Anjilimoottil Itty Thommen Kathanar (d. 10 May 1659) was aKathanar (Syriac priest) of theKnanaya community ofKerala during the time of Portuguese persecution.Together with Arch Deacon Thoma Kathanar (laterMar Thoma I), he led the Malankara Church during the turbulent times towards the end of the PortuguesePadroado. In particular, he gave leadership to a crowd of about 25,000 members of the community atMattancherry during the open revolt against the Portuguese in 1653 following the capture of the Syrian BishopAhatallah. The incident led to theCoonan Cross Oath.[1]
After theCoonan Cross Oath, Thommen organized an important meeting of the Saint Thomas Christian community, atAlangadu Church. This meeting made the historic decision to administer the Malankara church independent of the Portuguese Padroado or Roman Catholic prelates.In order to take over the administration of the church, the meeting also decided to form a council of four senior Kathanars willing to support Archdeacon Thomas. Apart from Itty Thommen, the members of this council were:
However, the Carmelite missionaries who replaced the jesuits to convince all the three of these Kathanars, to reaffirm their allegiance to the Catholic Church.[2]
Kathanar died on 10 May 1659 (Medam 27, 834 ME) and he was interred at St. Mary's Knanaya Jacobite Syrian Church (Knanaya Valiapally),Kallisserry where he had been the vicar.[2]
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