Pictured above are the previous and current Malankara Orthodox Patriarchs, H.H Late Baselios Thoma Didymos I and H.H Baselios Mar Thoma Paulose II. I had the honor of receiving a blessing from the late patriarch, he was a man of great virtue, may his soul rest in peace. The Malankara Orthodox have a tradition of adoring their patriarchs in the vestment above for special occasions. I know the miter is a creation of the Malankara Church but the rest of the vestments I believe they borrowed from another Church. It does not look to be West Syriac in style or design. Anyone have insight on the origins of these vestments or where they seem to be from?
Those vestments represent the Archdeacon and Gate of All India, temporal head of the Malankara Church, which eventually received the title Catholicos.
See here for an older image:
indianchristianity.com/html/archdeacon.JPG
nasrani.net/wp-content/uploads/2007/04/arkadiyakon-thomas.jpg
Ah yes I’ve known it represents the title but I did not know the Malankara Church created the vestment. I always thought it was an off shoot design of old Latin vestments. Also regarding the title “Archdeacon and Gate of All India” this title is also used by the Syro Malabar Church for the ancient See of Angamaly except it is called " Metropolitan and Gate of All India". Are these the same title but claimed by both Churches, I know the See of Angamaly which was the seat of the Church of the East in India is what this title is accompanied with. The See was passed onto the Syro Malabar Church who carried on the East Syriac tradition. Does the Malankara Church lay claim to this title or the Archdeaconate which they started after the ordination of Mar Thoma I in 1665?
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Ah yes I’ve known it represents the title but I did not know the Malankara Church created the vestment. I always thought it was an off shoot design of old Latin vestments.
That’s a good question - it actually looks like an indianized modification, with the insignia of the West Syriac Catholicos/Maphrian, of the vestments of Patriarch of the Lisbon, probably of the style of the 16-18thCent.
Also regarding the title “Archdeacon and Gate of All India” this title is also used by the Syro Malabar Church for the ancient See of Angamaly except it is called " Metropolitan and Gate of All India". Are these the same title but claimed by both Churches, I know the See of Angamaly which was the seat of the Church of the East in India is what this title is accompanied with. The See was passed onto the Syro Malabar Church who carried on the East Syriac tradition. Does the Malankara Church lay claim to this title or the Archdeaconate which they started after the ordination of Mar Thoma I in 1665?
The Malankara Church claims both as well, but generally, should such titles ever be recognized - at least in the Catholic Communion, from what I read of Moran Mor Baselios Cleemis opinion - the Syro-Malabar Head and Father would be regarded as Patriarch and Gate of All India and the Syro-Malankara Head and Father content with Catholicos and Malankara Metropolitan.