Mar Joseph Kariattil
Encyclopedia
Mar Joseph Kariattil [Mar Ouseph Kariattil (also spelled 'Cariattil')] (5 May 1742 – 10 September 1786) was the first native Indian to be appointed as Archbishop of the Syrian Catholics in the territory now comprising Kerala
, India
.
Joseph Kariattil was born at Alengad
, near Aluva
in present day central Kerala. He had his initial religious education at the Seminary at Alengad. Later he was sent to the Propaganda College of Urban University
, Rome
, in 1755 when he was barely 13 years old. There he was ordained as a priest, and he took Doctorate in Philosophy
and Theology
from there . He returned to India in 1766. He was then appointed as a professor at the Alengad Seminary.
Father Joseph Kariattil took great efforts for the reunion of the Syrian Christians
who had split following the Coonen Cross Oath. He made the historic journey to Rome in 1778 together with Paremmakkal Thoma Kathanar
to represent the matter with the church authorities there . He had the full backing of leading church functionaries like Archbishop Thoma VI (Divannasios I) and lay leaders like Thachil Matthoo Tharakan. Father Kariattil was consecrated bishop at Lisbon in 1783 and was appointed Archbishop of Cranganore (Kodungalloor). However, on his way back to India, he died at Goa
on 10 September 1786. He was initially buried there. But his mortal remains were transferred to Alangad and were re-interred at the St Mary's Church, Alengad in 1961.
He is the author of two books, viz. Vedatharkkam [Dialectics on Theology] (1768) and Noticias do Reino do Malabar (1780) .
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
.
Joseph Kariattil was born at Alengad
Alengad
Alangad is a census town and panchayat in Paravur Taluk of Ernakulam District, Kerala, India.-Location:Alangadu is located just 7 km away from North Paravur and 8 km away from Aluva. The State Highway connecting North Paravur with Aluva passess through this village. It contains...
, near Aluva
Aluva
Aluva , is a suburb of the city of Kochi, situated north of the city center and a municipality in Ernakulam district, Kerala, India. Aluva is also a major industrial center of the state....
in present day central Kerala. He had his initial religious education at the Seminary at Alengad. Later he was sent to the Propaganda College of Urban University
Urban university
An urban university is a U.S. term for institution of higher learning that is socially involved and serves as a resource for educating the citizens of the city or region in which it is located...
, Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, in 1755 when he was barely 13 years old. There he was ordained as a priest, and he took Doctorate in Philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
and Theology
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
from there . He returned to India in 1766. He was then appointed as a professor at the Alengad Seminary.
Father Joseph Kariattil took great efforts for the reunion of the Syrian Christians
Syrian Christians
Syrian Christians may refer to*the Christian minority in Syria*in older publications, the Syriac Christians*in a South Asian context, the Saint Thomas Christians of Kerala....
who had split following the Coonen Cross Oath. He made the historic journey to Rome in 1778 together with Paremmakkal Thoma Kathanar
Paremmakkal Thoma Kathanar
Paremmakkal Thoma Kathanar is the author of Varthamanapusthakam , the first ever travelogue in an Indian language . He was Administrator of the Archdiocese of Cranganore from 1786 till his death....
to represent the matter with the church authorities there . He had the full backing of leading church functionaries like Archbishop Thoma VI (Divannasios I) and lay leaders like Thachil Matthoo Tharakan. Father Kariattil was consecrated bishop at Lisbon in 1783 and was appointed Archbishop of Cranganore (Kodungalloor). However, on his way back to India, he died at Goa
Goa
Goa , a former Portuguese colony, is India's smallest state by area and the fourth smallest by population. Located in South West India in the region known as the Konkan, it is bounded by the state of Maharashtra to the north, and by Karnataka to the east and south, while the Arabian Sea forms its...
on 10 September 1786. He was initially buried there. But his mortal remains were transferred to Alangad and were re-interred at the St Mary's Church, Alengad in 1961.
He is the author of two books, viz. Vedatharkkam [Dialectics on Theology] (1768) and Noticias do Reino do Malabar (1780) .