Mor Sabor Isho

Mor Sabor Iso (Syriac: Mor Sabrisho, meaning "Hope of Jesus") stands as a towering figure in the medieval history of the Malankara Church. According to the steadfast traditions of the Nasranis, this Holy Father, accompanied by his spiritual brother Mor Proth (Mor Aphroth), arrived at the port city of **Kurakkeni Kollam (Quilon)** in **825 CE**.

Their arrival was not merely a missionary journey but a transformative event for the socio-political landscape of Kerala. Historical consensus and church tradition strongly suggest that their landing in Kollam marked the beginning of the **Kollam Era** (Malayalam Era or Kollavarsham), a calendar system that has defined the chronology of Kerala for over a millennium. They came from the ancient See of the East, likely from Nineveh, bringing with them the rich liturgical and theological heritage of the Syriac speaking world to invigorate the St. Thomas Christians.

The most enduring testament to Mor Sabor Iso's influence is the **Tharisapalli Cheppedu** (Copper Plates) of **849 CE**. During the reign of the Chera Emperor Sthanu Ravi Varma, the local ruler of Venad, **Ayyan Adikal**, granted extensive land, rights, and privileges to the church built by Mor Sabor Iso.

In this historic charter, the Saint is explicitly named as the beneficiary who established the **Tharisapalli** ("Church of the God-Fearers"). The grant bestowed upon the Christians the **72 Vidperu** (Aristocratic Privileges), including the right to collect customs duties, the use of royal insignia (such as elephants and silk umbrellas), and exemption from taxes. This elevated the Nasranis to the status of high-caste nobility, fully integrating the Church into the social fabric of the Chera Empire while preserving its distinct apostolic faith.

Mor Sabor Iso and Mor Proth traveled extensively throughout Malankara, establishing churches and performing miracles that cemented the faith of the people. They are credited with founding or renovating ancient churches at **Kayamkulam**, **Kadamattom**, **Akaparambu**, and **Udayamperoor**.

Tradition holds that Mor Sabor Iso was the spiritual mentor of the legendary priest **Kadamattathu Kathanar**, imparting to him spiritual wisdom and the power of prayer. The saint's life was marked by deep asceticism and a profound connection to the divine, earning him the affectionate title Sabor Abun ("Our Father Sabor") among the local population. Their ministry was a true example of "Inculturation," where the Syriac faith flourished within the indigenous culture of India.

For centuries, Mor Sabor and Mor Proth were venerated as saints, and their names were recited in the *Thubden* (Diptychs) of the Malankara Church. However, the arrival of the Portuguese brought a dark chapter. At the infamous **Synod of Diamper in 1599**, the Portuguese Archbishop Aleixo de Menezes accused these Holy Fathers of being "Nestorian heretics" simply because they hailed from the Persian Church and not from Rome.

The Synod decreed that their names be erased from the liturgy, their feasts abolished, and churches dedicated to them be renamed to "All Saints" or Latin saints like Gervase and Protase. Despite this attempt at erasing history, the faithful Nasranis never forgot their "Guardian Fathers." In the hearts of the believers and in the oral traditions of the Jacobite Syrian Church, Mor Sabor Iso remained a pillar of orthodoxy and sanctity.

Today, the Syriac Orthodox Church views Mor Sabor Iso through the lens of our shared Syriac heritage. While historically under the East Syriac jurisdiction, his theology, liturgy, and asceticism belong to the common treasury of the Syriac tradition. He is honored not merely as a visitor, but as an **"Apostle to India"** (Shliha d-Hendu) for his era.

The **Tharisapalli Cheppedu**, which he received, remains the most important legal document in the history of Christianity in India. It serves as undeniable proof that the Church in Kerala was a wealthy, organized, and royally recognized community centuries before the arrival of European powers. Mor Sabor Iso's legacy is the "Magna Carta" of the Nasranis—a legacy of dignity, rights, and unwavering faith.