Cochin and Quilon, he would not have publicly taught the Nestorian heresy for he knew well that the Portuguese were his enemy . We have proved above that Mar Joseph gave satisfactory answers in the tribunals of Lisbon and Rome, regarding the title of the B. V. Mary Mother of Christ , and he has never taught as the author says, that Holy Mary should not be entitled Mother of God.

Men generally judge others from the outward appearances and behaviour and we cannot comprehend how the author of the Oriente Conquistado, who wrote and published this history a century and a half later to wit in 1708, could peep into the interior of this Bishop Mar Joseph who lived before a century and a half while no contemporary writers have discovered any such things as these revealations of the author. He has not even proved his mere assertions from any of the contemporary documents. The author seems to have misrepresented the truth influenced by personal feelings and thus he seeks his own glory and not the glory of God which never deviates from truth.

The author’s statement that Mar Joseph put the affairs of the Serra into better order so far as concerns the Mass and divine offices is to be admitted. We further admit that Mar Joseph had introduced vestments in the Roman Style. But we cannot admit that "before that they had celebrated covered with an amice (lancol) and over that a stole:" because the oriental churches use cope etc. and not a simple amice and stole alone for Mass. "He gave orders to use our hosts and our wine, for before that they had consecrated lumps (bollos) kneaded with oil and salt and sweet wine (mosto) squeezed from moistened raisins." Here we would admit the passage as it is except for the alleged usage of oil.6 Because this practice introduced into the oriental churches from the apostolic times is called the use of fermented bread, and is recognised even to-day by the Holy See. But wine squeezed from moistened raisins can be validly used in default of the other, as is declared by the Sacred Congregations.

We regret to observe in the pamphlet entitled "Subsidium ad Bullarium. Patronatus Portugalliae" edited in 1903 at Alleppey by the Bishop of Cochin, that referring to the matter of the host from ‘Oriente Conquistado,’t.II.p.73 the Rt. Rev. author has added on p.39 (see foot-note) "fortasse ex orysa vel aliis granis, cum triticum non esset cultivatum in India Australi, et communicationes tunc temporis difficiles......aut etiam in liquore de palmis detracto." 7We cannot but deny the assertions of the original author (of Conquistado) and the additions of the Rt. Rev. author, because even Nestorians, as all erudite men agree, admit that the matter of the Sacrifice of Mass must indispensably be bread made of wheat and wine of grapes. The same author in his first pamphlet "Some Elucidations" p.10 admits that Mar Jacob Abuna the predecessor of Mar Joseph had removed the abuses regarding the Sacrament in the following words of John de Barros, a contemporary writer. "And a few years before our arrival in India , the Armenian Patriarch had sent four Bishops to be distributed in the country because the great Christian community; two of whom died as soon as they arrived- the two survivors divided the country into two districts, Quilon falling to the lot of the younger; whilst the elder resided in Cranganore. This latter, (Mar Jacob) since he was a virtuous man, put a stop to the making of Christians for money's sake and when Nuno da Cunha was Governor" (1529-1538), "he always protected him (Mar Jacob), because of his honesty, and also because he had a great tendency towards the order of priesthood, and ceremonial of the church of our Roman customs." (This is the Bishop, whom St. Francis Xavier later on met with.")

Does this contemporary writer8 make any mention of these invalid matters?

We are at a loss to understand how the Portuguese of those times in Malabar received the wine and wheat for the use of Mass! Perhaps they also in the case used the above mentioned matters for the sacrifice of the Mass! Where did the Syrians get the raisins from, for it should be remembered that neither the grapes are products of Southern India.

