Churches tell historical tales
S. PADMANABHAN
|
The churches in Kanyakumari district bear testimony to the influence and spread of Christianity in the region from the early ages.
|
HOLY SITES OF ARCHITECTURAL BEAUTY: The Protestant church in Mylaudy
In 52 A.D., St. Thomas, the Apostle, is said to have landed at the port of Kodungallur, the chief harbour and a trading centre in the west coast of ancient Kerala. He received a spontaneous welcome from the Jews already settled at Malankara, nine km south of the port.
The Apostle first baptised a batch of 40 Jews in Anjuvanam and subsequently converted many natives of Kerala. He established seven churches on the western coast. Tradition says that St. Thomas stayed in the southernmost part of the India for a few days on his way to Mylapore, Chennai, where his relics are said to be enshrined. The Church of St. Thomas at Kumari Muttam now known as Thommaiyar Palli, and the old church at Thiruvithancode from which the State of Travancore took its name, are considered to be the most ancient churches in the district, consecrated by St. Thomas himself.
According to Kerala tradition St. Thomas erected seven and a half churches on the western coast. The small Syrian church of St. Mary at Thiruvithancode, now in Kanyakumari District, is considered a half church, while the other seven churches are in Kerala.
St. Francis Xavier, Professor from Paris, came to the southern tip of the peninsula in 1543 to work among the Paravars. In 1544 he baptised more than 10,000 Paravars along the coast of Travancore from Thutur to Pallam.
The Cathedral of St. Francis Xavier at Kottar.
It is said that the Maharaja of Travancore gladly gave his consent to the conversion out of gratitude for the saint who, armed only with a crucifix, forced the invading Badagas to retreat at Vadasery. Thus Christianity flourished with the help of the then Maharajah of Travancore, Unni Kerala Varma.
The 12-tower complex
The Cathedral at Kottar in the name of St. Xavier, locally known as Savariyar Koil, is a complex of many structures built at various times. In 1930, the church was raised to the status of a cathedral.
The 12 towers in the church represent the 12 disciples of Jesus Christ. The annual festival is celebrated during the months of November-December, for 10 days. The car festival on the ninth day is most important.
The Home Church
Maharajan, a native of Mylaudy 10 kilometres south of Nagercoil, was the first man who embraced Protestantism in 1801. He was baptised and given the name Vethamonickam. In 1805, he visited Tranquebar, the cradle of Protestantism in South India, and made the acquaintance of Rev. William Tobias Ringletaube, a Prussian by birth and a Lutheran by faith.
At the request of Vethamonickam, Rev. Ringletaube, a Prussian, came to Travancore as the first protestant missionary, in 1806.
The church at Marthandam.
The first protestant church in Travancore was built by him in 1809, at Mylaudy. The marriage of Dr. Robert Caldwell, a great Scholar of Linguistics, was performed here.
The Cape division of the Salvation Army, which incidentally founded (1895) the Putheri hospital, was formed in 1892 and their first Church was started in a small hut at Attakkulam near North Thamaraikulam.
First of its kind
The first Lutheran church was built at Kalungady in Vadasery in 1907 and in the succeeding years many Lutheran churches were built in the Dalit villages in South Travancore. These village churches were used as schools during weekdays to educate the illiterate villagers.
The Home Church at Nagercoil where Dr. Caldwell's marriage was performed.
Among the modern churches in the district, the ones at Marthandam and Nagercoil in the heart of the towns are noteworthy. The Protestant Church was constructed at Marthandam in1933 by Rev. Robert Sinclair of England.
(The writer is the general secretary, Kanyakumari Historical and Cultural Research Centre, Nagercoil)
Printer friendly
page
Send this article to Friends by
E-Mail
Entertainment
Bangalore
Chennai and Tamil Nadu
Delhi
Hyderabad
Thiruvananthapuram
