Kathanar ( ml, കത്തനാർ) is an ancient
Nasrani Mappila term in
Malayalam
Malayalam (; , ) is a Dravidian language spoken in the Indian state of Kerala and the union territories of Lakshadweep and Puducherry (Mahé district) by the Malayali people. It is one of 22 scheduled languages of India. Malayalam was des ...
that means ''priest''. The term is still in colloquial usage, although not in regular formal use. It was anglicized in archaic English texts as ''Cattanar'' or ''Kattanar'', especially during 19th century CE or earlier.
Due to the widespread usage of
English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ide ...
terminology such as
Father
A father is the male parent of a child. Besides the paternal bonds of a father to his children, the father may have a parental, legal, and social relationship with the child that carries with it certain rights and obligations. An adoptive fathe ...
,
Reverend
The Reverend is an style (manner of address), honorific style most often placed before the names of Christian clergy and Minister of religion, ministers. There are sometimes differences in the way the style is used in different countries and c ...
,
Vicar
A vicar (; Latin: ''vicarius'') is a representative, deputy or substitute; anyone acting "in the person of" or agent for a superior (compare "vicarious" in the sense of "at second hand"). Linguistically, ''vicar'' is cognate with the English pref ...
or the Malayalam word ''Achen'' ( ml, അച്ചന്) or the
Syriac Syriac may refer to:
*Syriac language, an ancient dialect of Middle Aramaic
*Sureth, one of the modern dialects of Syriac spoken in the Nineveh Plains region
* Syriac alphabet
** Syriac (Unicode block)
** Syriac Supplement
* Neo-Aramaic languages a ...
word
Kasseessa ( ml, കശ്ശീശ്ശ), it mostly fell out of usage in contemporary formal contexts, but recently found a revival among Nasrani Mappilas.
Notable Kathanars
*
Kadavil Chandy Kathanar
Kadavil Chandy Kathanar (), also known as Alexander the Indian ( syr, ܐܲܠܟܣܲܢܕܪܘܿܣ ܗ̤ܢܕܘܿܝܐ, Alaksandros hendwāyā) was a ''Kathanar'' (priest) and a celebrated scholar, orator, hymnographer and syriacist from the Saint Thoma ...
*
Paremmakkal Thoma Kathanar
Paremmakkal Thoma Kathanar (1736–1799) is the author of ''Varthamanappusthakam'' (1790), the first ever travelogue in an Indian language. Also known as ''Roma Yatraa Varthamanapusthakam'', it postulates that the foundation of Indian nationali ...
*
Kadamattathu Kathanar
Kadamattathu Kathanar ( a Syrian Orthodox Church priest of Kadamattom church) also known as Kadamattathachan (Father Kadamattom) was a priest ( Kathanar) who is believed to have possessed supernatural powers and whose legends are closely related ...
*
Nidhiry Mani Kathanar
Mar Emmanuel Nidhiri (27 May 1842 – 20 June 1904), also known as Nidhiry Mani Kathanar, was a significant figure in the history of the Syrian Malabar Nasrani church in Kerala. He led the community against the European hegemony over the Saint ...
*
Payyappilly Varghese Kathanar
Varghese Payyappilly was a Syro-Malabar priest from the Indian state of Kerala and the founder of the congregation of Sisters of the Destitute. He was declared Venerable by Pope Francis on 14 April 2018.
Family
Kathanar was born as Kunjuvaru o ...
*
Rev. George Mathan a.k.a. Geevarghese Kathanar
*
Anchal Achan a.k.a. Younan Kathanar
*
Iype Thoma Kathanar aka Kovoor Achen
*
Dethose Kathanar, who later became Titus I Mar Thoma Metropolitan
*
Anjilimoottil Itty Thommen Kathanar
Anjilimoottil Itty Thommen Kathanar (d. 10 May 1659) was a Kathanar (Syriac priest) of the Knanaya community of Kerala during the time of Portuguese persecution.
Together with Arch Deacon Thoma Kathanar (later Mar Thoma I), he led the Malankara Ch ...
*
Malpan Malpane Koonammakkal Thoma Kathanar
See also
*
Ecclesiastical Address
Ecclesiastical titles are the formal styles of address used for members of the clergy.
Catholic Church
Latin Church clergy
* Pope: ''Pope (Regnal Name)''; ''His Holiness''; ''Your Holiness''; ''Holy Father''.
* Patriarch of an autonomous/partic ...
References
{{reflist
Christian priests
Malayalam terms
Syriac Christianity