Mar Sabor and Mar Afroth – April 29 I Two Pious Saintly Brother Bishops – Church builders

Mar Sabor {Sapir, Sapor, Sabrisho} and Mar Afroth {Proth, Prodh, Prot, Aproth, Firuz, Piruz} were two holy, saintly, Syrian bishops monks, brethren, who came to Malabar as missionaries, to preach the Gospel, with a migrant group, led by a successful merchant from Persia, named Marvan Sapor Esho (also known as Bar Jesu Muthalaly – The word Marwan means Lord). They landed in the port of Kollam in 823 A.D, according to Syrian Malabar Christian tradition. In 800 AD Quilon was the capital of Venadu.

The Chera king of that period thought they were merchants because merchants from abroad, who frequently came to Kerala, gave him copper plates with privileges and a village inhabited by lower castes, as it was the custom in those days to entertain foreign merchants. Sapor Esho who came alone to Kollam settled in the village given by the Rajah, and as a missionary, converted the people of the village given to him. They were brought up by Sapor Esho in the tradition of St. Thomas faith. When the Portuguese came to Kerala, they found that these bishops using Syriac liturgy and therefore they called them Syriac Christians to distinguish them from Latin Christians converted by the Portuguese who were using Latin liturgy.

The mission is said to have received permission from the then king of Kerala to build a Church in Kollam. The then ruling Chera monarch Rajashekara varman Iyyanadikal Thiruvadikal, the first ruler of Venadu, welcomed the Persians and showered them with special privileges, a Royal sanction, and honors and gifted Marvan Sapir Eso, with land to build a Church, as described in ‘Tharisa Pally Cheppedu’, Kollam Syrian copper plates, a 9th century a royal grant from Kerala, mentions that certain Mar Sapir built a Church at Kollam with the blessing of the then king of Kerala.

It is believed that around 825 AD, Marvan Sapir Esho crossed the seas to reach Quilon, along with him came Mar Aproth and Mar Sapor, two bishops representing the Persian Catholicos. It is likely that Mar Sapir had a companion named Mar Prot. There is a historical truth, that his contribution to the kingdom was such that the Chera king decided to start the Malayalam Calendar (Kollavarsham) from the year Marwan Sapor Eso, landed in his kingdom. A stone cross, one of the five Persian Crosses, with Sassanid Pahlavi inscription recovered also mentions certain “Afras the Syrian” as “the son of Chaharabukht”. According to legends, he maintained contact with his former tribal leaders and through them he learnt magical and mystical powers. Mar Sapor is remembered for converting the entire village of lower castes given to him by the Rajah and this led to the growth in numerical numbers of local converts who later called themselves Syrian Christians because of the Syriac liturgy introduced by Mar Sapor. 

Mar Sabor & Mar Afroth Church, Akaparambu is one of the ancient Churches in Kerala, famous for the beautiful ancient mural paintings. In ancient records the Church is referred to as the Akaparambu Valiyapally. The Church at Akaparambu is believed to have been established in A.D. 825. Tradition mentions that Mar S(abo)r, was later on, called as Mar Abo, who elevated a local convert to the position of catechist (kathanar) and he became famous as a Kadamuttathu Kathanaar.

These two pious Saintly brothers were known as Church builders and a number of Churches built by them were known as Katheeshangal or Quadisagal. The two bishops are said to have died in Kerala and have been considered as saints by the Saint Thomas Christians