1 December, 1973: Mathews Mar Athanasius Episcopa passes away
Mathews Mar Athanasius Episcopa
1 December, 1973: Mathews Mar Athanasius Episcopa passes away (b.7 Jun 1900). Dr. Mathews Mar Athanasius Episcopa was a member of the Kurudamannil family of Ayroor.
After obtaining the B.A., L.T Degrees he became the Headmaster of Keezhillam School. He took the initiative for the establishment of the Ashram High School at Perumbavoor.
He became a priest in 1929 and Bishop in 1937. He gave able leadership to various organizations of our Church. He was called home on 1 Dec, 1973.
20 November, 1904: Death of Stephanos Kathanar
Stephanos Kathanar
20 November, 1904: Death of Stephanos Kathanar – Author of “Shayana Namaskaram”.
Stephanos Kathanar (born on 14 June 1852) was a member of Kallarakkal Peedikayil family of Thazhahkkara, Mavelikkara. He became a deacon at the age of 8. He was an expert teacher of the Syrian Language.
In 1897 he established Thazhakkara Mar Thoma Church and started a library for the parish. Achen is the author of The Shayana Namaskaram– (prayer song usually sung with the evening family prayer or public worship) “njangalkullha karthave…” which is still used by many Kerala Christians.
Achen’s grandson Dr. Samuel Mathai was the Vice-Chancellor of the Kerala University. He was called to his eternal home on 20 Nov 1904.
15 November, 1731: Birth of William Cowper (1731-1800) author of “Immanuel than chankathil…”
William_Cowper by Lemuel Francis Abbott (wikipedia)
15 November, 1731: Birth of William Cowper (1731-1800) author of the Hymn ‘There is a fountain filled with blood’ (‘Immanuel than chankathil…’ no.147 (138) in the Mar Thoma Church Hymn book Kristheeya Keerththanangal). The words of this hymn are immortal and will be sung as long as there are sinners upon this earth.
Cowper’s well known hymns:
- Jesus! where’er thy people meet
- The Spirit breathes upon the word
- There is a fountain, filled with blood
- Hark! my soul! it is the Lord
- To Jesus, the Crown of my hope
- Far from the world, O Lord! I flee
- My Lord! how full of sweet content (1782 translation)
- What various hindrances we meet
- Oh! for a closer walk with God
- When darkness long has veiled my mind
- ‘Tis my happiness below
- O Lord! in sorrow I resign (1782 translation)
- O Lord! my best desire fulfill
- There is a safe and secret place
- God of my life! to thee I call
14 November, 1967: Death of A.V. Mathai Kathanar, Alunilkunnathil
14 November, 1967: Death of A.V. Mathai Kathanar, Alunilkunnathil (b.1878) Following the footsteps of his father Kulathakkal Alunilkunnathil Geevarhsese Kathanar, he became a priest. He served Mar Thoma parishes in Kuriannoor, Kumbanad, Pullad and Maramon. He was one of the defendants along with the Metropolitan, of the Maramon Mar Thoma Church civil case which started after the reformation movement.
13 November, 1845: Birth of Chandapilla Kathanar, Thazhathu, Kottayam
13 November, 1845: Birth of Chandapilla Kathanar, Thazhathu, Kottayam (24 Jul 1931). He became a deacon at the age of 9 (1854) and a priest on 1 August 1861. For 24 years he was the vicar of the Cheriya pally in Kottayam. He was the founder of the Jerusalem Mar Thoma Church in Kottayam. Achen’s courageous stand made it possible for the consecration ceremony of Bishop Titus I Mar Thoma to be held in the Cheriya pally in Kottayam.
9 November, 1964: Mrs. Kandamma Varghese (of Mar Thoma Sevika Sanghom) passes away.
Mrs. Kandamma Varghese
9 November, 1964: Mrs. Kandamma Varghese (of Mar Thoma Sevika Sanghom) passes away.
“The Mar Thoma Suvisesha Sevika Sanghom owes much to the self sacrificing work of Mrs. Kandamma Varghese who worked untiringly as the Organizing Secretary for over 20 years, traveling far and wide, organizing branches in the parishes, doing evangelistic work among Christians and non Christians, and building up the work in parishes.” ~ The Mar Thoma Church, Heritage and Mission – Alexander Mar Thoma Metropolitan.
