A Global and Local History of the Buona Morte Church

UNIVERSITÄT BONN · Forum Internationale Wissenschaft· 53113 Bonn RHEINISCHE FRIEDRICH-WILHELMSUNIVERSITÄT BONN BONN Dr. Wei Jiang Postdoctoral Researcher Heussallee 18-24 53113 Bonn Tel. 0228/73-62982 Fax 0228/73-62939 [email protected] www.fiw.uni-bonn.de Bonn, 01.10.2018 International Workshop Invitation Reverend Fathers and Sisters, Dear Professors, Colleagues, Friends, and Distinguished Guests, The St. Sebastian Parish of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Colombo, the Madras Diocese of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church, and the Forum Internationale Wissenschaft of Universität Bonn would like to invite you to participate in an international workshop at Main Auditorium Hall, Caritas-SEDEC, Colombo on 22-23 November 2018. The theme of this workshop is: A Global and Local History of the Buona Morte Church. On 21 February 1845 a piece of land in Belmont Street, Hulsdorf, was granted by the British authorities to a group of Burghers, self-identified as “Independent Catholics”, to build on it a Cathedral entitled to Our Lady of Good Death, often known as Buona Morte Church. The leader of this group, the Catholic surgeon Dr. John Bonifacio Misso (17971864), was Consul General of Portugal and an adamant supporter of padroado, the royal patronage of the Portuguese crown over the Catholic missions in Asia. When Ceylon became a British colony in the end of the eighteenth century, the Roman curia started to re-organise the ecclesiastical jurisdiction in British India and Ceylon conferring the padroado churches to the Roman Congregation of Propaganda Fide, namely the Papal secretariate for missions. The Goan priests loyal to the Portuguese padroado, who had maintained the Catholic faith in Ceylon alive throughout the Dutch colonization, were supposed to leave their churches. The Catholics of Ceylon were entrusted to new missionaries, particularly from France, Italy and the German-speaking world. Like Dr. Misso, thousands of Catholics across South Asia publicly refused the decision of the Holy See and protested against the acquiescence by the Archbishopric of Goa. www.200jahre.uni-bonn.de Universitätskasse Bonn: Sparkasse KoelnBonn BIC: COLSDE 33 IBAN: DE08370501980000057695 USt.-Id-Nr.: DE 122 119 125 RHEINISCHE FRIEDRICH-WILHELMSUNIVERSITÄT BONN BONN A wave of local divisions spread throughout the Catholic milieus in India and Ceylon, at a time in which -particularly among the native élites- new autonomous identities and aspirations towards spiritual and political independence were emerging. Following a historical trajectory still to be explored, forty years after the foundation of the church in Belmont Street the suspended Goan Catholic priest Fr. Antonio Francisco Xavier Álvares (1836-1923) and the medical doctor Pedro Manuel Lisboa Pinto (1857-1898) from Bombay gave origin to a new Independent Catholic experiment that brought new life to the community of Buona Morte. Merging his personal antagonism against the Roman Catholic authority with the traditional hostility of the Saint Thomas Christians to Latinization, particularly since the Coonan Oath in 1653, the Malankara Bishop Álvares gave origin to an original Oriental Orthodox community following the Latin Rite. The Independent Catholic Diocese of “Ceylon, Goa and India excluding Malabar” was centred in Colombo and the Buona Morte Church became its Cathedral. The followers of Álvares embarked on an expansion towards other parts in Northern Ceylon and Southern India previously