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Related
links
http://menachery.org
http://www.nazraney.com
http://www.christianityinindia.com
|
The St. Thomas Christian
Encyclopaedia
of India |
Indian Church History
Classics :
The Nazranies |
The St. Thomas Christian Encyclopaedia of
India
OLLUR Thrissur City
India
680306
www.indianchristianity.com ,
kunjethy@gmail.com , +914872352468,
+919846033713
|
12 e-books on
Christian India
www.indianchristianity.com
celebrates its 12 years in existence
by hosting the 12th e-book
|
|
The Apostolic Nunciature in India,
New Delhi.
His Excellency Archbishop Salvatore
Pennacchio, Titular Archbishop of
Montemarano, is the new Apostolic
Nuntio to India. The following is
the CURRICULUM
VITAE of His Grace:
► His Excellency,
Archbishop Salvatore Pennacchio was
born in Marano (Naples) Italy on 7
September 1952.
► He was ordained a priest on 18
September, 1976. |
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► He holds a Doctorate in
Philosophy and entered into the Diplomatic
Service of the Holy See on 15 April, 1979.
► He served in the
Apostolic Nunciatures in Panama, Ethiopia,
Australia, Turkey, Egypt, Yugoslavia and
Ireland.
► On 28 November, 1998,
he was appointed Apostolic Nuncio to Rwanda.
► On 20 November, 2003,
he was appointed Apostolic Nuncio to
Thailand, Singapore and Cambodia, and
Apostolic Delegate in Myanmar, Laos,
Malaysia and Brunei.
►
On 8 May, 2010, he was
appointed apostolic Nuncio to India
►
He speaks English, French and Spanish
-
Edward Aloysius Mooney † (21
Jan
1926 Appointed - 30 Mar
1931 Appointed, Apostolic Delegate
to
Japan)
-
Leo Peter Kierkels, C.P. †
(23 Mar
1931 Appointed -
1952 Resigned)
-
Martin Lucas, S.V.D. † (3 Dec
1952 Appointed -
1956 Appointed, Official of the
Secretariat of
State)
-
James Robert Knox † (14 Feb
1957 Appointed - 13 Apr
1967 Appointed, Archbishop of
Melbourne)
-
Giuseppe (Joseph) Caprio †
(22 Aug
1967 Appointed - 19 Apr
1969 Appointed, Secretary of the
Administration of the Patrimony of the
Apostolic See)
-
Marie-Joseph Lemieux, O.P. †
(30 May
1969 Appointed - 16 Feb
1971 Resigned)
-
John Gordon † (
1971 Appointed -
1976 Appointed, Apostolic Pro-Nuncio
to
Netherlands)
-
Luciano Storero † (14 Jul
1976 Appointed - 2 Feb
1981 Appointed, Apostolic Nuncio to
Venezuela)
-
Agostino Cacciavillan (9
May
1981 Appointed -
13 Jun
1990 Appointed, Apostolic Pro-Nuncio
to
United States of America)
-
Giorgio Zur (13
Aug
1990 Appointed -
7 Dec
1998 Appointed, President of the
Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy)
-
Lorenzo Baldisseri (19
Jun
1999 Appointed -
12 Nov
2002 Appointed, Apostolic Nuncio to
Brazil)
-
Pedro López Quintana (8
Feb
2003 Appointed -
10 Dec
2009 Appointed, Apostolic Nuncio to
Canada)
-
Salvatore Pennacchio (8
May
2010 Appointed - )
Cardinal Gracias and Cardinal Toppo Dedicate
the St. Thomas Christian Encyclopaedia of
India to the Nation
GUWAHATI, March 3
The publication of the three volumes of the
St. Thomas Christian Encyclopaedia of
India is a worthy model for the
world Churches and an incomparable
achievement and contribution of the Church
in India, stated Oswald Cardinal Gracias in
Guwahati, dedicating the work to the nation.
