THE KNANAYA PILGRIM CENTRE
In memory of the missionary migration from the Middle East to Kodungalloor under the leadership of Knai Thoma in AD 345, the Knanaya Catholic Congress has organized a Holy Mass and prayers at the tomb on 16.04.2016 in the leadership of Mar Mathew Moolakkatt, the Vicar General and a team of our priestsat the Holy Family church of Kottappuram Archdiocese, where the tomb of Thomas of Cana and Mar Joseph of Edessa is situated. One bus-full each of knanites from every Forane gathered there and made the function a grand success. The Archbishop of Kottappuram also attended the meeting as a guest of honor.
The tomb is hardly 500 meters away on the way to the now-ruined fortress of Kottappuram, which was constructed by the Portuguese around 1503. It is said that the Mahadevar Pattanam, which was granted by the Cheraman Perumal to the knanites, was at this site and around the fortress. Almost the three sides of this area are surrounded by the backwaters. The fort area is preserved under the control of the ArcheologicalDepartment of the Government. It is now a part of the Muziris Heritage Project. The Knai Thoma Bhavan with the Tower built by the KCC in 2004 is closer to the church and is in between the church and the fortress. All these structures are on the same side of the waterline. A full size statue of Knai Thoma was unveiled by Mar Moolakkatt in the tower on 16.04.2016.
The Latin Catholics and even the local public have accepted this KNANAYA PILGRIM CENTRE where the tomb of Thomas of Cana and Mar Joseph of Edessa is situated, as the MOST IMPORTANT pilgrim centre of the knanaya Christians. This is evident from the words of Rev Sr. Mary Antonio of Kottappuram Diocese on page 50 of her book “Kottappuram Roopathayude Paithruka Vazhikal” where it is said “Thirukkudumba kappelayilulla Knai-Thommante kallara knanaya Christianikalkku innu ettavum pradhanappetta oru Theerdhadana Kendramanu”
Until most of Malamkara Sabha was brought under Rome by the influence of the Portuguese by Mar Menessis around 1600, Knai Thoma was remembered in prayers in the Holy Mass as Saint. This practice iscontinued in the knanaya Jacobite churches, as per orders of the Patriarch of Antioque. [See Page 225, 303, 355, 356, 357 etc. of “Visudha Kurbana Kramamof ‘Knanaya Athi-Bhadrasanam.”] Apart from the hierarchy, there is no difference in faith of the Catholics and of the Jacobites. The ‘Viswasa” read during the holy mass in Catholic and Jacobite Churches are the same. [Page 210 of “V.Kurbana Kramam”] The Catholic Church has not declared him or Mar Joseph as a saint yet.
Though there is no official declaration, there need be no doubt about the holiness of Knai-Thoma or of Mar Joseph as accepted by the Jacobites. After all, they immigrated to India once for all leaving all their loved ones and their assets only for the noble purpose of missionary work. The mental agony of permanently discarding their native land and relatives, the hardship they experienced and the risks they took to travel for months through the disturbed seas in un-mechanizedsmall ships, itself would be sufficient to establish that they were saintly.
No doubt that we will be receiving plenty of blessings if we say sincere pious prayers at the tomb of our ancestral father and of Mar Joseph. We can pray as atthe tomb of our father, before our ancestral father too.
We can hope that the KCC and Mar Moolakkatt will do their best to promote this most important KNANAYA PILGRIM CENTRE.
Excerpts from the inscription on the marble stone at the tomb at Kodungalloor are reproduced below.
“SACRED TO THE MEMORY OF
THOMAS OF CANA AND MAR JOSEPH OF EDESSA
WHO LED 72 SYRIAN CHRISTIAN FAMILIES FROM MIDDLE EAST TO CRANGANORE IN A.D. 345”
“THE MORTAL REMAINS OF THESE NOBLE SOULS REST IN PEACE
BELOW THESE HALLOWED GROUNDS.”