The Catholic Register (The organ of the Diocese of Mylapore) has published a series of articles under the heading "St. Thomas the Apostle" in which we find a foot-note (Vide p.4 April 19. 1902) relating to Mar Joseph, as follows:-

(b) There is nothing to be surprised at in this. Education was never a strong point with the oriental rites and Sects. Even in the Syro-Malabar Church which for over two hundred years had the guidance of Europeans, up to some fifty years ago, the sole qualification required of a candidate for the priesthood was that he should have transcribed for himself a copy of the Syriac Missal and Syriac Breviary, and be able to read and understand them! Hence the easy prey to schism and error that this church invariably proved itself to be. But the present and rising generations of the Syro-Malabar clergy, are as well instructed as most of the indigenous clergy on the west coast of India: "hence the fact that the Holy See has resumed giving this Church, Bishops of its own rite."

This sort of writing is certainly unpardonable. It is full of untrue statements and sweeping generalisations and manifests a great amount of prejudice, if not a greater amount of historical ignorance and logical innocence. It is also highly offensive to a whole community and therefore cannot be left unchallenged.

Let us therefore take the several statements one by one .

To begin with ‘Education’ it is said, ‘was never a strong point with the oriental rites and sects.’ Evidently what is meant here is chiefly religious Education, i.e. the Education of the clergy; and it is no difficult task to show how unfounded a charge this is against the oriental rites. A single glance at the list of the early Fathers and Doctors of the church during the first few centuries and such names as of St. Ephraem, St. Basilius, St.Jerome, St.Athanasius, St. John Chrystome, St. Ciril etc. would be enough to give the lie to this sweeping assertion and show that at one time at least the East was by no means inferior to the West in point of Theology, Scripture, Exegesis and sacred Poetry. Perhaps the author is equally ignorant of oriental languages and oriental writers, but this can only explain the author’s mistake, and not justify him.

No doubt at the present day, the nations following the Latin Rite are generally in advance of those that follow the Oriental Rites in Point of Education both religious and secular.

The superiority is entirely the result of the geographical distribution of those nations and other accidental circumstances and it is but an aspect of the great European civilization. But to suppose for a moment that this inequality has anything to do with the difference in rite or sect is the height of absurdity.

The second statement as to the ‘sole qualification required for priesthood’, is even more ridiculous. We would be glad to hear the source from which the author picked up this piece of information about the educational condition of the Syrian clergy of some fifty years ago. It is true that a knowledge of the Syriac Breviary and Missal was always compulsory and these had often to be transcribed for want of printed books,9 but as far as we know this was not the whole course of instruction for the Syrian clergy. A thorough knowledge of the Syriac language, sufficient instruction in Theology, a minute study of the Holy Writ in that venerable tongue with the necessary commentaries, an elaborate training in all the ceremonies of the church were always insisted upon by the Syrian Malpans(professors) at all times. Nay more. A Syrian priest trained under an able Malpan for a period of years was in many respects more practical than those that are now-a-days turned out after a longer course of training according to the present system.

The author again seems to be astonished that, in spite of European guidance for so many years, the Syrians are yet so backward in point of education; but if the author has only cared to know what sort of guidance it is that the Syrians received from most of their missionary superiors, from time to time, he never would have valued this guidance so much; on the contrary he would have been rather astonished to see that in spite of European guidance for so many years the Syrians have come to be what they are now. Among the several Missionary bodies that governed the Syrian Church, it was the Jesuits and Jesuits alone that have made any attempt to impart an all-round education to the natives, as has been also the case in all other parts of India; and we are not unmindful of the great debt of gratitude we owe to the children of St.Ignatius in this respect. The great educational movement now among the Catholics of these parts both Syrian and Latin owes not a little to the good work done by His Lordship Doctor Lavigne, S.j. late Vicar Apostolic of Kottayam, who opened at Changanacherry the first English High School for the education of the Syrians. What the other missionaries here have done for education, especially higher education is a mere blank. Neither the Portuguese nor the Carmelites both of whom held Jurisdiction over the Syrians for such a long time have ever given any impetus to learning, but on the contrary they have often been averse to it whatever may have been their motive in doing so. The Syrians under their own Bishops are even now far in advance of their neighbouring Latin Brethren. The educational condition of one of the Latin Dioceses has been described in the following words by its own men in a memorial lately (1903) sent to Rome ‘"now the Verapoly Archdiocese has been brought within easy communication with the civilized parts of India by Rail, we feel the situation more keenly, looking especially at the marvellous growth of missionary educational enterprises, both Catholic and Protestants, in places, such as, Trichinopoly, Mangalore, Madras, Calcutta, Bengal, and Bombay where there is a large increase of graduates and under-graduates every year among all classes of people, while our community cannot boast of a single graduate or under-graduate, not even a Matriculate produced by the solitary High School in the Arch-diocese of Verapoly,-though it has been for nearly three centuries under the Jurisdiction of the Carmelite missionaries. But it will be seen, as a striking contrast, that the people who, in 1886, went over to the Vicariates of Trichur, Ernakulam and Changanacherry and the diocese of Cochin, can now count among them several graduates and under-graduates."