The publication of the third and final
volume is something of which the
Encyclopaedia team can be justly proud, but
they should not rest on their oars but must
continue their much needed work of service
to the Church in India today, His Eminence
went on to say. Telespore P. Cardinal Toppo
dedicated the volumes to the world Christian
community. The two Cardinals officially
released the Encyclopaedia by exchanging
copies of the work, in the presence of
Archbishops and Bishops from all over India
and members of the CBCI Commissions.
Archbishop Andrews Thazhath, Prof. George
Menachery the Editor of the Encyclopaedia,
and Dr. George Plathottam the secretary of
the CBCI Commission for Media also spoke on
the occasion.
The Encyclopaedia comprises the
contributions of hundreds of well-known
scholars from all over India and abroad.
There are articles on almost every aspect of
Christianity in india, dealing with all
chronological, denominational, and
geographical divisions. The more than
thousand illustrations on art plates, half
of them on full colour art plates, in
addition to the dozens of maps including a
whole Christian and Linguistic atlas of
India, and the graphs, tables, figures, and
sketches go to make the work an exhaustive
reference tool. Each major article is
supported by bibliographies and inclusive
end-notes, making the encyclopaedia an
indispensible reference work for seminaries
and teheological colleges. universities and
colleges, and libraries of ecclesiastical
establishments and headquarters and
formation houses of religious congregations.
Justice V. R. Krishna Aiyer [former Supreme
Court Judge and president,
History Assn.] on the 3rd Volume of the
Encyclopaedia:
"The third
volume of the book St. Thomas Christian
Encyclopaedia of India is an
extraordinary work with focus on
Christianity but being Cyclopaedic has
learned chapters on Hinduism and Islam.
Truly it is a holistic work, an eclectic
theological composite piece. The chapter on
Hinduism illumines its ancient and
geographical character and true source of
its origin. Read on to learn the basic
principles and you will learn that this
Sanatana Dharma (moral values for all
times)... Professor Menachery has done great
service to all religions by weaving all of
them into a new fabric in his epic
voluminous trinity which if popularly read
and discussed and read in libraries will
surely be the beginning of Jesus and Sankara
and Mohammed as the Founders of a New World
Order of peace and stability of human rights
and equality with a bias of equity. Gandhiji
and Vivekananda did it in different ways. I
deeply appreciate the wonderful work of
Professor George Menachery. It is not
narrowly Christian but broadly universal in
thinking. Jesus was the greatest humanist
revolutionary and died for a dynamic
dialectical world order... |
The Syro
Malabar
Major
Archbishop
and Cardinal
His Eminence
Mar Varkey
Vithayathil
presents the
first ever
Syro Malabar
Church Award
instituted
through the
Liturgical
Research
Centre for
"Outstanding
Contribution
to the
Promotion
of Syro
Malabar
Heritage",
to Chevalier
Professor
George
Menachery,
editor of
the
St.
Thomas
Christian
Encyclopaedia
of India and
the
Indian
Church
History
Classics,
at Mount St.
Thomas,
Kakkanad,
Ernakulam,
Kochi on 1st
Makaram -
14th Jan.,
2010, in the
presence of
the 36
Bishops and
Archbishops
of that
Church.
Click to see
Deepika
report.
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Cardinal Vithayathil Better
Campaign
for God
His Eminent Beatitude Mar Vakkey Cardinal Vithayathil, Major ArchBishop and Head of the Syro Malabar Church, and President of the CBCI, who was admitted to the hospital Monday night following a heart condition has registered considerable improvement in his condition and has been tranferred from the Ventilator. However His Eminence is still under active medical observation at the Lissie Hospital, Ernakulam. Visitors are strictly prohibited. -SARAS NEWS
Cardinal Varkey Vithayathil Critical
The condition of Cardinal Varkey Vithayathil, Major Archbishop of the Syro Malabar Church, who was admitted to the Lissie Hospital on Monday night after a cardiac arrest, continues to be critical.
He is on life support system after the doctors successfully carried out an angioplasty to remove a major block in the artery, said Fr. Paul Thelekkat, spokesman for the Syro-Malabar Church.
