Draft:The Second Coonan Cross

Second Coonan Cross Oath

The Second Coonan Cross Oath was a significant event held on October 6, 2019, by the Jacobite Church in Mar Thoma Jacobite Syrian Cheriapally, Kothamangalam, Kerala, India. It served as a powerful symbol of protest and a reaffirmation of their identity.

Historical Echoes:

The oath echoed the original Coonan Cross Oath of 1653, where Saint Thomas Christians resisted external control by Portuguese missionaries.

Dispute with Malankara Orthodox Church: Recent court rulings transferring churches to the Malankara Orthodox faction triggered feelings of dispossession among the Jacobite faithful.

The Ceremony
Similar to the 1653 oath: Thousands of Jacobite Christians gathered at the Marthoma Cheriya palli church in Kothamangalam. They tied a long rope to the stone cross in the church courtyard, mirroring the action taken in Mattancherry during the historical oath.

Pledging Allegiance: Holding onto the rope, which stretched for kilometers (reaching Nellikuzhy, 5 km away), the participants pledged their allegiance to the Patriarch of Antioch. This act reaffirmed their connection to the Syriac Orthodox Church.

Significance
Reaffirmation of Heritage:

The oath served as a public declaration of loyalty to the Syriac Orthodox Church and its Patriarch in Antioch. It emphasized the Jacobite faction's distinct theological and ecclesial identity in relation to the Malankara Orthodox Church

Highlighting Ongoing Issues
The event brought renewed attention to the Jacobite faction's grievances against the Malankara Orthodox Church. These include demands for an independent Jacobite bishop and concerns about changes in traditions.



Protest and Pressure:

The Second Coonan Cross Oath served as a powerful protest against perceived injustices faced by the Jacobite faction. It also put pressure on the leadership of both factions within the Syro-Malabar Church to seek a resolution to the ongoing disputes.