entrusted to the Padroado jurisdiction. However, the missionaries to these new fields faced challenges such as the competition from the Propaganda priests, problems of obedience and discipline, liturgical tensions, local caste conflicts, insufficient financial support from the Malankara authority in Kottayam, which all eventually led most of the missions to failure in early twentieth century. Seven decades have elapsed since the last priest in the Buona Morte Cathedral left the declining community of Independent Catholics. Since then that church witnessed the Second World War, the independence of Sri Lanka and the national unification following a tragic civil war. The Cathedral in Belmont street, today in Colombo 12, retains its original name strangely spelt in Italian, but has been integrated into the Roman Catholic Church. Standing in the heart of the vibrant Muslim hub of the capital, it celebrates annually the feast of Our Lady of Good Death on 8 July, and in 2018 participates to the jubilee of the parish of Saint Sebastian Church (est. 1843). The ecclesiastical transitions of the Buona Morte Church can be seen as an epitome of revival and modernization movements occurred in Buddhism, Islam and Christianity at the time of British rule of Ceylon. The twisted history of this church requires a collaboration of scholarship across disciplines, national boundaries as well as confessional definitions, overcoming unilateral and linear narratives. This workshop aims at a discussion on the diversity and complexity of Christianity in Colombo, as represented by the Buona Morte Church, adopting a “longue durée” framework that may link Oriental relics such as the Nestorian Cross at Anuradhapura to the Malankara Orthodox ministry in twentieth century. The presentations in the workshop will offer on the one hand a horizontal, synchronic view of the religious landscape of Colombo including the Buddhist representations of Christianity and the development of the Anglican Church in Ceylon; on the other hand, the workshop will intertwine different historiographies on a vertical and diachronic dimension, ranging from the Roman Catholic Church in Sri Lanka to various Nasrani Christian communities in Kerala, and to the Jesuit Madurai missions since the nineteenth century. The purpose of this workshop is not only to analyze the leading figures of the Independent Catholic movement (whether reformist priests or lay activists), but also to give voice to all traceable members and families who were once associated with the Buona Morte Church. While our effort has a concrete local reference, the Buona Morte Church RHEINISCHE FRIEDRICH-WILHELMSUNIVERSITÄT BONN BONN was also a pole around which thousands of Christian families in Northern Sri Lanka and Southern India rotated, with descendants that can still be found in cities like Colombo, Mannar, Brahmavar, Dindigul, Tiruchirapalli, and Kanyakumari. Through a careful contextualization of the above-mentioned missions, this workshop will try also to bridge the gap between the historiographies on Christianity in India and Sri Lanka, usually studied separately, even though closely associated by phenomena such as the Padroado controversies. Adopting a global-local approach, the workshop will link the historical processes around the Buona Morte Church to phenomena occurring in distant part of the globe, ranging from the Altkatholische Kirche emerged in reaction to the Vatican Council I, to the nationalist Iglesia Filipina Independiente established at the end of the nineteenth century in the Philippines against