Baselios Sakralla III of Aleppo

Baselios Shukrallah of Aleppo was the Maphriano of the East in the Syriac Orthodox Church from 1748 to 1760. ^{[1] [2]} He was the Metropolitan of Aleppo (1746-1748) before he became the Maphriayano of the East. ^[3] Maphriyano Shukrallah journey from Aleppo to India was long and he arrived in India in 1751 and was buried at Marth Mariam Cathedral Kandanad (Kizhakkinde Yerushulem) in 1764 AD. ^[4]

Saint Baselios Mor Shakrallah of Aleppo
18th century artwork by an unknown artist
Maphriano / Catholicos of the East
Born	Shakrallah Qasabji 1st decade of 18th century Aleppo
Died	20 October 1764 Matancherry
Venerated in	Syriac Orthodox Church
Canonized	21 October 2008 by Ignatius Zakka I Iwas
Major shrine	Marth Mariam Cathedral, Kandanad
Feast	22 October

In 2008, Baselios Shukrallah was declared a saint by the Patriarch Ignatius Zakka I of the Syriac Orthodox Church. ^[5]

Life in Aleppo

Childhood

Shakrallah Qasabji ^[a] was born as the son of Moses al-Qasabji in Aleppo in the first decade of the 18th century. His father was a deacon who made a living by weaving silk cloth embroidered with silver and gold threads. His maternal grandfather was the deacon Yunan (Jonah), son of Shim’un, a priest of Aleppo. ^{[6] [7]}

In his childhood, Shakrallah studied Syriac and Arabic and later became proficient in Syriac. ^[8]

Church life

Shakrallah became involved in spiritual life and was ordained as a deacon before 1728. Dionysius Georgios ^[b] of Aleppo (later Patriarch Georgios III) ordained Shakrallah as a priest and appointed him as his assistant. He later became a monk at the Monastery of Mar Musa the Abyssinian, Nabk. ^{[9] [7]}

When the Dionysius Georgios ascended to the throne of Patriarch in 1745, Shakralla was ordained as a metropolitan of Aleppo in 1746 to fill in the vacancy. He took the name 'Dionysios' on his ordination. ^[9]

Malankara Maphrian

On receiving letters from Mar Ivanios al-Arqugianyi and Mar Thoma V in Malankara, Patriarch Dionysius Georgios decided to send Shukrallah to India. He consecrated Shakrallah under the name 'Baselios'. ^[7] Ivanios also requested that Shakralla be consecreted as Maphrian first and then sent to India. ^[10]

On departure from Aleppo, Baselios Shakrallah was accompanied by Mar Gregorios Yuhanna, the metropolitan of Jerusalem. Mar Severus Yuhanna was also originally scheduled to accompany Shakrallah on his journey. However, he did not join the delegation as he fell ill while awaiting the arrival of the Maphrian in Baghdad.

Arrival in Malabar

The delegation led by Baselios Shakralla Maphrian arrived on 23 April 1751 in Cochin. ^[11] On his arrival, Shakrallah wrote letters to Mar Thoma V and Mar Ivanios. Mar Ivanios arrived after three weeks and disagreed with Shakrallah on how Indians should be treated, favouring beatings and insults. Eventually Shakrallah had the Dutch Governor detain him and dispatch him back to Syria in November 1751. ^[12]

Quarrel with Mar Thoma V

When Mar Thoma V heard of the Maphrian's arrival, he sent some priests and leaders to receive the delegation to the Kandanad Church. Mar Thoma himself refused to meet the delegation. ^[13]

Notes

1. Qasabji is a compound Arabic/Turkish word, referring to "a weaver of silk cloth embroidered with silver and gold threads"
2. Also spelled as Dionysius Jijris

References

1. Burgess, Michael (2005). The Eastern Orthodox Churches: Concise Histories with Chronological Checklists of Their Primates. McFarland. ISBN   9780786421459.
2. Daniel, David (1972). The Orthodox Church of India: History and Faith. Rachel David.
3. Barsoum, Ignatius Aphram I; Moosa, Matti (2009). History of the Syriac dioceses (1st ed.). Piscataway, NJ: Gorgias Press : Beth Antioch Press. ISBN   978-1-59333-218-1.
4. Syriac Christianity website, Mor Shakralla ^{[ usurped ]}
5. Malankara Syrian Orthodox Church in Europe website, Baselios Sakralla III of Aleppo
6. Barsoum 2009, p. 60.
7. Fenwick 2009.
8. Barsoum 2003, p. 519.
9. Barsoum 2009, p. 61.
10. Kaniamparampil 1989, p. 107.
11. Barsoum 2009, p. 53.
12. Fenwick 2009, p. 172.
13. Kaniamparampil 1989, p. 109.

Bibliography

• Barsoum, Aphrem (2009). History of the Syriac Dioceses.
• Barsoum, Ephrem (2003). The Scattered Pearls: A History Of Syriac Literature And Sciences.
• Fenwick, John R.K (2009). The Forgotten Bishops : The Malabar Independent Syrian Church and Its Place in the Story of the St. Thomas Christians of South India. Gorgias Press.
• Kaniamparampil, C. Corepiscopa (1989). The Syrian Orthodox Church in India and Its Apostolic Faith (PDF). Tiruvalla,Kerala: National Offset Press.