{ "book_metadata": { "book_name": "History of Christianity in India: Source Materials", "book_author": "M. K. Kuriakose", "publisher": "Indian Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge", "published_on": "2011" }, "chunks": [ { "chunk_index": 1, "chapter_name": "1599. Decrees of the Synod of Diamper", "page_numbers": [ 39 ], "image_paths": [ "raw\\pages\\00063-013df0c039f29b9dffa5.webp" ], "chunk_title": "Purpose of the Synod", "chunk_data": "38. DECREES OF THE SYNOD OF DIAMPER (1599 A.D.)\nThe Synod of Diamper was called by Aleixo de Menezes, the Archbishop Metropolitan of Goa, for the purpose of compelling the Syrian Christians of Kerala to repudiate their traditions and place themselves under the Roman jurisdiction. The Decrees of the Synod throw light upon the faith and practice of the Syrian Christian community. Here only a few of the decrees relating to the terms of submission have been included. A complete English translation of the decrees may be found in James Hough, The History of Christianity in India from the Commencement of the Christian Era, Vol. II, pp. 513-683.", "time": { "start_year": 1599, "start_month": null, "start_date": null, "end_year": 1599, "end_month": null, "end_date": null, "time_display": "1599 AD" }, "meta": { "people": [ "Aleixo de Menezes", "James Hough" ], "places": [ "Diamper", "Goa", "Kerala" ], "event": "Aleixo de Menezes convened the Synod of Diamper to compel the Syrian Christians of Kerala to repudiate their traditions and submit to Roman jurisdiction.", "tags": [ "Religion", "Church Governance", "Synod" ] } }, { "chunk_index": 2, "chapter_name": "1599. Decrees of the Synod of Diamper", "page_numbers": [ 39 ], "image_paths": [ "raw\\pages\\00063-013df0c039f29b9dffa5.webp" ], "chunk_title": "Synod I Objectives", "chunk_data": "Session I. Decree I.\nThe Objects of the Synod:\nMy beloved brethren, you the venerable priests, and my most dear sons in Christ, you the representatives and procurators of the people, does it please you, that for the Praise and Glory of the holy and undivided Trinity, the Father, Son and Holy Ghost, and for the increase and exaltation of the catholic faith, and Christian religion, of the inhabitants of this bishopric, and for the destruction of the heresies and errors which have been sown therein by several heretics and schismatics, and for the purging of books from the false doctrines contained in them, and for the perfect union of this church with the whole church catholic and universal, and for the yielding of obedience to the supreme Bishop of Rome, the universal pastor of the church, and successor in the chair of St. Peter, and vicar of Christ upon Earth, from whom you have for some time departed, and for the extirpation of simony, which has been much practiced in this bishopric, and for the regulating of the administration of the holy sacraments of the church, and the necessary use of them, and for the reformation of the affairs of the church and the clergy, and the customs of all the Christian people of this diocese; we should begin a diocesan Synod of this bishopric of the Serra", "time": { "start_year": 1599, "start_month": null, "start_date": null, "end_year": 1599, "end_month": null, "end_date": null, "time_display": "1599 AD" }, "meta": { "people": [ "Aleixo de Menezes", "Pope", "Saint Peter" ], "places": [ "Serra" ], "event": "The Synod stated that it aimed to unite the diocese with the Roman Catholic Church, suppress heresy and simony, regulate the sacraments, and reform church administration.", "tags": [ "Religion", "Church Governance", "Reform" ] } }, { "chunk_index": 3, "chapter_name": "1599. Decrees of the Synod of Diamper", "page_numbers": [ 40 ], "image_paths": [ "raw\\pages\\00064-e04b8edfcc2a8089e355.webp" ], "chunk_title": "Rejecting Babylonian Authority", "chunk_data": "Session III. Decree VIII.\nFor that, till the very time of the most illustrious Metropolitan entering into his diocese, there was a certain heresy twice repeated in the holy sacrifice of the mass, and twice more in the divine office, in calling the Patriarch of Babylon, the universal pastor, and head of the catholic church, in all places, and as often as they happen to name him; a title that is due only to the most holy father, the Bishop of Rome, successor of the prince of the Apostles, St. Peter, and vicar of Christ on earth the Synod therefore command in virtue of obedience, and upon pain of excommunication to be ipso facto incurred, that no person of this bishopric, secular or ecclesiastical, shall from henceforward presume, by word or writing, either in the holy sacrifice of mass, or in the divine office, or in any other occasion, to bestow that title on the said Patriarch of Babylon, or on any other prelate, besides our lord, the Bishop of Rome; and whosoever shall dare to contravene this order, shall be declared excommunicate, and held for a schismatic and heretic, and shall be punished as such, according to the holy canons and whereas the Patriarch of Babylon, to whom this church was subject, are Nestorians, the heads of that cursed sect, and schismatics out of the obedience of the holy Roman Church, and aliens from our holy catholic faith, and are