The Cardinal suffered the cardiac arrest on Monday night while he was at the headquarters of the Syro-Malabar Church at Mount St. Thomas Kakkanad. He was immediately rushed to the hospital. The condition of the Cardinal, who is 82-years-old, is reported to be stable,
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Major Archbishop of the Syro-Malabar Church Mar varkey Cardinal Vithayathil honours Prof. George Menachery with a bouquet on the latter's being selected for the first Liturgical Research Centre Award of the Syro Malabar Church. Present on the dais were Bishop Mar James Pazhayattil, Archbishop Mar Andrews thazhath, Bishop Mar Thomas Chakiath, and Bishop Mar Joseph Kallarangatt |
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Vatican
City, Sept.
19
At Castel
Gandolfo,
Varkey
Cardinal
Vithayathil,
Major Arch
Bishop and
Head of the
Syro -
Malabar
Church,
presents a
copy of the
third and
final volume
of the St.
Thomas
Christian
Encyclopaedia
of India,
the
reference
work on
Christianity
in India
edited by
Prof. George
Menachery,
along with
the Alphonsa
Coin to His
Holiness
Pope
Benedict XVI
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"Heads and Fathers"
of all the Eastern
Catholic Churches
discuss future
course of action
with with Pope
Benedict XVI
Vatican city, 19
Sept. 2009:
This morning in
Castel Gandolfo
Cardinal Varkey
Vithayathil met the
Holy Father along
with other Catholic
patriacrchs and
major archbishops
from the Oriental
Churches.
Participating in the
meeting were
Cardinal Secretary
of State Tarcisio
Bertone S.D.B. and
Cardinal Leonardo
Sandri, prefect of
the Congregation for
the Oriental
Churches, alongside
the "Heads and
Fathers" of all the
Eastern Catholic
Churches in
communion with the
Bishop of Rome.
They are: His
Beatitude Cardinal
Nasrallah Pierre
Sfeir, Patriarh of
Antioch of the
Maronites, Lebanon;
Cardinal Emmanuel
III Delly, Patriarch
of Babylon of the
Chaldeans, Iraq;
Cardinal Lubomyr
Husar, Major
Archbishop of Kyiv-Halyc,
Ukraine; Cardinal
Varkey Vithayathil
C.SS.R.; Major
Archbishop of
Ernakulam-Angamaly
of the Syro-Malabars,
India; His Beatitude
Antonios Naguib,
Patriarch of
Alexandria of the
Copts, Egypt; His
Beatitude Gregorios
III Laham, Patriarch
of Antioch of the
Greek Melkites,
Syria; His Beatitude
Ignace Youssif III
Younan, Patriarch of
Antioch of the
Syrians, Lebanon;
His Beatitude Nerses
Bedros XIX,
Patriarch of Cilicia
of the Armenians,
Lebanon, Archbishops
Major of the
Rumanian and
Syro-Malankara
Churches and the
Latin Patriarch of
Jerusalem.
The Pontiff had
Lunch with the
representatives of
the Oriental
Churches.
During the meeting
the Head of the Syro-Malabar
Church Cardinal
Vithayathil
presented the Holy
Father with heritage
articles of the
Indian Church
viz. the Alphona
Coin and the third
and final volume of
the St. Thomas
Christian
Encyclopaedia of
India edited by
Prof. George
Menachery.
URGENT LETTER
TO HIS GRACE
Syro Malabar Processions
/ Pradakhinams in NRK
NRI Cities /
Communities
May I
humbly request your
Grace to immediately
issue a special circular
to the NRKs/NRIs
exhorting them to hold
such a procession and
celebration
beginning
with this July 3rd
itself.
From
Prof. George
Menachery
Ollur
Thrissur City 680306
0091 487 235
2468, 0091 487 235 4398,
0091 98460 33713
14th June, 2009
Your Esteemed
and Respected Grace,
May I humbly
request your Grace to go
through the following and
take appropriate action if
thought fit.
