First Ordination Service outside Kerala, February 22, 1936
22 February, 1936: First Ordination service outside Kerala. The Mar Thoma congregation in Madras was formed in 1915. As there were no resident priests in Madras, the spiritual needs of the members were fulfilled by visiting priests and evangelists. Many requests were sent to Titus II Metropolitan for a resident Priest. Deacon C. K. Mathai, who completed his Theological studies in the Kottayam seminary, was sent to Madras to look after the spiritual needs of the congregation.
Bishop Titus II even made arrangements for his intermediate studies at the Madras Christian College. To fulfill the long cherished desire of the Madras Congregation, Titus II decided to conduct the ordination ceremony in Madras itself. Titus II ordained Deacon C. K. Mathai and another person as priests in the St. John’s Church in Madras. Very Rev. V. P. Mammen, Rev. M.G. Zachariah Malpan, and Rev. V. I. Philipose and priests from sister churches were present for the Ordination ceremony.
Mar Thoma Church Adyar, Madras (Chennai)
Birth of Titusji – An unknown Freedom Fighter from the Mar Thoma Church
Titusji (b.18 Feb, 1905), hails from a farming family, (Theverthundiyil, Maramon) in Kerala. He was a member of the Maramon Mar Thoma Parish. After his high school graduation, he taught in a school in Vadasserikkara (a village about 20 km away from Maramon), for a few years and then joined the Allahabad Agriculture University and passed an Indian Dairy Diploma course with distinction……… to read more click
https://nalloorlibrary.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/titusji-indian-freedom-fighter.pdf
Titusji
Mar Thoma Church publishes its first Directory (1969).
19 February, 1969: Dr. Juhanon Mar Thoma writes in support of the publication of the Mar Thoma Church Directory. For many of our leaders the publication of a Directory was “an impossible and unwanted” task. Some even claimed that it will invite God’s curse like that of King David’s time when he counted his people (2 Samuel Ch.24). But Metropolitan Juhanon Mar Thoma strongly supported the idea and the first Mar Thoma Church Directory was published in 1969.
Mar Thoma Church Directory
Hymn writer Mosha Vatsalam Passes away (1916)
20 February, 1916: Mosha Vatsalam passes away. The famous Christian Hymn writer Mosha Vatsalam (b 1843) was the son of Arunanandh, an Evangelist from Trivandrum. He started writing Hymns at the age of 29 and wrote more than 250 Hymns and few books connected with music. Some of his famous hymns are “Aashwaasame enikkerre thingeedunnu” and “Yerrushalemin impa veede.” More than 45 Hymns in the Mar Thoma Hymn book are written by him.
Mosha Vatsalam
Death of Mr. M. T. Joseph (Co-founder of Hoskote Mission) 18 February, 1995
18 February, 1995: Death of Mr. M. T. Joseph (b.21 Oct.1910), Co-founder of the Hoskote Mission. Joseph was the son of Ipe Thomas and Rachelamma of Manon, Maramon. He was an Anchel Master (Post Master) who left his lucrative government job and home town, to go to an unknown village far away in rural Karnataka, with the sole purpose of spreading the Gospel. The Hoskote Mission Medical Center was established in 1947 in Hoskote, Bangalore Rural District, Karnataka.
Read his story : https://nalloorlibrary.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/ebook-m-t-joseph-co-founder-of-hoskote-mission.pdf
Publication of “Pilgrim’s Progress” in 1678
18 February, 1678: John Bunyan publishes the” Pilgrim’s Progress”. Puritan preacher John Bunyan publishes “The Pilgrim’s Progress” the best selling book (apart from the Bible) in history. The allegorical tale, which describes Bunyan’s own conversion process, begins “…I saw a man clothed with rags…. A book in his hand and a great burden upon his back.”
The Pilgrim’s Progress, was first published in Holborn, London in an edition of 191 pages. It was an immediate success with more editions until Bunyan’s death in August 1688. The English text comprised some 108,260 words and it has never been out of print. It is been read around the world and translated into more than 200 languages.
14 February, 1919: Formation of the Marthoma Sevika Sanghom
The Mar Thoma Suvisesha Sevika Sanghom was formed on Friday 14 February 1919 in a meeting held at the Maramon Convention Pandal under the leadership of Dr. Abraham Mar Thoma Suffragan Metropolitan. On the next day a committee with two secretaries and 15 members were selected for the running of the Sanghom. Polachirakkal Puthiya Veettil Mariamma Abraham and Anjilivelil Rachelamma were its first secretaries.
Pages from History:- Death of Martin Luther
18 February, 1546: Martin Luther, (b.10 Nov 1483) leader of reformation, passes away. The reformation was a rediscovery of a lost gospel, a fresh realization that man is saved by faith alone, through grace alone. Luther died of a heart attack on 18 Feb.1546 while he was on a preaching tour at his birth place Eisleben in Germany.
Pages from History – Poikayil Shri Kumara Guru
17 February, 1879: (Kumbham 5, 1054 M.E): Birth of Mr. Poikayil Yohannan. (Poikayil Shri Kumara Guru) Mr.Poikayil Yohannan – (Kumaran) – was born on 5 Kumbham 1054 M.E (February 17, 1879) in Eraviperoor in Tiruvalla Taluk in a slave family. His masters gave him the name Yohannan and made him a member of the Mar Thoma Church. He studied the Bible thoroughly and became an evangelist of the Mar Thoma Syrian Church. His messages were against the social injustice and evils such as slavery, untouchability etc. The Church couldn’t accommodate his teaching. He left the Mar Thoma Church and later founded the organization PRDS – Prathyasha Raksha Daiva Sabaha.
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