Pics: Kevin Rodrigues

Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi

Udupi, May 16: The 100-year-old renovated St Thomas Orthodox Syrian Church, Sastan is all set to be consecrated and inaugurated on Tuesday May 17 and Wednesday May 18. The consecration shall be led by His Holiness Baselios Marthoma Mathews III Malankara Metropolitan and Catholicos of the East, the Supreme head of the Indian (Malankara) Orthodox Syrian Church. His Holiness will be assisted by Dr Yakob Mar Elias (Bishop, Brahmavar diocese), Dr Yakob Mar Irenios (Bishop, Kochi diocese) and Dr Geevarghese Mar Yulios (Ahamadabad diocese).

St Thomas Orthodox Syrian Church, Sastan with parishioners belonging to more than 230 families, is the second largest church of Brahmavar Konkani orthodox community under the Holy See of Indian (Malankara) Orthodox Church which was founded by St Thomas, the Apostle in 52 AD.

The patron saint of the parish is St Thomas, the Apostle of India and all of the East; the founder of the Indian (Malankara) Orthodox Church, whose blessed intercession has been witnessed through the numerous miracles that have happened here over a period of time. The church has provided ample opportunity to its parishioners over the years to worship, to strengthen their bond and to serve the community.

Origin

The Brahmavar Konkani Orthodox Christians majorly are descendants of migrants to Coastal area of Karnataka from Goa and Maharashtra. A significant proportion of Christian Konkanis trace their origin to the Apostolic Tradition of St Thomas and St Bartholomew. There is a tradition that Christianity existed in and around Brahmavar, due to the apostolic activities of St Bartholomew.

Post 16th century it is said that native apostolic Christians in Goa and Coastal Karnataka and elsewhere embraced the Christian denomination propagated by missionaries from west.

In 1880 due to the rift in the churches in Goa, Coastal India and Ceylon many of the families and faithful joined Fr Alvares seeking his leadership in this crisis. Thus nearly 5,000 families in and around Brahmavar became part of independent catholic mission rite founded by Fr Alvares under the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church.

The reason behind joining specifically the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church, was the fact that it was the only apostolic Indigenized Church established in India in 52 AD by St Thomas, one of the twelve disciples of Jesus Christ. In 1887, Fr Alvares, travelled from Ceylon and arrived at Kallianpur, near Udupi, a village in South Kanara District. He moved out from there to a nearby village, Brahmavar, and built a small temporary thatched chapel dedicated to ‘Our Lady of Miracles’ eventually came to be known as St Mary’s Orthodox Syrian Cathedral.

St Thomas Orthodox Church through the ages

The Orthodox faithful belonging to St Mary’s Orthodox Syrian Cathedral living in Sulkudru, Balkudru, Airody, Mabukal, Sastan, Kota and Karkada were facing difficulties to cross the river Sita and commute to church in Brahmavar. Considering this plight, in 1920, a piece of land was bought in Sastan during the time of saintly Fr R Z Norohna and in 1925, a thatched roof chapel was built by Fr P G Koshy, in order to provide these faithful a place to offer Holy Mass and prayers. In 1938 Fr K T Varghese became the parish priest. The parish gradually grew and prospered, and in 1960, under the leadership of Fr Varghese renovation work of the church with redstone and tile roof started in spite of the extremely poor agrarian background, Fr Varghese and parishioners showed great foresight and had tremendous efforts in building the church. It is said with saving and storing of ‘Mutti-thaandhu’ (a handful of rice) by each and every parishioner over the time and with the sweat of their own labour, the church was built.

In the following years many other infrastructure developments were carried out. In1986, Fr T M Kuriakose took charge as the parish priest.

In 1989, the then diocesan bishop, H G Zechariah Mar Dionysius (Metropolitan of Madras diocese) visited the parish and blessed the new cemetery. A youth office and a theatrical stage were built during the decennial celebrations of the youth association in 1994. In 1999, Fr Kuriakose started the association for women. On January 11 and 12, 2000, the church celebrated its platinum jubilee on a grand scale. The then diocesan bishop H G Yakob Mar Irenaios (metropolitan of Madras diocese) led the Jubilee celebrations. His Grace also inaugurated the parsonage and church office on January 12, 2000.

Fr Kuriakose, the parish priest along with Ramban Fr N J Thomas, the vicar general and other assistant vicars of the time, Fr P A Johnson and Ramban G M Skaria took the leadership to host such a first-time mega-scale event of the parish. In 2000, Fr Johnson took charge as the parish priest. The church and all the spiritual associations grew immensely, as the Holy Mass was now offered on all the Sundays and a full-time parish priest for the Sastan Church was now a reality. Between 2010 and 2011, for a period of six months, Fr Bobby George served as the parish priest. On August 2, 2011, Dn Noel Lewis was ordained as a priest in this Church. In September 2011, Fr Noel Lewis took charge as the parish priest. On December 8, 2013, a community hall for social gathering was inaugurated by H G Yakob Mar Elias (Metropolitan of Brahmavar diocese). His Holiness was the first ever Catholicos to visit the parish and was welcomed with great grandeur. The much awaited foundation for the construction of the new church building was laid on December 10, 2017, by the diocesan Bishop H G Yakob Mar Elias (Metropolitan of Brahmavar diocese). Since then all parishioners have toiled day and night and assisted in construction work of the church. The renovation has now been completed during the tenure of parish priest Fr Noel Lewis.

The renovated church building has a blend of Portuguese Gothic, Kerala and modern architecture. Thus elegance and purposefulness both are well maintained. The beautiful front elevation, with rising in the middle, is a reminder of Portuguese architectural influence over the Konkani Christians of Mangaluru. Steel flag post with golden coat brings in the feel of classical Indian/Kerala architecture, thus resonating the Indian-ness of the Malankara Orthodox Church.

Holy consecration and inauguration

The consecration programme began officially by flag hoisting at on May 8.

On Sunday May 15, the parishioners brought their offerings by ‘Hore Kanike’ procession from Mabukala to church.

On Tuesday May 17, the main festivities will begin with a grand welcome procession for Catholicos at Brahmavar at 3 pm, followed by consecration prayers at 5.30 pm.

On Wednesday May 18, the second part of the consecration prayers will begin at 6.30 am, followed by Holy Mass at 8 am and the felicitation programme, and followed by fellowship meal. In the evening, culture programmes will be held.