for that reason excommunicate and accursed: and it not being lawful to join with such in the church in public as stand excommunicate wherefore this bishopric, upon its having now yielded a perfect obedience to the most holy father, the Pope. Christ's vicar upon earth, to which it was obliged by Divine authority, and upon pain of damnation, shall not henceforward have any manner of dependence upon the said Patriarch of Babylon; and the present Synod, does under the said precept of obedience, and upon pain of excommunication to be ipso facto incurred, prohibit all priests, and curates, from henceforward to name the said Patriarch of Babylon in the holy sacrifice of the mass, or in any other divine office, in the prayers of the church, even without the false title of universal pastor; but instead thereof, shall name our lord the Pope, who is our true pastor, as also of the whole church, and after him, the lord Bishop of the diocese, for the time being; and whosoever shall maliciously and knowingly act the contrary, shall be declared excommunicate, and otherwise punished at the pleasure of his prelate, according to his contumacy.", "time": { "start_year": 1599, "start_month": null, "start_date": null, "end_year": 1599, "end_month": null, "end_date": null, "time_display": "1599 AD" }, "meta": { "people": [ "Patriarch of Babylon", "Pope", "Saint Peter" ], "places": [ "Babylon" ], "event": "The Synod prohibited recognition of the Patriarch of Babylon as universal pastor and ordered priests to name the Pope and the diocesan bishop instead.", "tags": [ "Religion", "Authority", "Excommunication" ] } }, { "chunk_index": 4, "chapter_name": "1599. Decrees of the Synod of Diamper", "page_numbers": [ 40, 41 ], "image_paths": [ "raw\\pages\\00064-e04b8edfcc2a8089e355.webp", "raw\\pages\\00065-999bb9ca18e9c5e2d037.webp" ], "chunk_title": "Nullifying Anti-Roman Oaths", "chunk_data": "Session III. Decree XIX. (Oaths taken to submit to the Church of Rome)\nThe Synod having been informed of several meetings that were in this diocese, upon the death of bishop Mar Abraham, in which both public and private oaths were taken against yielding obedience to the holy Roman Church, several curates and others obliging themselves never to consent to any change either in the government of the bishopric, or in matters of faith, not to receive any bishop that should be sent to them by the holy apostolical see, or by any other way, than, by the order of the schismatical, heretical, Nestorian Patriarch of Babylon, with several other particulars, contrary to the sacred canons, and the obedience that is due to the most holy Roman pontificate; doth declare all such oaths, or any other taken, or that shall be taken in the same manner, to be void of no force; and that they do not only not oblige the consciences of those that have taken them, but that as they were rashly and maliciously taken, so it is an impiety and schism to keep them; denouncing the sentence of the greater excommunication upon all those that made them or took them; this synod having above all other things promised and sworn to yield obedience to the commands of the Pope, and the holy apostolical see, according to the holy canons, and never to receive any bishop or prelate, but what shall be sent by the holy Roman church, to which it of right belongs to provide prelates and bishops to all the churches in the world, and to receive those that he shall send, without any doubt or scruple, acknowledging them for the true prelates and pastors of their souls, without waiting for any other order besides that of the bishop of Rome, notwithstanding any impious oaths that may have been made at any time to the contrary.", "time": { "start_year": 1599, "start_month": null, "start_date": null, "end_year": 1599, "end_month": null, "end_date": null, "time_display": "1599 AD" }, "meta": { "people": [ "Mar Abraham", "Pope" ], "places": [ "Babylon", "Rome" ], "event": "The Synod declared void the anti-Roman oaths taken after the death of Mar Abraham and required acceptance of bishops appointed by the Roman Church.", "tags": [ "Religion", "Church Governance", "Oaths" ] } }, { "chunk_index": 5, "chapter_name": "1599. Decrees of the Synod of Diamper", "page_numbers": [ 41, 42 ], "image_paths": [ "raw\\pages\\00065-999bb9ca18e9c5e2d037.webp", "raw\\pages\\00066-7af00ef65599b7f10511.webp" ], "chunk_title": "Condemning Nestorianism", "chunk_data": "Session III. Decree XX. (Condemning Nestorianism and subscribing to the doctrines of Rome)\nThis present Synod, together with all the priests and faithful people of this diocese, doth embrace all the holy general councils received by holy mother church, believing and confessing all that was determined in them, anathematizing, rejecting, and condemning all that they have rejected and condemned; but especially it doth with great veneration receive and embrace the first holy council of Ephesus, consisting of 200 fathers, firmly believing all that was therein determined, and rejecting and condemning whatsoever it condemned; but above all, the diabolical heresy of the Nestorians, which has been for many years preached and believed in this diocese; which together with its author