In the
circumstances obtaining
among the NRK/NRI Syro-Malabar
communities in many Indian
and foreign cities the
Nazranies hardly get any
chance to get together or to
maintain their identity.
Hence one possibility is for
them to celebrate the
Ormapperunnal of our
father St. Thomas the
Apostle with at least a
public procession inside the
church campus or if possible
outside it, with all the
cultural elements of our
Pradakhinams or church
processions.
It could be
any one of the four types of
processions we have -
1.intra-church procession,
2.procession rounding the
open-air cross (this won’t
be possible in most cases
outside Kerala),
3.procession around the
church building or campus,
or 4. procession along the
streets or Angadies.
I have found
how happy our people are to
congregate on such occasions
- whether in the Americas or
Europe or the Middle East,
especially in the US and the
Gulf, and how proud our
people are of our cultural
traditions and
individuality.. A Syro-
Malabar Mass may be said
where ( and only where) the
local hierarch permits it.
Otherwise it can be a well
attended religio-cultural
event to which there could
be no objection from any
quarter. Such a programme, I
feel - and am convinced from
experience in different
parts of the world - could
and will go a long way to
unite our people and to hold
them together in the memory
of our heritage and roots.
AND it could be a first step
in many ways.
These
Pradakhinams or
processions must have as
many of the following
elements as possible: 1. A
gold(en) processional cross
with the red (or other)
sheath. 2.Two silver(y)
crosses with sheaths. 3.Many
colourful parasols or
umbrellas viz.
Muthukkudas. 4. At least
one processional
Roopakkoodu to carry the
image of St. Thomas &c.
typically decorated. 5.Band
sets and typical Kerala
Vadyams and Melams including
drummers. 6. Fancy
fire-works where
permissible. 7. Public and
common preparation and
distribution of Kozhalappam,
Achappam, Unni Appam,
Neyyappam, and other
Syro-Malabar
confectionaries.
May I humbly
request your Grace to
immediately issue a special
circular to the NRKs/NRIs
exhorting them to hold such
a procession and celebration
beginning with this July 3rd
itself.
Thanking Your
Grace,
Your Graces’
obedient servant,
Prof. George
Menachery.
p.s.Establishing a Bahya
Kerala - Bahya Bharata
Diocese for agreeable areas
at least must be another
priority.
p.p.s. Could
we think of a reserve team
of priests willing to serve
these communities from time
to time on special occasions
and to give them cultural
experiences and guidance in
the form of seminars, video
fests, power-point talks &c.
occasionally?
Prof. George Menachery
elected General Secretary of
CHAI (Church History
Association of India)
SHILLONG, May 10
At the Church History
Association of India (CHAI)
Triennial General Body
Meeting held at the North
Eastern Hill University (NEHU)
, Shillong, Prof. George
Menachery was elected
General Secretary of the
Association for the next
three years. He was working
as national vice-president
for the last three years.
Dr. O.L. Snaitang, Meghalaya
(President), Rev. "Cardinal"
Thomas Edmunds, Tamil Nadu
(Vice- President), Dr. Agnes
de’Sa, Maharashtra (Joint
Secretary), S. Edathikavil,
DVK, Karnataka (Treasurer),
were also elected. Dr.
Verghese Perayil (Aroor),
Dr. George Oommen (Deradun)
were the other members
elected to the Board of
Trustees, . Dr. A. M.
Mundadan will continue as
the Editor-in-Charge of the
ongoing History of
Christianity in India
project while Dr. Joe
Kalappura (Patna) was
appointed editor of the CHAI
Journal, Indian Church
History Review (ICHR).
The 14th Triennial of the
Southern India region will
be held in Thrissur in
October, 2009 while the 15th
Triennial of the National
Association and the Platinum
Jubilee will be hosted by
the Southern India Branch.
The Vice-Chancellor of the
NEHU, Dr. Pramod Tandon
inaugurated the meet,
presided over by the
President of CHAI, Dr.
Kranthi Farias. The Key Note
address was delivered by Dr.
