| Most Rev. Mar Dionysius IV (Mar Thoma XII) | |
|---|---|
| Malankara Church | |
| Enthroned | August 27, 1825 |
| Reign ended | 1852 |
| Predecessor | Mar Dionysius III |
| Successor | (Mar Thoma XIII) |
| Orders | |
| Consecration | August 27, 1825 |
| Personal details | |
| Birth name | Philipose |
| Born | 1781 Cheppad |
| Died | October 9, 1855 Cheppad |
| Buried | Cheppad Valiya palli (St. George Orthodox Church). |
Mar Dionysius IV, also known as Mar Thoma XII and born Cheppad Philopose (1781 – October 9, 1855), was Malankara Metropolitan from August 27, 1825 until 1852.
His tenure was a period of turmoil in the Malankara Church. The Malankara church severed its relations with the Anglican missionaries; some of its members joined the C.M.S. Church; remaining members were divided into two factions known as Bava Kakshi (also known as Jacobites Church) and Metran Kakshi (later became the Mar Thoma Church).
Philipose (Piyliypaos) = Aramaic and Malayalam. Philip. = English
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Philipose Mar Dionysius was born in 1781 at the Aanjilimootil family in Pallippad, a place near Cheppad.Cheppad is a scenic village located at Karthikapally Taluk of Alapuzha district in Kerala State, India. It is halfway between Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram on the National Highway 47.
Punnathara Mar Dionysius Metropolitan (Mar Thoma XI) died on May 17, 1825. To select a successor representatives of the parishes met together at Pallikara palli under the leadership of Mar Philixinos II of Thozhyoor Church who was the Malankara metropolitan at that time. The names of Cheppad Anjilimootil Philipose Kathanar, Kalloopara Adangapurathu Ouseph Kathanar and Kottayam Eruthickal Markose Kathanar were proposed. After prayer they cast lots (cleromancy), and the lot fell to Philipose Kathanar.
Philipose Ramban was consecrated by Geevarghese Mar Philexenos (Kidangan) of the Malabar Independent Syrian Church on August 27, 1825 at Kottayam Cheria palli.[1] Because Mar Philexenos was not a bishop of Malankara church, Cheppad Anjilimootil Philipose Ramban was given the episcopal title Cheppad Philipose Mar Dionysious. He was the fourth bishop in the Malankara Church to get this title Dionysius
After the demise of Mar Philoxenos II on February 4, 1829, Cheppad Mar Dionysius Metropolitan (Mar Thoma XII) was approved by the governments of Travancore and Cochin, as Malankara Metropolitan on March 20, 1829. (for the purpose of giving interest of the Vattipanam)[2]
The relation between the missionaries who came from England was cordial during the first few years. But soon they began to interfere in the internal affairs of the church. They tried to change the liturgy and practices of the Malankara church to their system. Without permission they began worshiping using Anglican liturgy in Old Seminary chapel. A letter from the bishop of Calcutta in 1835 suggested
The Metropolitan rejected all these suggestions outright.[3] Soon Mar Dionysius convened a meeting of the representatives of the parishes at Mavelikara (January 16, 1836) and proclaimed allegiance to the Patriarch of Antioch.[4]
Soon the C.M.S. missionaries formed the C.M.S. Church. By a government award known as Cochin Award, they were given a few properties of the Malankara Church. It was at this time Malankara Church got its name Jacobite Church.
Abraham Malpan, Mamalaserry Konattu Malpan and Idavazhikkal Philipose Kathanar were fined by the government for receiving ordination a second time from Mar Athanasius, the bishop from Antioch who was later banished.
Mar Dionysius did not support reformation movement initiated by Abraham Malpan and his supporters. Abraham Malpan did not attend the Mavelikara meeting. When Abraham Malpan used the revised liturgy and brought about changes in practices, that offended Marthoma XII and so he refused priesthood to the deacons trained under him.[5]
In 1829, Mar Dionysius consecrated Geevarghese Mar Koorilose (Kuthoorey) (1829-1856), as the Metropolitan of Thozhyoor church.
Palakunnathu Deacon Mathews, a deacon trained under Abraham Malpan and was his nephew went to Anitoch. He was consecrated with the episcopal title Mathews Mar Athanasius by Patriarch of Antioch, Ignatius Elias II (1838—1847), in 1843.
In 1846, the Patriarch sent a Metropolitan Euyakim Mar Kurilos to Malankara. In 1852 Mar Dionysius abdicated due to poor health.[6] At this time it was necessary for the government to find the successor of Mar Donysius for the purpose of paying the interest to a fixed deposit (Vattipanam) with the government. Mathews Mar Athanasius and Mar Kurilos made claims. The Maharajah of Travancore appointed a committee of four senior government officers (known as Kollam Panchayat), They decided that a foreign bishop had no authority over the Malankara church. So the Maharajah issued a proclamation in favour of Mathews Mar Athanasius on August 30, 1852.
Mar Kurilos then made claim to the Thozhyoor church (in 1857). The Madras High court issued the final judgment that the Thozhyoor church was an Independent Malankara church and the Patriarch had no claim over it.
After deposed in 1852, life of Cheppad Philipose Mar Dionysius became miserable. During the time while Valia Methrachen (Mar Dionysius) was bedridden Mar Athanasius made visits only to the nearby parishes. Cheppad Philipose Mar Dionysius died on October 9, 1855, and was laid to rest at Cheppad Valiya palli (St. George Orthodox Church).
12 October marks the annual observance of his death.
In 1865, ten years after the demise of Cheppad Philipose Mar Dionysius, those who opposed Mathews Mar Athanasius sent Pulikottil Ouseph Kathanar to Antioch who was consecrated with the episcopal title Pulikkottil Joseph Mar Dionysious II. by the Patriarch of Antioch Ignatius Jacob II (1847-1871).
| Preceded by Punnathara Mar Dionysious (Mar Thoma XI) |
Metropolitan of the Malankara Church 1825–1852 |
Succeeded by Pulikkottil Joseph Mar Dionysious II & Mathews Mar Athanasius Metropolitan (Mar Thoma XIII) |