Mrs. Kandamma was a modest person in wearing jewellery. She used to request people who had more than one gold chain to donate the second one for gospel work. Due to Kandamma’s loving approach to the wife of Diwan Bhadur Dr. V. Varghese sold her ornaments and donated the money for the construction of the Salem Orphanage in Tiruvalla.
Kandamma spent her final days in Perumbavoor with her son Mr. C. V. Koshy who was the headmaster of the Ashram High school there. When she died on 9 Nov, 1964, at the age of 88, she left behind a glowing legacy of her work in Kerala.
Read more in our free pdf E-book which is also an excellent resource for Sunday Schools and church organizations.
8 Nov 2015: CSI, CNI and Mar Thoma Church celebrate “Festival of Unity of Communion of Churches in India (CCI) CSI- CNI-MTC”
On 8 November, 2015, Sunday: the CSI, CNI and Mar Thoma Churches will celebrate this Sunday as the ‘”Festival of Unity of Communion of Churches in India (CCI) CSI- CNI-MTC”‘.
The Communion of Churches in India (CCI) has been constituted as the visible organ for common expression of the life and witness by the founding Churches, the Church of North India (CNI), the Church of South India (CSI) and the Mar Thoma Syrian Church (MTC) which recognise themselves as belonging to the one Church of Jesus Christ in India, even while remaining as autonomous churches, each having its own identity of traditions and organizational structures. “The Communion” invites other Churches in India to enter into full communion with the member churches separately and join “The Communion”.
2 November, 1942: The first workers of Sihora Ashram start from Kottarakkara.
Founders of the Sihora Ashram with Most Rev. Alexander Mar Thoma Metropolitan.
On the morning of 2 November 1942 a huge crowd under the leadership of the Bishop Juhanon Mar Timotheos gathered under a tree on the eastern side of the Kottarakkara railway Station and gave a sensational send off to Rev. K.T. Thomas, Karimparampil.Anaprampal), Mr. John Varghese (Valethu Thoppil, Puthencauv), and Mr. M. P. Mathew (Mavelil, Kaviyoor), the founder members of the Christa Panthi Ashram.
After visiting various north Indian cities, they finally reached Sihora on 13 September 1943 and started the Ashram. Our bishop The Late Rt. Rev .Easow Mar Timotheos was a memberof this ashram for 22 years.
For more Mission field stories vist :-www.nalloorlibrary.com;
Birth Anniversary of Mr. M. T. Joseph (Co-founder of Hoskote Mission) 21 October, 1910
21 October, 1910: Birth of Mr. M. T. Joseph (d.18 Feb,1995) ), 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 more about his story : https://nalloorlibrary.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/ebook-m-t-joseph-co-founder-of-hoskote-mission.pdf
World Sunday School Day: 1st November 2015 (Free Ebook – Robert Raikes and how we got Sunday School)
George Romney’s portrait of Robert Raikes, the newspaperman who popularised schooling on Sundays Photo: National Portrait Gallery, London
1st November 2015 : World Sunday School Day – The first Sunday of the Month of November is celebrated throughout the world as Sunday School Day. The Mar Thoma/ CSI/ CNI churches are celebrating Sunday, 1st November, 2015 as World Sunday School Day.
Robert Raikes (1735- 1811), an English Publisher, started the first Sunday School in the city of Gloucester in England in 1780. During the early days, reading, arithmetic and Bible was taught at the Sunday Schools.
In 1809, Church representatives of the Malankara Churches held a meeting at Kandanadu Church, near Ernakualam to arrange facilities to teach children in the Church about religion, prayers and sacraments. The India Sunday School Union was founded in 1876.The Mar Thoma Sunday School Samajam was established on 25 February 1905, at the Maramon Convention.
We encourage our readers to read and share this Free 4 page PDF Ebook Resource for your Sunday Schools and children’s services: Robert Raikes and How We Got Sunday School
Inscription on the tomb of Robert Raikes.
Nalloor Library 