J. Kalappura, Secretary.
The NE regional president
Dr. O. L. Snaitang,
secretary and Registrar cum
Controller of the NEHU Dr.
David Syiemlieh were the
main organisers of the meet
at which more than 20 papers
on the Theme of the
Conference "Christianity and
the Marginalised in India"
were presented by scholars
from every region of india.
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The new
office-bearers and
members of the Board
of Trustees of CHAI,
the Church History
Association of India
elected at the
Shillong Triennial.
(From left to
right):Dr. Varghese
Perayil (Member of
the BOT), Dr. Agnes
de'Sa (Joint
Secretary), Prof.
George Menachery
(General Secretary),
Dr. "Cardinal"
Thomas Edmonds (Vice
- president), Dr.
O. L. Snaitang
(President), Fr.
Sebastian
Edathikkavil
(Treasurer), Dr.
George Oommen
(Member BOT), and
Dr. Jose Kalappura (
Editor, ICHR). |
Some of the
distinguished
participants and
delegates at the
14th Triennial of
CHAI at Shillong.
|
A scholarly tome onChristianity
in India
Staff Reporter
THRISSUR:
The third volume of Saint Thomas
Christian Encyclopaedia of India
(STCEI) which is scheduled to be
published shortly, throw light
on various subjects including
Christianity in India, Hinduism,
Christianity and Sankaracharya,
Shaiva Siddhantha and Islam,
says George Menachery, the
editor of the encyclopaedia.
STCEI is considered an
authoritative workfor reference
on India in general and
Christianity in particular, says
Mr. Menachery.
It contains articles contributed
by renowned archaeologists,
anthropologists, historians,
educational experts,
lexicographers and biographers.
The first volume of the
encyclopaedia was published in
April 1973 in connection with
the 1900th death anniversary of
Saint Thomas, the Apostle of
India.
The first volume was about the
origin, growth and development
of Christianity in India.
The second volume was brought
out in 1982. The Thomapedia, an
enlarged millennium edition of
the early volume, was also
published in 2000. STCEI had
been described by noted
reviewers as monumental work
containing significant
information on India, Mr.
Menachery says.
Thousands of its copies have
been sold the world over and
leading libraries have
subscribed to it.
[The HINDU, 3 March 2009]
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Kochi: A. K. Puthussery has won
the literary award instituted by the
K.C. B. C. Media Commission. Prof.
George Menachery has won the Mar
Mankuzhikkari philosophical award.
Fr. Geo Payyappilly and Elizabeth
Raju won the media and young talent
awards, respectively. [The Hindu].
Malayala Manorama and Deepika add:
The Kerala Catholic Bishops'
Council's Media Awards 2008 have
been announced.A. K. Pudussery
bagged the Media Award for his
contributions in the fields of the
Novel and the Drama.Prof. Chev.
George Menachery was selected for
the Mar Mankuzhikkary
Darshanika Vyjnanika
Award. Fr. Geo Payyappilly obtained
the Media Award while singer
Elizabeth Raju was chosen for the
Young Talent Award.
Rev. Dr. Jacob Kattakkal, O. V.
Raphael, Prof. Thomas Kaniyanplavan,
Varghese Kanjirathingal, and Abraham
Pattani were selected for the Guru
Pooja Awards.
A judging committee consisting of
the Chairman of the KCBC Media
Commission Dr.Mar Thomas Chakiath,
Dr. George Irumpayam, Dr. Cherian
Kuniyanthodath, Dr. Primus
Perincherry, and K.C.B.C. Media
Commission Secretary Fr. Joseph
Nicholas decided the awards.
The awards will be bestowed at a
function to be held at the POC
auditorium, Ernakulam on the 25th of
January, 2009.
Prof. George Menachery is the Chief
Editor of a number of reference
works including the St. Thomas
Christian Encyclopaedia of India,
Indian Church History Classics (The
Nazranies), the Thomapedia,
and the works in progress
Ayurveda Encyclopaedia of India,
and the Encylopaedia of the
Arabian Sea.
Noted historian, archaeologist,
numismatist, and geographer Prof.
