Guinness book of world record holder under the entry – ‘longest religious service’ passes away (1984)
28 March, 1984: Rev. K. M. Jacob Kottara, Pooyappally (June 1881) passes away. Rev. K.M. Jacob, of Cherukarakunnil family of Kottara Bethel Mar Thoma Church, was born in June, 1881. He became a deacon of the church in 1897, and priest on 8 October, 1903.
He was the first convener of the Kottarakkara Mar Thoma Convention and was one of the founding members of the Jubilee Mandiram in Kottarakkara.
For certain parishes he was the Vicar for more than 40 years. Achen was called to his eternal home on 28 March, 1984. Achen served the Church for more than 86 years and his name is in the Guinness book of world record under the entry – ‘longest religious service.’
Rev. K. M. Jacob Kottara
Pages from History: Birth of Hymn writer Fanny Crosby (1820)
24 March, 1820: Birth of Hymn writer Fanny Crosby. Frances Jane Crosby commonly known as Fanny Crosby, was an American lyricist best known for her Protestant Christian hymns. She was one of the most prolific hymnists in history, writing over 8,000 hymns despite becoming blind after birth. She is also known for her preaching and speaking. During her lifetime Fanny Crosby was one of the best known women in the States.
To this day, the vast majority of American hymnals contain her work. Some of her best known songs include “Blessed Assurance” “Jesus Is Tenderly Calling You Home” “Praise Him, Praise Him” and “To God be the Glory”. Since some publishers were hesitant to have so many hymns by one person in their hymnals, Crosby used nearly 100 different pseudonyms during her career.
Hymn writer Fanny Crosby
Pages from History: The Archbishop of Canterbury meets with Pope (1966)
23 March, 1966: The Archbishop of Canterbury His Grace Michael Ramsey meets with Pope Paul VI at the Vatican, the first such meeting between Anglican and Catholic leaders in an official audience since King Henry VIII broke with Rome more than 400 years earlier to form the Church of England. It was the first public meeting between the leaders of the two Churches following an earlier private meeting between Archbishop Geoffrey Fisher and Pope John XXIII had on 2 December 1960.
Archbishop Ramsey met Paul three times during his visit and opened the Anglican Center in Rome with the purpose of increasing their mutual knowledge. Pope Paul replied that “by entering into our house, you are entering your own house, we are happy to open our door and heart to you.”
Archbishop Ramsey meeting Pope Paul VI (photo from httpdstp.rel.pl )
Pages from History: Death of Constantine, the first Christian emperor of Rome (AD 337)
22 March, 337: Constantine, the first Christian emperor of Rome, dies at the age of 47. As emperor, he issued an edict officially tolerating Christianity, though he did little to stave off paganism. He also summoned the Council of Nicea (Nicaea) to settle the Arian dispute over the nature of Christ.
Constantine played an influential role in the proclamation of the Edict of Milan, which decreed religious tolerance throughout the empire (an edict officially tolerating Christianity). He called the First Council of Nicaea in 325, at which the Nicene Creed was professed by Christians.
Constantine is also known as the founder of the Byzantine Empire. He built a new capital at Byzantium and named it ‘New Rome’. However, in Constantine’s honour, the Romans called it Constantinople, which would later be the capital of what is now known as the Byzantine Empire for over one thousand years.
Emperor Constantine (Metropolitan Museum of Art # 26.229)
Pages from History: Rev. P. C. Cherian passes away (1978)
21 March, 1978: Rev. P. C. Cherian passes away (b.18 Jan 1907). After passing his B.A., L.T., examinations he served St. Thomas School in Keezhillam as a teacher and headmaster. He became a deacon on 15th April 1938. He served as the vicar of Keezhillam and Thodupuzha parishes. His brother P. C. George was the founder of the Manganam Agathimandiram.
Rev. P. C. Cherian
Pages from History: Publication of Uncle Tom’s Cabin (1852)
20 March, 1852: Abolitionist Harriet Beecher Stowe, daughter of the famous Congregational minister Lyman Beecher, publishes Uncle Tom’s Cabin (which had been serialized in an antislavery newspaper).
The book sold one million copies and was so influential in arousing antislavery sentiment that Abraham Lincoln is reputed to have said upon meeting Stowe in 1863: “So you’re the little woman who wrote the book that made this Great War!”
Harriet Beecher Stowe, c. 1852, (Bowdoin College Museum of Art, Gurney & Sons)
![Title-page illustration by Hammatt Billings for Uncle Tom's Cabin [First Edition: Boston: John P. Jewett and Company, 1852].](https://nalloorlibrary.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/345px-uncletomscabincover.jpg)
Title-page illustration by Hammatt Billings for Uncle Tom’s Cabin [First Edition: Boston: John P. Jewett and Company, 1852].
Pages from History: Birth of David Livingstone (1813)
19 March, 1813: Birth of David Livingstone (d.1 May 1873). David Livingstone was born in Blantyre, Scotland on March 19, 1813. The son of poor parents he was the first white man to cross Africa with the Gospel of Christ. His accomplishments were incalculable: traveller, zoologist, philanthropist, linguist, author, geographer, mercantile director, physician, theologian, explorer, astronomer, missionary, teacher, evangelist and emancipator.
David Livingstone
Pages from History: Death of Rev. Dr. C. E. Abraham (1985)
18 March, 1985: Death of Rev. Dr. C. E. Abraham, Cheruthottathil, Kozhencherry (b.7 Jan.1898).
Rev. Dr. C. E. Abraham was a member of the Cheruthottathill family in Kozhencherry. He was ordained as deacon in 1920 and priest in 1930. He served as Professor/Principal of the Serampore Theological College from 1925-1959. In addition to that he also served as the General Secretary of the Mar Thoma Yuvajana Sakhyam and Evangelistic Association.
Rev. Abraham also served as a visiting professor for many foreign universities around the world. He wrote many books including “Church History” and “Builders of Indian Churches”. He was the Editor of the First Mar Thoma Church Directory. Rev. Abraham will be remembered as one of the most learned and farsighted priests of the Mar Thoma Syrian Church.
Rev. Dr. C. E. Abraham
Pages from History : Sale of indulgences & Johann Tetzel
15 March, 1517: Needing money to rebuild St. Peter’s basilica, Pope Leo X announces a special sale of indulgences. (The remission of temporal punishment still due for a sin that has been sacramentally absolved) A Dominican named Johann Tetzel led the way in promoting the sale in Germany and erroneously declared that indulgences would cover future sins (Leo’s forgave all past sins). The teaching angered the reformer Martin Luther, who soon posted his 95 Theses in response.
Johann Tetzel
Pages from History: Construction is completed on the Second Temple in Jerusalem (B.C 515)
12 March 515 B.C (Before Christ) – Construction is completed on the Second Temple in Jerusalem. The First Temple was built by King Solomon in seven years during the 10th century B.C in 957 B.C. It was the center of ancient Judaism and has remained a focal point for Jewish services over the millennia. The Temple replaced the Tabernacle of Moses and the Tabernacles at Shiloh, Nov, and Gibeon as the central focus of Jewish faith. This First Temple was destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 B.C, and was rebuilt seventy years later by Cyrus the Great in 516 B.C.
Centuries later, it was renovated by Herod in about 20 B.C, and this Second Temple was subsequently destroyed by the Romans in 70 A.D. All of the outer walls still stand, although the Temple itself has long since been destroyed and for many years it was believed that the western wall of the complex was the only wall standing.
The Second Temple. Model in the Israel Museum. Photo by Ariely
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