Nestorius and all his followers, the said council did reject and anathematize; who being taught by the devil, held that there were two persons in our Lord Christ; affirming also, that the Divine Word did not take flesh into the unity of its person, but only for an habitation, or holy dwelling, as a temple; and that it ought not to be said, that God was incarnate, or that he died, nor that our lady, the glorious Virgin, was the mother of God, but only the mother of Christ, with other diabolical heresies, all which this Synod does condemn, reject, and anathematize, embracing the holy catholic faith, in that purity and integrity, that it is believed and professed in by the holy mother Roman church, the mistress of all churches, to which in all things it submits itself according to the profession it has made", "time": { "start_year": 1599, "start_month": null, "start_date": null, "end_year": 1599, "end_month": null, "end_date": null, "time_display": "1599 AD" }, "meta": { "people": [ "Nestorius", "Jesus Christ", "Virgin Mary" ], "places": [ "Ephesus", "Rome" ], "event": "The Synod condemned Nestorian doctrine and affirmed the doctrines received and professed by the Roman Church.", "tags": [ "Religion", "Theology", "Heresy" ] } }, { "chunk_index": 6, "chapter_name": "1599. Decrees of the Synod of Diamper", "page_numbers": [ 42 ], "image_paths": [ "raw\\pages\\00066-7af00ef65599b7f10511.webp" ], "chunk_title": "Adopting the Council of Trent", "chunk_data": "Session III. Decree XXI. (Resolved to be governed in all things by the last council of Trent)\nFurthermore, this present Synod, with all the priests and faithful people of this diocese, doth embrace the last holy and sacred council of Trent, and does not only believe and confess all that was determined and approved of therein, and reject and anathematize all that the council rejected and condemned; but doth moreover receive and embrace the said council as to all matters therein determined, relating to the reformation of the church, and all Christian people, promising and swearing to govern itself according to the rules thereof, and to observe the same forms that are observed in the catholic church, and as are observed in this province of the Indies, and in all other provinces and suffragans to the metropolis of Goa; in order to the removing of all abuses and customs that are contrary to the decrees of the said council of Trent; by which only it is resolved to govern itself as to all matters relating to the government of the church, and the reformation of the manners of this faithful and catholic people, any customs, though immemorial, in this bishopric, to the contrary notwithstanding.", "time": { "start_year": 1599, "start_month": null, "start_date": null, "end_year": 1599, "end_month": null, "end_date": null, "time_display": "1599 AD" }, "meta": { "people": [], "places": [ "Trent", "Goa", "India" ], "event": "The Synod pledged to govern the diocese according to the decrees and reforms of the Council of Trent.", "tags": [ "Religion", "Church Governance", "Reform" ] } }, { "chunk_index": 7, "chapter_name": "1599. Decrees of the Synod of Diamper", "page_numbers": [ 42 ], "image_paths": [ "raw\\pages\\00066-7af00ef65599b7f10511.webp" ], "chunk_title": "Submitting to the Inquisition", "chunk_data": "Session III. Decree XXII. (Subjects the Syrians to the Inquisition at Goa)\nThis present Synod, together with all the priests and faithful people of this diocese, doth with great submission and reverence, submit itself to the holy, upright, just, and necessary court of the holy office of the inquisition, in these parts established; and being sensible how much the integrity of the faith depends upon that tribunal, it doth promise and swear to be obedient to all its commands in all things thereunto pertaining; being, after the example of all other bishoprics in the province, willing that all matters of faith should be judged by the same court, or by such persons as it shall depute and notwithstanding the said holy office has not hitherto, by reason of this church's having been separated, and had little or no correspondence with the apostolical see, or with any of the churches that are subject to it, meddled with any person belonging to this bishopric, yet now for the benefit of their souls, as to absolutions in cases of faith, which are known to be reserved to that court; this present Synod doth beseech the lords inquisitors to authorize some learned men within this bishopric, or the Jesuits of the college of Vaipicotta, and of other residences of the same religion in the said diocese, to absolve all such as shall stand in need thereof, and that with such limitations as they shall think fit;", "time": { "start_year": 1599, "start_month": null, "start_date": null, "end_year": 1599, "end_month": null, "end_date": null, "time_display": "1599 AD" }, "meta": { "people": [ "Lords Inquisitors", "Jesuits" ], "places": [ "Goa", "Vaipicotta" ], "event": "The Synod submitted the Syrian diocese to the Inquisition at Goa and requested authority for learned clergy and Jesuits to grant absolution in reserved matters of faith.", "tags": [ "Religion", "Inquisition", "Church Governance" ] } } ] }