Thrikkunnathu Seminary

Thrikkunathu Seminary is a very famous seminary church in Aluva, Ernakulam. This is the Diocesan Headquarters of Ankamali Diocese. In the year 1055 ME(Malayalam Era) (approx 1880), a Church was built by His Grace Ambat Mar Coorilose Metropolitan in a land of 18 acres awarded to him as a tax free gift by the then rulers of Travancore kingdom.

History of the Diocese of Ankamali Diocese

Ankamali Diocese formed from the historic synod of Mulanthuruthy in 1876. Metropolitans such as Paulose Mar Athanasios Kadavil, Pulikottil Joseph Mar Dionysius, St. Paulose Mar Athanasios, Geevarghese Mar Gregorios Vayaliparambil had ruled over this diocese from time to time.

Diocesan Bishop

The church is blessed with the sacred tombs of former Angamali Diocesan Metropolitans:- Paulose Mar Athanasius Kadavil (1833-1907), St. Paulose Mar Athanasius Pynadathu Kuttikkattil(1869-1953), Ghevarghese Mar Gregorios Vayaliparambil(1889-1966), Dr.Philipose Mar Theophilose of Kottayam (1911-1997).

• Sacred Tombs
  Sacred Tombs
• File:Tomb2.jpg

Disputes

The seminary and adjoining church saw many disputes from the early 1970s and still the issues continues.

External Links

• The struggle

• St.Mary's Church
  St.Mary's Church
• Seminary
  Seminary
• Way to Seminary
  Way to Seminary
• Seminary Chappel
  Seminary Chappel

About Diocesan Forefathers

Paulose Mar Athanasius Kadavil

First Metropolitan ordained for the diocese of Kottayam after its formation in 1876 as per the decision of the historic Mulanthuruthy Synod. From 1891 onwards he assumed the additional responsibility of Ankamali, the largest diocese in the Malankara church. It was during the time of Kadavil Thirumeni the construction of the St. Mary's church at Thrikkunathu, Alwaye was completed. One of the last wishes of the Metropolitan was to start a seminary at Aluva for teaching Syriac and English for clergy as well as for the laity. With this in mind he donated all his remaining properties and assets to the seminary, which he inherited from his family.

On Saturday, 2 November 1907, Kadavil Paulose Mar Athanasius passed away at the age of 74. His mortal remains were interred in the northern side of the madbho. Malankara Metropolitan Pulikottil Mor Dionysius Joseph led the last rites of the Metropolitan.

The tomb of the Metropolitan was later modified when the church was reconstructed by Kuttikkatil Paulose Mar Athanasius.The date of demise of Parumala Thirumeni, who passed away on November 2, 1902, also falls on the same date of demise of his close associate Kadavil Mor Athanasius Thirumeni.

St. Paulose Mar Athanasious Kuttikkattil

Kadavil Paulose Mar Athanasious entrusted Kochu Paulose Ramban(Kuttikkattil Paulose Mar Athanasious) the responsibility of completing the construction of seminary building. Within the next three years the seminary which is now known as Thrikkunnathu Seminary, was opened. Later when Kochu Paulose Ramban was ordained Metropolitan and assumed the charge of Ankamali diocese, he expanded the Seminary building again. It was he who brought many people to Alwaye from nearby villages and gave them land to construct houses around the seminary.

After serving the Church in Malankara for more than four decades, he passed away on 25th January 1953 at the age of 84.

Known for his piety, integrity, sincerity and unflinching faith, the spiritual father is remembered by the Malankara Church with great veneration. Valiya Thirumeni loved his people and defended them until his last, leaving behind him a magnificent legacy. He dedicated his entire life for the cause of the Church and the society. People revere him as a saintly father; he is the pride of the Malankara Jacobite Syrian Church. Fifty one years after his demise, on 19th August 2004, the Church beatified Mor Athanasius Paulose.

Ghevarghese Mar Gregorios Vayaliparambil

He rejuvenated the church through many reforms over his life-time, in many spheres of activity-spiritual, social, educational, cultural, charitable, administrative, and financial. He dedicated his life for his church, leading a humble and true Christian life.

According to Kerala Christian Diary, Pynadath family is one of the ancient families in Kerala. The origins of the family are traced to Arthat, Kunnamkulam, an ancient trade centre of Jews and Syrian Christians. Some historians suggest that the earlier cognomen of the family was Pulikottil. In the year 1789 AD, Tipu Sultan of Mysore attacked this place and destroyed some Syrian Orthodox Churches. This led to the migration of several Syrian Orthodox families to the Ankamali region of Kerala. Vayaliparambil is an offshoot of Pynadath family which settled in Ankamali. Ghevarghese was born in this family on 17th July, 1899, as the fourth child of Vayaliparambil Pynadath Kuryath Thoma and Sosamma.

Mor Gregorios expanded his diocese by constructing forty new churches across the diocese. In all these churches he planted coconut or rubber so that the churches would be financially self-sufficient. He renovated the Aluva Thikunnath Seminary and implemented schemes for its financial self reliance by planting rubber and coconut. Mor Gregorius built many educational institutions—Mar Athanasious Engineering College and Mar Athanasious Arts college at Kothamangalam are some examples of his farsighted activities in the sphere of education. His inheritance went towards the construction of St. George's church and Mar Athanasious High School at Nedumbassery. H.G. sponsored free education for poor students in his school.

His Grace passed away returning from a foreign tour on 6th Nov 1966. His mortal remains lay at Aluva Trikunnath Seminary along with the mortal remains of his predecessor Paulose Mar Athanasius.

Dr. Philipose Mar Theophilos of Kottayam

Dr. Philipose Mar Theophilos Metropolitan was born on 9 May 1911 as the sixth son of Korah and Mariamma of Kallupurakkal, Puthanangadi, Kottayam. He took his B.A degree from Cochin Maharaja's College. He studied M.A in St.Augustine of Canterbury in England, T.H.M in Cardiff University, UK, and D.D from Harward University in Chicago, USA.

He became as a deacon in 1929, received from Vattasseril mar Dionysius Metropolitan and anointed as a priest in 1944 by His Holiness Baselios Geevarghese II, the Catholicos of the East.

On 24 August 1966, at Kolencherry His Holiness Baselios Ougen Catholicose consecrated Philipose Mar Theophilos as Metropolitan. The Church split into two in the early seventies which made him Metropolitan of one faction of Malankara Church. Philipose mar Theophilos passed away on 28 September 1997 and was laid to rest in Thrikunnath Church compund, Aluva in Kerala.