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HISTORY |
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| Front
View of the Kandanad
Church |
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The
St.Mary’s
Church of Kandanad
is believed to be about
more than 1000 years old.
Since its inception, the
church was renovated,
remodeled and rebuilt
on several occasions and
the edifice in its present
magnificent form appears
to have been completed
in AD 1910. Various stages
of its construction are
recorded at relevant portions
in the mammoth structure.
For instance, on the timber
wall along the Madbho,
it is inscribed: “the
wood work completed in
1909, the gilt work in
1910 and the Holy Qurbono
conducted on 9th Medam
1910”. Similarly
the massive pillars erected
at the outer corridor
are etched with the year
“1931”.
The village Kandanad lay
along the border of erstwhile
Travancore and Cochin.
Though it belonged to
Travancore, its culture
is markedly Kochiite.
This may be due to the
village’s close
proximity to Kochin royalty
(Thripunithara, the former
seat of Kochin kings)
as also its immediate
urban contact comes from
the main city of Cochin
state namely, Ernakulam,
hardly fifteen kilometers
north. |
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The people are mostly
Christian farmers, small
and big. Indeed, the economic
viability of agriculture
has dwindled and its adverse
impact has prompted the
community to seek other
profitable enterprises
and the educated have
gone after greener pastures,
the Gulf-boom assisting
in no mean measure and
the village has prospered
with modern amenities
and has acquired almost
semi-urban status now.
The village’s day
invariably begins with
loud knoll of the huge
bell at St.Mary’s
Church and villagers are
infallibly chimed into
wakefulness every morning.
The church is situated
1.5 km. east of Udayamperoor
where the historic ‘Synod
of Diamper’ was
held on 10th June 1599
and 3 km. west of the
renowned MarThoman Jacobite
Syrian Church at Mulanthuruthy.
St.Mary’s Church
has over the years attained
the pride of place as
the cathedral church of
Kandanad diocese. It is
recorded in the visitor’s
dairy that Claudius Buchanan,
a member of the Anglican
Church who was keen to
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have a viable tie-up with the
Syrian Church in Malabar had
visited the church in 1806.
The western façade of
the church has striking similarity
to other ancient churches such
as Mulunthuruthy, Karingachira,
Piravom, Angamali, Manarcad
etc. Just below the cross on
the face of the church can be
seen the following inscription
in Syriac: “Come, Enter
those who are blessed by my
heavenly father – our
Lord’s year 1400”.
So it can be safely assumed
that the original church was
built much earlier than the
present one. Behind the altar
on the wall in the sanctum sanctorum,
biblical quotations are inscribed
on wooden planks.
The left plank carries: “My
flesh the real food and my blood
the real drink’ (John
6:55) and on the right plank,
the third verse of chapter 9
from Hebrews, that speaks of
the Holy Place of the Tabernacle,
is inscribed. The ‘Koodesh
Kudsheen’ is a splendid
piece of Persian Architectural
splendour.
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Just
below the Madbho are entombed
on either sides of the
steps, the mortal remains
of Mor Thoma IV and Maphriyono
Mor Baselios Shakralla
Bava. The tomb at the
right carries the inscription
on the marble head-stone.
“MorThoma Metropolitan
who hails from Pakalomattom
family entered eternal
rest on 13th Meenam 1728
AD.” In front of
this tomb is placed the
sacred relics of Mor Geevarghese
Sahado (St.George). The
tomb at left carries the
inscription on its marble
plaque “Shakralla
Baselios Maphriyono who
was deputed by His Holiness
the Patriarch of Antioch
Moran Ignatius Geevarghese
Bava in 1749; died at
Mattancherry and entombed
here on the 9th Thulam,
1764”. His hallowed
memory is celebrated on
21st and 22nd October
every year with great
worshipful fervour.
Maphriyono Mor Baselios
Shakralla
The strength,
power, glory, growth and
the very existence of
Malankara Syrian Church
is unequivocally related
to the holy fathers of
yore who against all odds
and impediments reached
here and guided us from
time to time in order
to uphold Petrine Succession
with the stamp of authentic
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| Sacred
tomb of Mor Thoma
IV, Metropolitan
of Malankara |
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apostolic
entity. The faith, priesthood,
liturgy, rites, rituals and
practices, hierarchic protocols,
the appellations and vestments
– everything has been
of the Antiochean Church. The
sacrifices made on our behalf
by the Syrian holy fathers are
legendary. One of those illustrious
fathers who came down to lead
us during an acutely turbulent
time is late lamented Shakralla
Mor Baselios. It is more than
200 years since the Holy Father
attained his eternal rest. Yet
his memory is etched in golden
letters in the history of Malankara
Church and those who pray at
his venerated tomb at Kandanad
continue to receive heavenly
blessings in abundance.
It was Mor Thoma IV who had
sent messages to Antioch requesting
the Holy Throne to depute a
Maphryono to Malankara when
the church was passing through
a stormy and rudderless phase
of its existence. In those days
communication was extremely
difficult and letters got lost
in transit or delivered at wrong
places. So the letter dated
25 Kanni, 1720 by Mor Thoma
IV did not reach the holy throne.
Consequently, the earnest desire
of Mor Thoma IV who keenly awaited
the arrival of the Maphryono
from Antioch could not be fulfilled
and Mor Thoma breathed his last
before the delegate from Antioch
reached the shores of Malankara.
However, it is strikingly significant
that Shakralla Mor Baselios
is laid to rest beside the tomb
of Mor Thoma IV in St.Mary’s
Church, Kandanad. |
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| Sacred
tomb of Maphriyono
Mor Baselios Shakralla
Bava |
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We
have only a limited information
on the early days and
services of Mor Baselios.
Patriarch Moran Mor Ignatius
Geevarghese had an abiding
confidence over the credentials
of Mor Baselios Bava.
And His Holiness selected
him to lead a delegation
to Malankara. The initial
plan was to commence the
group’s journey
from Aleppo to Baghdad
and Basra by land and
then sea to Cochin. But
after their departure
in 1749 there was no news
from them and the Patriarch
was sad and anxious about
their safety. His Holiness
promptly dispatched a
message dated 21 Medam
1750 enquiring the welfare
and whereabouts of the
delegates. The contents
of that message is heartening
in which His Holiness
expresses his deep concern
and addressed to Maphrian
affectionately as his
son. The group suffered
untold miseries from thieves
and pirates during its
journey enroute to
Cochin and the travel
plans had to be rescheduled
more than once. Overcoming
all difficulties and excruciatingly
painful obstacles the
Maphrian and others with
their courage, dedication
and sense of purpose reached
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Kandanad
on the 4th of Karkidagom, 1754.
But those in Malankara failed
to organise a proper reception
befittingly to the Maphryono
and party from Antioch; also
failed in another sterling duty
as well: they did not deem it
worthwhile recording the Maphryono's
services and events in his life
here. So what we have regarding
his sojourn here is sketchy
and woefully inadequate.
The Holy Father stayed in Kayamkulam
Kadeessa Church for a long period.
His blessed memory is celebrated
in this church every year. He
was instrumental in establishing
a church at Mattanchery. The
major duration of his stay in
Malankara was spent in Kandanad
and during this period he strived
hard to annex huge areas of
fertile lands which augmented
the financial status of the
parish greatly.
The holy father completed his
divine mission on this earth
and left for the heavenly abode
while at Mattancherry and was
laid to rest in this church
on 9th Thulam, 1764 (Syro-Malayalam
calendar). May his venerated
memory be blessing to all of
us. |
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| The
Office block and the Sunday School
building of the Kandanad Marth
Mariam Church |
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