[1] The Saint Thomas Christian community was previously in communion with the Church of the East and subject to the ecclesiastical jurisdiction of the Patriarch of Babylon until the death of Metropolitan Abraham.
[2] Following the death of the Metropolitan, the Portuguese colonialist Latin missionaries succeeded in organising the Synod of Diamper of 1599, which initiated the forcible latinisation and subjugation of the ancient native Indian Christian community.
However, the unilateral and arrogant approach of the Carmelites led to the eventual division of the community into Paḻayakūṟ and Pùttènkūṟ factions.
[4][5] Meanwhile, the Paḻayakūṟ, who reunited with the Catholic Church were placed under foreign missionaries yet again after the death of their bishop, Palliveettil Chandy.
[4] Often the power disputes between the Propaganda Vicariate of Malabar and the Padroado Archdiocese of Cranganore created crisis and parallel jurisdiction among them.
[6] But, the Portuguese Queen, who was impressed with Kariyattil Iousep for his sincere effort and knowledge, decided to bestow the title of Archbishop of Cranganore upon him using her Padroado rights.
However, the eventual success met with a sudden tragedy at Goa, when Kariyattil Iousep was found dead at the age of forty-nine.
Upon this, Chaldean Syrian bishops ruled over us up to the time of the death of the Metropolitan Mar Abraham, which took place in the East Church of Angamāly in the year 1596.
Not long after, the Carmelites, who were then established at Goa, were brought into the country, and they asserted that the bishop who was elected by this assembly could not bless the anointing oil.
On the contrary, the above-mentioned two orders trouble our Church and bring dishonour upon her; they seize our priests, and, by confining them closely, cause their death; their servants also maim them in their bodies.
Certain of their priests, when visiting some of our churches, openly and privately transgressed the Seventh Commandment, and committed sundry other crimes.
When they reached those places, they found that our enemies, through letters and by word of mouth, had raised many objections, and a long delay was the consequence.