Finally the author continues, "hence the easy prey to schism and error that this church invariably proved itself to be." This is a travesty of the Socratic maxim, "Knowledge is virtue." Well, if it were so, then indeed what has the author to say of so many men, that became the leaders of the great Western Heresy and Schism. Were they men lacking in knowledge and erudition? What about the Freemasons and other enemies of the religion in the civilised world that now incessantly persecute the Church of Christ?

Some authors erroneously state that Mar Abraham was sent to Malabar first by Mar Simon, the Nestorian Partriarch. But as he (Mar Abraham) came to know that the Portuguese did not like the Chaldean Bishops in Malabar he came thither in disguise and secretly exercised the pontifical functions pro tempore. Some authors, however, unjustly condemn him saying that he always admitted the errors of the Nestorian heresy. We have proved from many authentic documents and even from pontifical letters for the greater part, that the faith of Mar Abraham was orthodox, as it has been shown elsewhere.

Giamil in his book p.601 in a foot-note says:-

"Here is an error to be corrected against the orthodoxy of our Abed-Jesus which Raulin together with some others, I regret to say, has committed in his ‘Historia Ecclesiae Malabaricae’ p.438, where referring to the mission of the above mentioned Mar Abraham to India he says that ‘while Mar Joseph was away from India, the Christians of St. Thomas in Malabar obtained another Bishop Abraham from the Patriarch Abedjesus of the Nestorians, but the said Abedjesus was (contends Giamil), not only not a Nestorian Patriarch , but was even one elected by his united (Catholic) Chaldeans as Patriarch in opposition to the Patriarch Simon of the Nestorians and one approved in the eternal city by Pope Pius IV."

N.B. From this it can be inferred that some historians referring also to the united Chaldeans call them Nestorians as a nation. For, in the year 1580 Mar Elia, the Chaldean Archbishop of Amed in a letter, as we have seen on page 156 to Cardinal Caraffa had begged him to have a decree published by the Pope in all christendom, prohibiting the improper practice of calling the Catholic Chaldeans Nestorians; and he reminds the Cardinal that once before such a decree was passed by Pope Eugene IV under pain of excommunication in 1445. (Vide Giamil pp.11;97.

Mackenzie, in his "Christianity" p.18, says, "Meanwhile the Thomas-Christians, when Mar Joseph was deported from the country, had written to Simon VI, the Nestorian Patriarch of Babylon, saying that they were now without a Bishop and asking him to send one. The Nestorian Patriarch sent a cleric, named Mar Abraham who journeyed in disguise by a circuitous route to avoid the Portuguese and arrived among the Thomas Christians. Thereupon the authorities at Goa thought it better to release Mar Joseph from his detention at Bassein and to send him to his diocese. They also contrived to arrest Mar Abraham and they put him on board ship for Portugal .10 At Mosambique Mar Abraham escaped from the ship and returned by way of Ormuz to Mesopotamia. He went on to Rome and persuaded Pope Pius V11 that he was a good Catholic and free from Nestorian errors. As he confessed that he had not been validly ordained the Pope gave directions that Mar Abraham should receive Holy Orders, from tonsure to the Episcopate, according to the Roman Rite and sent him back to India as Archbishop of Angamale."

Let us make a few observations on the above passage.

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