the ecclesiastical establishment allied with Spanish colonialism. Ultimately, our global and local history of the Buona Morte Church is dedicated to its parishioners in the past, in the present and in future, as well as to all the Independent Catholics in Goa, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu, who had once their spiritual centre in the Cathedral of Buona Morte. This wide perspective is paired by a close attention to the urban evolution of Colombo, and particularly of the neighbourhood of Hulsdorf as a witness to the historical vicissitudes of the church. This two-day workshop is divided in four panels: I. II. Oriental Christianity in Ceylon: from the Persian Christians to the Malankara Syrian Orthodox The religious context of nineteenth century Ceylon III. Churches, cities and neighborhood in transformation IV. Connectivity and globalization All are welcome! Convenors Rev. Fr. Joy Mariaratnam, CMF Mr. Sujith Varghese George Dr. Wei Jiang A GLOBAL AND LOCAL HISTORY OF THE BUONA MORTE CHURCH 22-23 November 2018, Main Auditorium Hall at Caritas-SEDEC & the Buona Morte Church, Colombo PROGRAMME Day 1 9:00 - 9:30 Introductory speeches by H.G. Dr. Yuhanon Mar Diascoros (Kottayam/Chennai) and by Rev. Fr. Joy Mariaratnam CMF (Colombo) I. Oriental Christianity in Ceylon: from the Persian Christians to the Malankara Syrian Orthodox (at Caritas-SEDEC) Chair & Commentator Prof. Dr. Rev. Fr. M.O. John (Kottayam) 9:30 – 10:10 The Persian Christians of the Anuradhapura Period, by Mr. Prabo Mihindukulasuriya (Colombo) 10:10 – 10:50 Was Independent Catholic Church a revival of Orthodox St. Thomas Christians in Ceylon? by Mr. Sujith George (Chennai) 10:50 - 11:10 Tea break 11:10 - 11:50 The establishment of the Buona Morte Church and the spread of Schism to Mannar and Jaffna, - A study from a Roman Catholic Perspective, by Prof. Dr. Rev. Fr. Gnanamuthu Pilendran (Jaffna) 11:50 - 12:30 The Conflict of Rites: the incongruity between the Malankara Orthodox Church and the Independent Catholic Movements of Metropolitan Antonio Francisco Xavier Alvaris Mar Yoolios, by Dr. M. Kurian Thomas (Kottayam) 12:30 - 14:00 Lunch break II. The Religious context of nineteenth century Ceylon (at Caritas-SEDEC) Chair & Commentator Prof. Dr. Rev. Fr. Jayalath Balagalla, O.P. 14:00 - 14:40 The contribution of Colonel H. S. Olcott to the Buddhist Culture in Sri Lanka, by Prof. Dr. G.P.V. Somaratna (Colombo) 14:40 - 15:20 Developments in 19th Century Anglicanism in Ceylon, by Rev. Fr. Marc Billimoria (Dehiwela) 15:20 - 15:40 Tea break 15:40 – 16:20 Behind the Goan schism: A re-examination on the padroado question in India and Ceylon in the nineteenth century, by Rev. Fr. Prof. Rajesh Rosario (Mangalore) 16:20 - 17:00 St Luke of Hulsdorf: Dr. Pedro Manuel Lisboa Pinto and the "Moorish" community in nineteenth century Colombo, by Dr. Wei Jiang (Bonn) 19:30 Dinner Reception 1 Day 2 III. Churches, cities and neighborhood in transformation (at the Buona Morte Church) Chair & Commentator Fr. Joy Mariaratnam (Colombo) 7:30 - 9:00 Holy Qurbana 9:00 - 10:00 Breakfast at Mother Mary’ Convent, Salvatorian Sisters 10:30-11:00 Round-table Discussion 1 “The St Sebastian neighbourhood”, with Sister D. Helen Lambert (Colombo), Dr. Fr. Xystus Kurukulasuriya (Ja-Ela), Mr. M. Ashroff Rumi (Colombo), Mr. Fariz Nilamdeen (Colombo), Mr. Ridwaan Rumi (Colombo), and Mr. Rizwan Rameez (Colombo) 11:00-11:30 A guided tour to the St. Sebastian Church 11:30-12:20 Hulsdorf and its people, past and present, by Mr. Stan Devotta (Colombo) 12:30– 14:00 Lunch at Caritas-SEDEC