Menachery was in the UAE and Oman
for the past several months
researching on his latest
publications.
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Prof. George Menachery Sapthathy
Sangeetha Seminar and Conference
Prof. G. Menachery Sapthathi
Sangeetha (Musical) Seminar being
inaugurated by Prof. George S. Paul
the well known art critic and writer
at the Kerala Sahitya Academy
Campus. Seated from left to right
are: M. D. Madhavan Namboodiri (Ch.
Editor, Sangeetham, Kozhikode) [who
gave a Chitra-Swara presentation of
Kumaran Asan'n Veena Poovu in which
Sri Namboodiri accompanied forty
Veena Poovu paintings of Francis
Kodankandath with his musical
recital of the entire classicaql
poem]: reputed educationist and
cultural leader Sri Chitran
Nampoodiripad (who presided); Dr.
Mar Aprem Metropolitan of the Church
of the East (who delivered the Key
Note Address); Dr. Paul Poovathingal
(who gave a classical concert and
spoke on Voco-System in Classical
Music); Prof. Balakrishnan (former
principal of the Sree Kerala varma
College and reputed vocalist who
gave the Invocation Song; Prof. A.
M. Francis the Principal of the St.
Thomas' College (who welcomed the
audience); and Prof. V.P.Jones the
working Chairman of the Prof.
Menachery Sapthathi Samithi who was
also the M. C. on this occasion.
Picture TWO: Artist Punachitaya
gives a demonstration in connection
with the Sapthathi Historico-Cultural
EXPO on another day. months back he
had inaugurated the Menachery
Sapthathy Painters' Workshop
attended by 40 odd artists from all
over South India at the St. Thomas'
College and the Archdiocesan Family
Apostolate Complex presided over by
Sri Madanan, Ch. artist at the
Mathrubhoomi, Calicut.. Pic. THREE:
Live Sapthathy demonstration by
Artist Francis Kodenkandath in the
Academy Complex: He painted a
Jubilee Commemoration Montage in 55
minutes in which he represented M.
T. Vasudevan Nair's Naalukettu,
Vykkom Muhammed Basheer's Bhargavee
Nilayam, and Kumaran Asan's Veena
Poovu to commemorate the Jubilee
Celebrations connected with these
great sons of Kerala and pioneers in
Malayalam Literature. The demo was
followed by a two-hour discussion in
which some of the leading artists
and literary critics of Kerala
participated.
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Prof. G. Menachery Sapthati
Historico-Cultural EXPO 2008
Bestowing "Ponnada"
on Prof. George Menachery by Sri
Therambil Ramakrishnan M.L.A. and
former Speaker of the Kerala
Assembly during the inauguration of
the Sapthathi
Historico-Cultural Expo 2008 at the
Kerala Sahitya Academy Complex. Sri
M. V. Devan inaugurated the Expo at
a function presided over by
Vice-Chancellor of the Kerala Kala
Mandalam Dr. K. G. Paulose. Dr.
Raphael Thattil, V. G., Archdiocese
of Trichur felicitated. Two
Professors from the Krakov
University of Poland are also seen
discussing aspects of Kerala Culture
with Prof. Menachery
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Guide to Thomapedia
The
SEVEN
Indices in the Thomapedia
The
Thomapedia
is the Enlarged 2000 Edition of the 1973 2nd
Volume of the St. Thomas Christian
Encyclopaedia
of India
both edited
by Prof. George Menachery
U S and Canada
Libraries having the
Encyclopaedia
Order
Thomapedia
Send US$ 35.00 (Thirty-five only)
for the Paper Back Edition and
for the Hard Bound Library Edition
send US$ 60.00(Sixty only) to
The Thomapedia, Ollur 680306 India.
