Coonan Cross

A journey through the paths of the Coonan Cross at Mattanchery leads us to the depths of the historical events that had taken in the land of Merchants and Missionaries.

In those days town of Cochin was separated into two parts. The eastern portion was known as the "The Cherry of Mathan" - Mattanchery and the western was Fort Cochi. The church at Mattanchery dedicated to Our Lady of Life was used by the Catholics other Christians build a separate church. In spite of this scandous events that followed later on, the majority of St. Thomas Christians who joined the Catholic Church, remained faithful in their obedience to the Roman Pontiff. The Church of Our Lady of Life and Coonan Cross always remained with the Latin Christians. As the priest of these former St. Thomas Christians did not have any proper training in Catholic Doctrine and Latin liturgy. The Portuguese started in Cochin and Crangannore. In 1653, an Augustenian Arch Bishop Don Alexis Menezes of Goa convoked the synod of Diamper (Udayamperoor). This Synod was meant, not to Latinize the old Christians but rather to correct their doctrined errors and evil practices. The Syro - Chaldiac form of worship was almost entirely preserved, except some changes which were found to be most necessary. A large number of St. Thomas Christians were quite against the changes done at the synod. It was resolved, not again to entrust the care of the Thomas Christians to an oriental Bishop. By a brief dated 20th December 1559, Pope Clement VIII reduced the see of Angamaly to a Bishopric, removed it from the Chaldean Patriarchate and made it Suffragon to Goa. Afterwards Pope Paul V, by his Bull dated Dec. 22nd 1608 restored the see to the grade of an Arch Bishopric and by another bull dated Dec. 3rd 1609, transferred to Crangannore.