IV. Connectivity and globalization (at Caritas-SEDEC) Chair & Commentator Prof. Dr. G.P.V. Somaratna 14:00 – 14:40 Jesuit Madurai Mission and the Goanese Schism with special reference to Mar Basilius, by Prof. Dr. Rev. Fr. Selvaraj Aruldoss (Tiruchirappalli) 14:40 – 15:20 From Goa to Ceylon via Brahmavar: The role of the Brahmavar mission in the Independent Catholic movement in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, by Rev. Fr. David Crasta (Brahmavar) 15:20 - 15:40 Tea Break 15:40 – 16:20 The Independent Catholic Movement in the Philippines around 1900 and Its International Connections, by Prof. Dr. Adrian Hermann (Bonn) 16:20 – 17:00 Churches, cities and neighbourhood in the transformation, with a focus on the Orthodox Theological Seminaries role in the history of the Independent Catholic Movement in the late 19th & early 20th centuries, by Prof. Dr. Fr. M. O. John (Kottayam) 17:00 – 17:30 Round-table Discussion 2 “A glocal history of the Buona Morte Church” TIME SCHEDULE Presentation 20 minutes Comment & Discussion 20 minutes 2 LIST OF SPEAKERS H.G. Dr. Yuhanon Mar Dascoros, Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church, Kottayam/Chennai Rev. Fr. Joy Mariaratnam, CMF, Parish of St Sebastian, Colombo Mr. Prabo Mihindukulasuriya, Colombo Theological Seminary, Colombo Mr. Sujith Varghese George, Independent Scholar, Chennai Prof. Dr. Rev. Fr. Gnanamuthu Pilendran, University of Jaffna/St Martin’s Seminary, Jaffna Dr. M. Kurian Thomas, Independent Scholar, Kottayam Prof. Dr. Rev. Fr. M.O. John, Orthodox Theological Seminary, Kottayam Prof. Dr. Rev. Fr. Jayalath Balagalla, O.P., The National Seminary of Our Lady of Lanka, Kandy Prof. Dr. G.P.V. Somaratna, Colombo Theological Seminary, Colombo Rev. Fr. Marc Billimoria, S. Thomas’ College, Mount Lavinia, Colombo Prof. Rev. Fr. Rajesh Rosario, St Joseph Seminary, Mangalore Dr. Wei Jiang, Universität Bonn, Bonn Sister D. Helen Lambert, Mother Mary’ Convent, Salvatorian Sisters, Hultsdorp, Colombo Dr. Fr. Xystus Kurukulasuriya, Maeliya, Centre, Ja-Ela, Colombo Diocese Mr. M. Ashroff Rumi, Attorney-at Law & Notary Public City Coroner, Colombo Mr. Fariz Nilamdeen, YMMA Hulftsdorp, Colombo Mr. Ridwaan Rumi, YMMA Hulftsdorp, Colombo Mr. Rizwan Rameez, YMMA Hulftsdorp, Colombo Mr. Stan Devotta, Independent Scholar, Colombo Prof. Dr. Rev. Fr. Selvaraj Aruldoss, S.J., St Joseph’s College, Tiruchirappalli Rev. Fr. David Crasta, Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church, Diocese of Brahmavar, Brahmavar Prof. Dr. Adrian Hermann, Universität Bonn, Bonn LOCATIONS Caritas-SEDEC, Diocese of Colombo No. 20, Gnanartha Pradeepaya Mawatha, Colombo 8 https://www.caritaslk.org/contact-us/ The Buona Morte Church 108, Belmont Street, Colombo 12 MEDIA SUPPORT The Mar Alvares Media, Brahmavar, India https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdSBuzxR1JXyt0h-kRCSd1A?pbjreload=10 WEBSITES www.sftwrfctry.com/sftwrfctry/buonamorte/ https://www.fiw.uni-bonn.de/aktuelles/kollektionen/workshop-a-global-and-local-history-ofthe-buona-morte-church 3 St Sebastian Parish, Colombo Untitled layer St Sebastian church Bourna Mote Church Contact list of the Buona Morte Workshop No. NAME 1 Dr. Yuhanon Mar Diascoros 2 Fr. Joy Mariaratnam, CMF Prof. Dr. Fr. M.O. John 3 4 PARISH/INSTITUTION/UNIVE RSITY Madras Diocese of the Malankara (Indian) Orthodox Church St Sebastian Church, Colombo - 12 Priest Trustee of MOSC Mr. Prabo Mihindukulasuriya Mr. Sujith Varghese George Prof. Dr. Fr. Gnanamuthu Pilendran Dr. M. Kurian Thomas Colombo Theological Seminary 8 