Free Regd. Airmail Delivery
|
Thomapedia Index I
Index to Title Words and Contributors
Thomapedia
Index II
Index to Photographs
Thomapedia
Index III
Index to Dates
Thomapedia
Index IV
Index to Personal Names
Thomapedia
Index V
Index to Place Names
Thomapedia
Index VI
Index to Subjects, Events
Thomapedia
Index VII
Index to Bibliographical Details |
[For YOUR EYES ONLY is a new LOL Series which would
carry interesting pictures and illustrations which throw
some useful light on St. Thomas Christian history,
culture, customs, manners representing every church and
denominations of Syrian Christians. Prof. George
Menachery who is a renowned scholar with vast research
experience in Thomas Christian traditions and history
organizes this Series.]
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Ollur
Church
photo
taken
in
1904
-
presented
to
Prof.
G.
Menachery
by
Henry
C.
Q.
Brownrigg
of
the
British
Association
for
Cemeteries
in
South
Asia
in
October
2004.
Note
the
three-tier
roofing
style
and
the
gabled
original
copper
roof
of
the
bell-tower
|
Malabar
Christians
of
Ancient
Days
(from
an
old
painting).
Photo
published
in
the
Cochin
Government
Royal
War
Efforts
Souvenir
in
1938.
|
Ollur
Church,
inside
view.
Note
the
altat,
altarpiece,
hanging
lamps,
globes,
railings,
floor
tiles
etc.
Photo
published
in
the
Cochin
Government
Royal
War
Efforts
Souvenir
in
1938.
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Ollur
Church
photo
published in the Cochin
Government
Royal
War Efforts Souvenir
in 1938 - it is almost identical with
the
previous picture with slight changes in
the coconut leaves - may be this was
taken at the same time as the 1904 picture.
|
View from
the left side of the
Ollur
Church.
Photo taken in 1904 - presented to
Prof.
G. Menachery by Henry C. Q. Brownrigg
of the
British
Association for Cemeteries
in South Asia
in
October 2004
|
For
more
info
cf.
http://www.indianchristianity.com/html/New
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MALABAR CHRISTIANS OF ANCIENT DAYS
By PROF. GEORGE MENACHERY
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[For YOUR EYES
ONLY is a recently started LOL Series which
would carry interesting pictures and
illustrations which throw some useful light on
St. Thomas Christian history, culture, customs,
manners representing every church and
denominations of Syrian Christians. Prof. George
Menachery who is a renowned scholar with vast
research experience in Thomas Christian
traditions and history organizes this Series.] |
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The very costumes
and ornaments of the Thomas Christians indicate
- at least used to indicate until very recent
times - their deep Spirituality and commitment
to the Gospel message. What the Bible speaks of
the deportment of women is fully satisfied in
the dress of Syrian Christian women of Kerala;
it is a costume where beauty meets modesty.
Allow me to quote (the late) Mrs. K. M. Matthew
from the 1973 St. Thomas Christian Encyclopedia:
"The costumes they wear are worthy of special
note which in many ways resemble those of the
high caste Hindu women. A white cloth-length
51/2 yards by 12/2 yards [Mundu} is folded into
a Pudava which is again folded into fan like
pleats. This fan like arrangement, which is
highly artistic completely, covers the back
portion of the woman when she wears the |
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cloth. ... The
upper portion of the body including the belly
and the arm is completely covered with the loose
blouse-like Kuppayam or Chatta. Going to the
church they cover themselves from head to foot
with a nice white cloth, when only the face will
be visible. This dress is fully in keeping with
the modesty and nobility of the Syrian Christian
women. Naturally this dress is not meant to
kill, the whiteness representing purity and
chastity." |
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Again this is what
Dr. J. Kolengadan has to say in the same
Encyclopedia: "...the fan like appendage behind
render their dress highly modest as well as
artistically elegant...As they went out to
church they had a veil like outer garment, with
gold brocade, reaching to the ground showing
nothing but the face..." The costume of the
Syrian Christian women of Kerala does what the
Purdah does but without its ugliness, unhealthy
anonymity and abuses. Unfortunately today one
has to watch the obituary columns of Malayalam
newspapers to come across this unique costume -
cry, the beloved country. D. Ferroli has this on
the costumes of the Syrian Christians: " The
mundu [of men] is fastened round the waist and
reaches down to the heels. A towel is thrown
over the shoulders...". "Except those who kept
celibacy and those who had gone on a pilgrimage
to the tomb of St. Thomas at Mylapore, all kept
long hairs tied up in a bundle..."(Placid,
Thomapedia, p.107>f,g.)
