What the Ruins of the Jesuit Seminary at Vaipicota Tell Us About Kerala's Christian Heritage
The Vaipicota Seminary, also spelt Vaipikotta, Vypinkotta, or Vypeekotta, is located at Chendamangalam (Portuguese: Chennum or Chenotta), a village in the Ernakulam district of Kerala.
Founded by Portuguese Jesuit missionaries in 1581, the seminary's ruins lie within the grounds of the Chendamangalam Holy Cross Church. Only a few vegetation-covered pillars remain of the original three-story building. A weathered wooden plank marks the site, its fading letters reading: "The Remains of Vaipikotta Seminary."
The Portuguese were the first Europeans to exert influence over Kerala, then known as Malabar or Malankara. Under an agreement called the Padroado, the Pope granted the King of Portugal the right to appoint bishops and priests and oversee church affairs in newly discovered lands.
The local Christian community of Kerala, known by various names such as St. Thomas Christians, Malankara Christians, Nasranis, Marthoma Christians and Syrian Christians, maintained their own traditions and customs under the guidance of Chaldean (East Syrian) Bishops sent by the Patriarchs of the East. When Portuguese priests learned that these Syrian Christians did not recognize the Pope of Rome as their spiritual leader, they considered them heretics and attempted to impose Latin customs upon them.
The Franciscans were the first Portuguese missionaries to arrive, with the primary objective of establishing seminaries to educate and train Syrian youths for the priesthood in the Roman tradition. Once ordained, these priests were expected to preach to their countrymen and persuade them to adhere to the Pope's authority.
In 1540/41, Fr. Vincent de Lagos, a Portuguese Franciscan friar, founded a seminary at Kodungallur (Portuguese: Cranganore). By 1549, the seminary had enrolled 100 Malabar students.
The curriculum included Latin and Portuguese. The Franciscans banned the use of Syriac and required the young priests to wear Roman dress. They believed that by 'latinizing' these boys, they could facilitate the conversion of the entire Malabar Christian community. However, the Syrian Christians resisted, refusing to allow these graduates to celebrate Mass in their churches due to their abandonment of the Syriac language and heritage. Consequently, these graduates served Portuguese prelates in Goa and Cochin or joined the Franciscan and Dominican orders.
According to a report by Fr. Francis Roz, the future Latin Bishop of the Syrian Christians, not a single priest from the Kodungallur seminary ever worked among the Syrians. Thus, the Franciscan seminary at Kodungallur did not succeed in its mission to Latinize the community.
In the same year, Antonio Guedes Morales established a Jesuit house in Vaipicota, where a small church was constructed with the approval of the Raja of Cochin. Fr. Bernardino Ferrao and a local priest, Pedro Luis, began composing a work on orthodox Christian doctrine in Syriac.
In 1581, Fr. Jorge de Castro expanded the church and converted the Jesuit house into a seminary. From 1584, Fr. Francis Roz began teaching Syriac at this institution. Students at Vaipicota were allowed to wear the traditional dress of the Cathanars (Syrian priests).
Because Fr. Roz was proficient in both Syriac and Malayalam, the provincial council of Goa appointed him as Mar Abraham's assistant in 1585, specifically to translate Latin liturgical books into Syriac for the Malabar Christians. The seminary undertook the task of translating Latin ceremonies into Syriac.
The seminary thrived, at one point hosting 50 to 60 students. Cardinal Gesualdo, in a report to the Holy See, noted: "There is a Seminary staffed by the Fathers of the Society, in which live 50 or 60 students belonging to the descendants of those who were converted to the true faith by the Apostle St. Thomas. They are taught the humanities, Latin and Chaldaic, the Cases of Conscience, the rudiments of the Catholic Faith and of the Liturgy." According to Scaria Zacharia, the Vaipicota seminary was likely the first academic institution to offer a course in the Malayalam language.
Despite the Jesuits' efforts to avoid the mistakes of the Franciscans, the outcome was less successful than anticipated. Although the Syrian youth were ordained as Latin priests, they refused to preach against their ancient prelates. They maintained their original beliefs and continued to include the Patriarch of Babylon in their prayers.
The first book printed was the Ritual, a literal translation of the Roman Ceremonial, along with the exorcisms and blessings contained in the Missal. Afterwards they printed a Syrian Missal and Breviary. These books were printed in Syriac with notes and explanations in Malayalam.
Fransis Roz, who served as the rector of the Vaipicota seminary, eventually succeeded Mar Abraham as the first Latin Archbishop of the Syrian Christians.
Following the Dutch capture of Cochin in 1663, the Portuguese were compelled to flee. They relocated to the dominions of the Samoothiri (Portuguese name: Zamorin) of Calicut, where they established a new seminary at Ambazhakad (Portuguese name: Ambalacata) in 1665. Some historians, however, argue that the Jesuits had already begun struggling to manage the Vaipicota Seminary in the aftermath of the 1653 Coonan Cross revolt.
Founded by Portuguese Jesuit missionaries in 1581, the seminary's ruins lie within the grounds of the Chendamangalam Holy Cross Church. Only a few vegetation-covered pillars remain of the original three-story building. A weathered wooden plank marks the site, its fading letters reading: "The Remains of Vaipikotta Seminary."
