Church History: Chapter 2: The Malankara Church through the Centuries

Question 1

St Thomas came to India in the year

Answer 1

AD 52

Question 2

Where in Kerala did St Thomas land?

Answer 2

Cranganore at the Malabar Coast

Question 3

Death place of St Thomas

Answer 3

St Thomas Mount; buried at Mylapore, Madras.

Question 4

The first Christians in Kerala were called by the name

Answer 4

Nazranees; Meaning the followers of the man of Nazareth.

Question 5

400 Syrian families came to Kerala in the year

Answer 5

AD 345

Question 6

Name the businessman who led the syrians who fled their country and came to Kerala

Answer 6

Thomas of Cana

Question 7

Because of the influence of Thomas of Cana which countrymen, including priests, came to Kerala?

Answer 7

Persia

Question 8

The visiting Persian clergies belonged to which church

Answer 8

Nestorian Church

Question 9

Nestorian liturgy was in which language

Answer 9

Aramaic (the same language that Jesus spoke)

Question 10

Malankara Church kept in touch with the Persian Nestorian church till which century

Answer 10

15th century

Question 11

Who brought Roman Catholicism to Kerala?

Answer 11

Vasco De Gama

Question 12

Vasco de Gama came to Kerala in the year

Answer 12

1498

Question 13

Roman Catholics forced the Malankara Christians to join Catholicism and sign contracts to the Roman throne in what synod

Answer 13

Diamper synod

Question 14

Who was concentrated as a bishop from the Malankara Church in the Diamper synod?

Answer 14

Arch Deacon Gheevarghese

Question 15

What was the name given to Arch Deacon Gheevarghese?

Answer 15

Alexio de Menezes

Question 16

Which Sabha or church stayed away from the Roman Catholic throne?

Answer 16

Chaldean Church in Trichur. They continued as the Church of the East.

Question 17

Declaration of Independence from Romans happened in the year

Answer 17

1653

Question 18

What was the leader of declaration of independence movement? Who was the first Indian Bishop?

Answer 18

Arch Deacon Thomas

Question 19

How many clergies were with Arch Deacon Thomas when they marched to Cochin fort?

Answer 19

633

Question 20

What did the Romans force the Malankara churches to do?

Answer 20

To embrace the Latin version of the Roman Catholicism

Question 21

Who was the leader of the Coonan Cross oath?

Answer 21

Arch Deacon Thomas

Question 22

Who became Marthoma 1 or who was the first Indian Bishop?

Answer 22

Arch Deacon Thomas

Question 23

Who reconsecrated Marthoma 1?

Answer 23

Mar Gregorious from the Jacobite church in Syria.

Question 24

Who was the founder of the Jacobite Church in Syria?

Answer 24

Jacob Bardeaus, a Syrian monk.

Question 25

Who was the English missionary that came to India in connection with the British Army in Calcutta?

Answer 25

Claudius Buchanan from the Church of England

Question 26

Who was instrumental in translating gospels to Malayalam in which year? MUST KNOW

Answer 26

Mar Dionysius the Great, in the year 1811.

Question 27

Which is considered as the Declaration of Independence and freedom from foreign control?

Answer 27

The Coonen Cross Oath

Question 28

The year when Kottayam Seminary for Syrian clergies was founded

Answer 28

1813

Question 29

Who were the famous trio of Anglican missionaries who helped to rebuild churches in Kerala?

Answer 29

Benjamin Bailey, Henry Baker, and Joseph Fenn

Question 30

Name the seven churches founded by Saint Thomas

Answer 30

Cranganore, Chavakkad, Paravur near Alwye, Gokamanagalam Niranam, Nilakkal, Quilon

Question 31

Thomas Norton was of what origin

Answer 31

English - he came to Malabar in 1816

Question 32

What is the significance of Coonan Cross oath? How is the church different after this event?

Answer 32

- Coonan Cross oath was a pledge taken by a group of Kerala Christians. - They they declared "we and our children shall never be under Rome." - in 1653 about 25,000 devoted Christians march to Cochin fort - Arch Deacon Thomas and 633 clergies took part by confronting Portuguese soldiers - They withdrew to a church in Mattanchery in Fort of Cochin - they tied ropes to the arm of a granite cross and took the oath by pulling on the rope - the cross was slightly leaning and so the oath got the name Coonan Cross oath - the church earned Independence and got Thomas as Marthoma 1, the first Indian Bishop

Question 33

Discuss the tradition of Apostle Thomas coming to India and establishing seven churches in Malankara

Answer 33

a. St Thomas came to Kerala at the Malabar Coast during the north in AD52 b. The native upper cast namboothiris were converted to Christianity c. They believe that Saint Thomas came after the lost sheep in the Indian subcontinent d. Saint Thomas established seven churches namely, Cranganore, Chavakkad, Paravur near Alwye, Gokamanagalam Niranam, Nilakkal, Quilon e. St Thomas died a martyr's death in St Thomas Mount and was buried in Mylapore, Madras. f. Christians who followed Thomas was called Nazranees meaning followers of the man of Nazareth