The Mar Thoma Syrian Church eagerly awaits to celebrate the priestly ordination of the first fruit from Tamil Nadu, Rev. Dn R Sadhanantham. This is an important reminder that the Mar Thoma Church is no longer limited to Kerala but is a diverse and multicultural church. It is essential to clarify and affirm the rich and ancient traditions and theology of the Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian Church as these are the foundations that bind the universal church together. As mentioned in Part I, this article will discuss on the core theological elements that is found within the Liturgy of Kasheesha ordination. After the Amalogia is recited, the candidates to the Holy Priesthood affirms by drawing the sign of the cross.
1) Cross as the focal point of mediation
In all Mar Thoma Liturgies, the term “sleeba,” which means cross, holds significant importance as it is repeatedly emphasized. During the Holy Ordination service, the cross is portrayed as a powerful reality that signifies affirmation, acts as a witness, and affirms obedience. For the Mar Thoma Church, the Sleeba is not a mere symbol but rather is something living and vibrant, something tangible that was used by our Lord to conquer death itself and is a representation of himself (1 Cor 1:17-18). The root word for Sleeba is ‘slb’ (ܤܠܒܐ) meaning the Crucified One, hence the Cross become synonymous with Christ himself. The early Church father and saint, Melito of Sardis (AD 160) portrays in his poetic dissertation on the Crucified one as follows
I am the one,” says the Christ,
“I am the one that destroyed death
and triumphed over the enemy
and trod down Hades
and bound the strong one
and carried off man to the heights of heaven;
I am the one,” says the Christ.
Just as from a tree came sin, so also from a tree came salvation.
By the cross death is destroyed,
and by the cross salvation shines;
by the cross the gates of hell are burst,
and by the cross the gates of paradise are opened.
. . . The cross is the destroyer of hell.
In the Liturgy of Holy Ordination, there are three significant areas where the cross is used. The primary usage is right after the ‘Amalogia’, where the candidate to the Holy Priesthood affirms the responsibilities entrusted to him by the Episcopa by drawing the cross as his signature, the Cross becomes the lifelong signature of the new priest. We also see the usage of the cross when giving the final exhortations after the Amalogia is read, where the cross is mentioned as the witness between the Bishop and the candidate to the priesthood, transforming it into a living agent. Finally, the hair of the candidate is cut in the shape of a cross as the bishop chants the following prose, “As a sign of your dedication to be a guardian of the treasures in the Lord’s Church, I cut this hair in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” Here the cross is an imprint upon the priest, portraying his allegiance to the Church and the True Faith.
2) Priesthood as the blessed mystery
In Western Christianity, there are various interpretations of the concept of priesthood. The Catholic Church emphasizes the priest as a mediator between God and people, known as mediatorial priesthood. On the other hand, Anglican churches view the priest as a representative of the people before God, termed as representative priesthood. Low church Protestants, such as the Church of South India, prefer to avoid the term ‘priesthood’. They argue that priestly orders ended with Christ the High Priest. Instead, they use terms like “office of the minister or presbyter”, considering it as an appointed position within the church, similar to appointing a teacher as a principal.
On the other hand, in Eastern Christianity, such distinct terms and definitions do not exist. The order of priesthood is regarded as a sacred sacrament and a mystery. It is seen as a continuation of the Old Testament priesthood that found fulfillment in Christ, and carried forward through the Apostles and their successors to the present day. The candidate is strengthened, sanctified, and illuminated by the Grace and Mercy of God. Consequently, the priest becomes a mediator, representative, medium, elect, witness, provider, pastor, and a shepherd. The Mar Thoma Syrian Church perceives priesthood as encompassing all these roles. It is through priesthood that the sacraments are administered, making it a mystery of immense significance within the church.
A few lines in the Sedra prayers reads as follows, “Make these Thy servants, now called by the call of Thy Lordship, ministers and keepers of Thy divine mysteries, right-hand priests and good rulers, pillars, graceful shepherds and able teachers of Thy spiritual sheep.”
Another part reads as follows “Qualify them by Thy grace to draw near to the service of angels, and to the work of Thy divine mysteries, which Thy holy angels desire to look upon, with excellence in good and noble works, and with all noble actions and humble minds. May these priest mediate for the remission of debts and the remission of sins of all your spiritual children of the church entrusted to them by the grace and blessings of your only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord, God, and Savior.”
3) Source of Apostolic Priesthood: Jesus Christ!
In the Old Testament, two priesthoods are mentioned: the priesthood of Aaron and the priesthood of Melchizedek. God establishes the priesthood of Aaron to act as intermediaries between God and humankind, praying for the people and offering sacrifices. On the other hand, the priesthood of Melchizedek is royal and hieratic, symbolizing the coming High Priest and King, Jesus Christ the Messiah. Some Christians might misunderstand or misinterpret that the priesthood was abolished, but in reality, the old testament priesthoods of Aaron and Melchizedek find fulfillment in the person of Jesus Christ, and this priesthood was passed on to the Apostles as a higher form of priesthood, which continues to this day. This is why in the Thooyaba service (a preparatory service before the Holy Qurbana), the priest first performs the service of Melchizedek and then the service of Aaron. Further explanations of the Thooyaba service can be discussed another time.
The Apostles received their priesthood from Christ himself after his resurrection. In John 20, we see Christ transferring the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles. He also entrusted to them the roles linked to his priesthood: the hieratic, for the celebration of the sacraments; the royal, for shepherding his Church; and the prophetic, for preaching the Gospel. This is why the Liturgy of Holy Ordination has constant messages of what the Apostles heard in specific or what they did and said. The Epistle reading is from the exhortations that Paul gives to Timothy and Titus, or Peter’s advice to the elders of the Church. The Gospel reading is Jesus’s promise to the twelve apostles about the power of the Holy Spirit after washing their feet or can be the appearance of Jesus to the disciples after his resurrection.
The following rough translation is taken from the Eniyana (meditative songs) from within the service:-
“O Holy Spirit who talked to the prophets and came upon the Apostles,
may it be Your will to come upon these servants so that they may be made pure” (Ruha D Malphel)
“O Holy Spirit Who provided the Apostles with great and deep powers,
by Your grace bring unity and peace among these Your servants” (Ruha D Bagel)
These are just a couple of examples that are seen within the order of Holy Ordination.Thus, the Christian priesthood, rooted in the traditions of Aaron and Melchizedek, finds its ultimate fulfillment and continuation in Jesus Christ and His Apostles. This sacred lineage, perpetuated through the sacraments and teachings of the Church, remains a vital and enduring aspect of Christian faith and practice.
(The author hopes to address the final components of the Ordination service such as the invocation of the Holy Spirit, the covering of the heads, the archdeacons role, laying of hands, the silent prayers, blessing of the vestment in the third and final part of this article.)
