Konat, Matta (1860–1927) [Syr. Orth. (Malankara)]

Priest, teacher, publisher, and scribe.

Konat was born in Pampakuda of a priestly family. He studied under his father Yuḥanon Konat, and then Gregorios of Parumala. He was ordained a priest in 1883, and a chorepiscopos in 1926. Between 1901 and 1911, he served as the Priest Trustee of the Malankara Association and continued in this position after the schism of 1911 (he sided with the patriarchal faction). He taught at the Old Seminary in Kottayam, and later established in his town a seminary and Mar Julius Press where he published many liturgical books with prefaces in Syriac. Ignatius Peṭros III/IV bestowed upon him the title of Malankara Malpan, and he may have been the first to hold this distinguished title. He published a periodical called Sīmat ḥaye in Syriac and Malayalam (he composed most of its Syriac material). He composed and wrote in a beautiful Serṭo hand numerous letters from Malankara to the Syr. Orth. Patriarchate. He is also credited with most of the liturgical translations made from Syriac into Malayalam which are still used today.

Konat’s Syriac writings include general rules on the Šḥimo daily offices, which he prefaced to his edition of this text (Pampakuda, 1915; 4th ed. 1977; 5th ed. 1988), and two brief accounts on the history of the Syriac Church in Malabar (may have been published in Sīmat ḥaye). He also wrote a Syriac grammar, but it is not clear in what language.