The Portuguese were the first Europeans to exert influence over Kerala, then known as Malabar or Malankara. Under an agreement called the Padroado, the Pope granted the King of Portugal the right to appoint bishops and priests and oversee church affairs in newly discovered lands.
The local Christian community of Kerala, known by various names such as St. Thomas Christians, Malankara Christians, Nasranis, Marthoma Christians and Syrian Christians, maintained their own traditions and customs under the guidance of Chaldean (East Syrian) Bishops sent by the Patriarchs of the East. When Portuguese priests learned that these Syrian Christians did not recognize the Pope of Rome as their spiritual leader, they considered them heretics and attempted to impose Latin customs upon them.
The Franciscans were the first Portuguese missionaries to arrive, with the primary objective of establishing seminaries to educate and train Syrian youths for the priesthood in the Roman tradition. Once ordained, these priests were expected to preach to their countrymen and persuade them to adhere to the Pope's authority.
In 1540/41, Fr. Vincent de Lagos, a Portuguese Franciscan friar, founded a seminary at Kodungallur (Portuguese: Cranganore). By 1549, the seminary had enrolled 100 Malabar students.
The curriculum included Latin and Portuguese. The Franciscans banned the use of Syriac and required the young priests to wear Roman dress. They believed that by 'latinizing' these boys, they could facilitate the conversion of the entire Malabar Christian community. However, the Syrian Christians resisted, refusing to allow these graduates to celebrate Mass in their churches due to their abandonment of the Syriac language and heritage. Consequently, these graduates served Portuguese prelates in Goa and Cochin or joined the Franciscan and Dominican orders.
According to a report by Fr. Francis Roz, the future Latin Bishop of the Syrian Christians, not a single priest from the Kodungallur seminary ever worked among the Syrians. Thus, the Franciscan seminary at Kodungallur did not succeed in its mission to Latinize the community.
Arrival of the Jesuits in Malabar
With the Franciscans' efforts proving unsuccessful, the Jesuits, or members of the Society of Jesus, seized the opportunity to engage with the Malabar Christians. In 1577, they commenced their mission among the Malabar Christians. Archbishop Mar Abraham, seeking a compromise between the Catholics and the Syrians, permitted the Jesuits to work within the community and administer sacraments according to the Roman rite.In the same year, Antonio Guedes Morales established a Jesuit house in Vaipicota, where a small church was constructed with the approval of the Raja of Cochin. Fr. Bernardino Ferrao and a local priest, Pedro Luis, began composing a work on orthodox Christian doctrine in Syriac.
In 1581, Fr. Jorge de Castro expanded the church and converted the Jesuit house into a seminary. From 1584, Fr. Francis Roz began teaching Syriac at this institution. Students at Vaipicota were allowed to wear the traditional dress of the Cathanars (Syrian priests).
Because Fr. Roz was proficient in both Syriac and Malayalam, the provincial council of Goa appointed him as Mar Abraham's assistant in 1585, specifically to translate Latin liturgical books into Syriac for the Malabar Christians. The seminary undertook the task of translating Latin ceremonies into Syriac.
The seminary thrived, at one point hosting 50 to 60 students. Cardinal Gesualdo, in a report to the Holy See, noted: "There is a Seminary staffed by the Fathers of the Society, in which live 50 or 60 students belonging to the descendants of those who were converted to the true faith by the Apostle St. Thomas. They are taught the humanities, Latin and Chaldaic, the Cases of Conscience, the rudiments of the Catholic Faith and of the Liturgy." According to Scaria Zacharia, the Vaipicota seminary was likely the first academic institution to offer a course in the Malayalam language.
Despite the Jesuits' efforts to avoid the mistakes of the Franciscans, the outcome was less successful than anticipated. Although the Syrian youth were ordained as Latin priests, they refused to preach against their ancient prelates. They maintained their original beliefs and continued to include the Patriarch of Babylon in their prayers.
Syrian Printing Press
At this seminary, the Goan Archbishop Aleixo de Menezes prepared the decrees of the Synod of Diamper in 1599. In compliance with the disciplinary decrees of the Synod, the Jesuits at Vaipicota were tasked with reforming the Syrian liturgical books. They requested Missals and other texts of the Chaldean Church from Rome, but Pope Clement VIII sent a printing press with Chaldean types instead. This press was brought to Vaipicota and set up there by Father Albert Laertius in 1602.
The first book printed was the Ritual, a literal translation of the Roman Ceremonial, along with the exorcisms and blessings contained in the Missal. Afterwards they printed a Syrian Missal and Breviary. These books were printed in Syriac with notes and explanations in Malayalam.
Fransis Roz, who served as the rector of the Vaipicota seminary, eventually succeeded Mar Abraham as the first Latin Archbishop of the Syrian Christians.
Following the Dutch capture of Cochin in 1663, the Portuguese were compelled to flee. They relocated to the dominions of the Samoothiri (Portuguese name: Zamorin) of Calicut, where they established a new seminary at Ambazhakad (Portuguese name: Ambalacata) in 1665. Some historians, however, argue that the Jesuits had already begun struggling to manage the Vaipicota Seminary in the aftermath of the 1653 Coonan Cross revolt.
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