I must thank Prof. Teotonio R. de Souza for the valuable inputs he has given in his post of August 26. I'll come to this point a little later.
First of all, however, may I be permitted to state that what I wrote earlier was by no means intended to be or represent "another myth of Portuguese first". It reflected my genuine desire not to let pass in silence a date which I consider important for the history of Goa - August 22 - but in the process I acknowledge having committed the mistake of saying that the Mass celebrated on the Angediva island on August 22, 1500 was THE FIRST LATIN-RITE CATHOLIC MASS ON INDIAN (AND ASIAN) SOIL, instead of saying that it was THE FIRST LATIN-RITE CATHOLIC MASS IN THE TERRITOTY THAT IS NOW THE STATE OF GOA. I had already come to this conclusion a day before Dr. de Souza's post. In fact, on the 25th I said the following in a private post to a goanet member who contacted me: >It is not a hundred percent certain that "the first ever Catholic Latin-rite Mass in Goa, in India and >in the whole East" was the one which was celebrated by the Fanciscans at Angediva on August >22, 1500. In what is now Goa, yes, definitely. But, as regards India and the whole East, it is most >probably not true because it is known that: > >(a) A certain French Franciscan priest by the name of Jordan Catalani de Severac found >Christians (whether "Catholics" it is not clear) in the region of Thane (north of Mumbai) and >northwards and even a church dedicated to St. Thomas at a place named Sapora (in or near >Gujarat) around 1321 A.D.; > >(b) Pope John XXII, by his bull "Venerabili Fratri Jordano" of August 21, 1329 created a >Catholic latin-rite diocese based in Quilon (in today's Kerala) but with jurisdiction apparently >throughout the western coast of India and appointed Fr. Jordan Catalani de Severac its first >Bishop; > >(c) Bishop Jordan was stoned to death at Thane by the Muslims in or around 1336, whereupon >the See of Quilon remained vacant for centuries and it is not known how many churches there >were in the vast territory of that diocese, their locations, and whether there were priests to >perform the religious duties - Holy Mass, baptisms, matrimony, burial services, etc. > > Dr.Teotonio R. de Souza has now given us more information and even indicated two books as reference sources for those who may wish to deepen their acquaintance with the first Latin Church in India. This is indeed a very important service he has rendered at least to me and, as said at the start of this post, I am grateful to him. Jorge de Abreu Noronha ----- Original Message ----- From: Teotonio R. de Souza <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Monday, August 26, 2002 5:31 PM Subject: [Goanet] Latin Church in India: Another myth of Portuguese first? �YESTERDAY, AUGUST 22, 2002 WAS THUS THE DAY OF THE 502nd ANNIVERSARY OF THE FIRST LATIN-RITE CATHOLIC MASS ON INDIAN (AND ASIAN) SOIL.� (Jorge de Abreu Noronha) With reference to the above info that appeared on Goanet a couple of days ago, I wish to draw attention to some developments in European Church history of the 13th and 14th centuries that brought Latin Church to the East as a result of the actitivities of the Franciscan and Dominican Orders a couple of centuries before the arrival of the Portuguese on the scene. The Papacy took this opportunity to establish diplomatic links with the great Khan (Mongol) as a strategy of crusades to win ally on the rear. The archdiocese of Khanbaliq was established on this occasion. John de Monte Corvino, Jordan Catalani de Severac, Odoric Pordenone, John of Marignoli from Florence are the best known missionary figures in this venture. They passed through India and established missionary outposts in India. Jordan was a Dominican and Frenchman from Severac. Pope of Avignon named him Latin Bishop of Quilon (Episcopus Columbensis). In his travel correspondence published as "Mirabilia Descripta" he mentions small Christian communities on the Northwest coast of India, and refers to 10,000 Catholics and appreciates the quality of their faith and also to difficulties they faced under the Muslim rulers. Jordan visited South India and mentions about quarrels between the Christians of St. Thomas and the Jews. But it is from John of Marignoli that we have more details about the Latin Church of St. George at Quilon where he spent nearly a year and half. He celebrated the Easter of 1348 there. The rise of Timur and the advance of Islam in the East, as well as the problems of schism in the Western Church put an end to the missionary efforts of the Latin church in the East during this period. Those needing more info about the First Latin Church in India (Asia) could consult: A.M. Mundadan, "History of Christianity in India", Vol. 1 ( Bangalore, 1989) or "Christianity in India: A History in Ecumenical Perspective" ed. by H.C. Perumalil, C.M.I. and E.R. Hambye, S.J. (Allepey, 1972), =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-W-E-B---S-I-T-E-=-=-= To Subscribe/Unsubscribe from GoaNet | http://www.goacom.com/goanet =================================================================== For (un)subscribing or for help, Contact: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Dont want so many e=mails? Join GoaNet-Digest instead ! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Help support non-commercial projects in Goa by advertizing!! * * * * Your ad here !!
