Thoma I

Mar Thoma I, also known as Valiya Mar Thoma (Mar Thoma the Great) and Arkkadiyakkon Thoma (Archdeacon Thomas) in Malayalam, and referred to as Thomas de Campo in Portuguese, was the first native-born Metropolitan bishop of the Malankara Church in the 17th century. He was the last Archdeacon of the undivided St. Thomas Christians of Malankara.

Following the death of Archdeacon George of the Cross on 25 July 1640, Parambil Thoma Kathanar was elected and enthroned as the new Archdeacon while still under 30 years old. He played a significant role in leading the Church during the Coonan Cross Oath on 3 January 1653, an event that led to a schism within the Nasrani Church. After the Oath, Thoma was elected as a Bishop by the Malankara Yogam (Association) and was consecrated at St. Mary's Church, Alangad, by the laying on of hands by 12 priests on 22 May 1653.^{[citation needed]} However, certain factions within the community, including two Southist churches in Kaduthuruthy and Udayamperoor, did not recognize his episcopal authority.^{[citation needed]}

Despite this, Thoma began to exercise episcopal powers and sought to regularize his consecration with the Church of Antioch. His episcopal consecration was formally recognized in 1665 by Mar Gregorios Abdal Jaleel, a delegate of the Syriac Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch, though the exact date and location of this event remain unknown. During his tenure, Mar Thoma was advised by Palliveettil Mar Chandy, Kadavil Chandy Kathanar, Vengoor Geevargese Kathanar, and Anjilimoottil Ittithomman Kathanar.

Kuravilangad is a town located in the Kottayam district of Kerala, South India. The town is situated in the Meenachil Taluk, about 22 km north of Kottayam. Pakalomattom family was one of the oldest families at Kuravilangad. Thomas who later became the first Mar Thoma, was born in this family.

Pakalomattom Geevarghese Kathanar, the Archdeacon (Arkkadiyakkon) of the Saint Thomas Christians, died in 1637. Following his death, Thomas, a relative of Geevarghese, was appointed as the next Archdeacon by Archbishop Stephen Britto. In 1653, Thomas and his followers took the Coonan Cross Oath, declaring that they would no longer obey Archbishop Garcia or any other prelate from the Society of Jesus, and they vowed to exclude the Jesuits from Malabar and their churches.

After the Coonan Cross Oath, on 5 January 1653, the church elders gathered at St. Mary's Church in Edapally (now dedicated to Saint George) and proclaimed Archdeacon Thoma as the Governor of the Church. Four priests—Anjilimoottil Itty Thomman, Kadavil Chandy, Vengoor Geevarghese, and Palliveettil Chandy—were selected as his advisors. Of these, three later returned to the Catholic faction of the St. Thomas Christians.

Four months after the Coonan Cross Oath, on 22 May 1653, twelve priests ordained Thomas as the first Bishop of the Malankara See through the act of laying hands on him collectively. However, the Catholic faction disputed the validity of this consecration, arguing that it was irregular. It is claimed that the consecration was regularized by Gregorios Abdal Jaleel, a delegate of the Patriarch of Antioch, in 1665, although the exact place and date remain unknown. Thomas adopted the name Mar Thoma, asserting his role as the successor of St. Thomas the Apostle.

This consecration was not accepted by two Southist churches, one at Kaduthuruthy and another at Udayamperoor. Later, Bishop Sebastiani, who was ordained on 15 December 1659, convinced many priests and laypeople, including the three advisors who had initially supported Mar Thoma, that the consecration was irregular. Due to political and financial pressures exerted by the Carmelite fathers through the Portuguese and native kings, many churches and laypeople withdrew their allegiance to Mar Thoma. They requested that he relinquish his episcopal dignity, but Mar Thoma continued to perform episcopal functions.