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[Author Prof.
George Menachery is a freelance Indian
Journalist and Editor of the St. Thomas
Christian Encyclopedia of India and the Indian
Church History Classics. After teaching
university classes for thirty years, he gave up
the job as Head of the Department of
Post-Graduate Teaching in order to concentrate
on research and publication. SARAS (South Asia
Research Assistance Services) provides
information and research assistance for topics
dealing with India in particular and South Asia
in general. He has to his credit a large number
of publications, research papers, articles,
radio talks and TV programmes. His research
activities and lectures have taken him to more
than 20 countries in 4 continents.] |
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THE ROCK CROSSES OF KERALA CHURCHES
By PROF. GEORGE MENACHERY
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[For
YOUR EYES ONLY is a new LOL Series which
would carry interesting pictures and
illustrations which throw some useful light on
St. Thomas Christian history, culture, customs,
manners representing every church and
denominations of Syrian Christians. Prof. George
Menachery who is a renowned scholar with vast
research experience in Thomas Christian
traditions and history organizes this Series.]
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This is the
pedestal of the stone cross in granite [rock] in
front of the Ollur Church which is the oldest
church in the Thrissur Corporation area. But the
Ollur Church is less than 300 years old whereas
there are more than a hundred churches which are
400 years or more old in Kerala. And there are
dozens of exquisitely carved open air rock
crosses or Nazraney Sthambams in front of many
of these ancient Kerala Christian places of
worship, e.g. at Kottekkad, Enammavu [now in the
Trichur Archieparcal Residence, where it was
shifted from the Lourdes Cathedral Christian
Cultural Museum that was estd. in 1980 -
discovered by this writer in 1980 at Enammavu
from a mud deposit] Mapranam, Puthenchira,
Parappukkara, Veliyanad, Kalpparambu [the last
discovered by this writer in the mud deposits]
Koratty, Angamaly |
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[one each in front
of the three churches - the Western church
cross, 27ft. tall- has been exactly reproduced
in front of the Kakkanad Mount St. Thomas St.
Thomas Christian Museum], Kanjoor, Malayattoor,
Udayanperur,
Kuravilangad,Uzhavoor,Chungam,Kaduthuruthy [2
Nos.], Muttuchira, Kudamaloor, Niranam,
Kothamangalam, Chengannur, Thumpamon, Chathannur,
Changanacherry [the base of the second cross was
discovered by this writer in the Changanacherry
cemetery], and many other places.
These crosses have four members: the base with a
socket often fixed on a huge pedestal (see pic),
the huge monolithic shaft with cylinder-like
projections at both ends, the arm with sockets
above and below, and the capital which forms the
fourth arm of the cross with a cylinder
arrangement at the bottom. All these crosses
rise from the lotus carved at the top of the
base member termed the Pookkallu. Many of these
crosses have exquisite carvings and sculptures
esp. on the four sides of the pedestal, and in
rare cases on the shaft as the Adam, Eve, and
the Serpent on the Chengannur Obelisk Cross.
Like the Egyptian Obelisks the cross is a ray of
the sun - Horus or Christ.
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[Author Prof. George
Menachery is a freelance Indian Journalist and Editor of
the St. Thomas Christian Encyclopedia of India and the
Indian Church History Classics. After teaching
university classes for thirty years, he gave up the job
as Head of the Department of Post-Graduate Teaching in
order to concentrate on research and publication. SARAS
(South Asia Research Assistance Services) provides
information and research assistance for topics dealing
with India in particular and South Asia in general. He
has to his credit a large number of publications,
research papers, articles, radio talks and TV programmes.
His research activities and lectures have taken him to
more than 20 countries in 4 continents.]
Our
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