Prof. Dr. Fr. Jayalath Balagalla, O.P. St Dominic’s House, Ketawala, Leula, Kandy 9 Colombo Theological Seminary 10 Prof. Dr. G.P.V Somaratna Rev. Marc Billimoria 11 Prof. Fr. Rajesh Rosario 12 Dr. Wei Jiang 13 Sister D Helen Lambert 14 15 Dr. Fr. Xystus Kurukulasuriya Mr. Stanislau Devotta 16 Mr. M. Ashroff Rumi 17 Mr. Fariz Nilamdeen 18 Mr. Ridwaan Rumi 19 Mr. Rizwan Rameez 20 Prof. Dr. Fr. Selvaraj Aruldoss, S.J. Fr. Lawrence David Crasta 5 6 7 21 22 Prof. Dr. Adrian Hermann Coordinator and coconvener of the workshop University of Jaffna Independent Researcher S Thomas’s College, Mount Lavinia St Joseph’s Seminary, Mangalore, India University of Bonn Salvatorian Sisters, Hultsdorp. Colombo -12 Maeliya, Centre, Ja-Ela, Colombo Diocese 129/7 Janpettah Street Attorney-at Law & Notary Public City Coroner – Colombo YMMA Hulftsdorp – President YMMA Hulftsdorp – General Secretary YMMA Hulftsdorp – General Treasurer St Joseph’s College, Tiruchirappalli, Tamilnadu, India St Mary’s Orthodox Church, Brahmavar, Malankara Orthodox Church University of Bonn PAGE 1 CONTACT NUMBER 0091 9791020730 0094 772207345 - E-MAIL [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] 0091 8754490145 0094 772017020 0091 9447055585 or 0091 9846955585 0094 776425056 [email protected] 0094 777710633 0094 772987642 0091 8495072560 0049 1766778322 8 0094 776399669 0094 775478017 0094 775505059 0094 777573953 0094 773145267 0094 766329791 0094 777864064 0091 9443304003 0091 9448547722 [email protected] - [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] – [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] No. NAME PARISH/INSTITUTION/UNIVE RSITY CONTACT NUMBER E-MAIL 23 Orthodox Cathedral in Kuala Lumpur Malankara Orthodox Church 25 Fr. Abraham Kuriakose Brahmavar Diocese, MOSC 26 Fr. Noel Lewis Brahmavar Diocese, MOSC 27 Fr. Aswin Fernandis Brahmavar Community, MOSC 28 29 Dr. Narme F. Wickremesinghe Mr. Abraham Alex Medical Doctor & Author, Church of Ceylon (Anglican) Korrthmala Parish, Kerala 30 31 Nisha Abraham Mr. Romesh Nonis Korrthmala Parish, Kerala University of Kelaniya 32 Dr. Abraham Varghese St George O.S.C Mumbai 33 Fr. Thomas Philipose Diocese of Bombay, MOSC 34 Mr. Vipin Varghese Representative of B.O.C 35 Ms. Niranjani Roland St. Sebastian, UCANEWS.COM 36 Sister Farhat Younus 37 38 Sister Vasanthini Dicnysious Sister Indivary 39 Sister Ranjana Silvapulle Salvatorian Sister, Hultsdorp, Colombo -12 Salvatorian Sister, Hultsdorp, Colombo -12 Salvatorian Sister, Hultsdorp, Colombo -12 Salvatorian Sister, Hultsdorp, Colombo -12 40 Mr. S.P. Jeyaratnam Pethavalhai Javalai N.P. 41 Mr. R. Jaccovu Serum Parappankandal, Mannar 42 Mr. S. Madutheon Parappankandal, Mannar 43 Mr. S. D. Klintion St Sebastian Parish 44 Mr. S. M. Prakash St Sebastian Parish 45 Mrs. Sherin Sujith 46 Mr. Nimal Perera Madras Diocese of the Malankara Orthodox Church Catholic Church 0060 102317457 0091 8075191613 0091 8861348950 0091 9972699687 0091 9496021530 0094 776654829 0091 9176042288 0094 771531720 0091 9167557341 0091 7875092230 0091 9446994886 0094 724902463 0094 112447507 0094 772490797 0094 112447507 0094 776907487 or 764248152 0094 766593062 0094 779297948 0094 765603290 0094 774977766 0094 776446745 0091 9445001423 0094 777824452 [email protected] 24 Cor Episcopa Philip Thomas Mr. Biju George PAGE 2 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] romeshmadumadawa@yahoo. com [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] m [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] No. NAME PARISH/INSTITUTION/UNIVE RSITY CONTACT NUMBER E-MAIL 47 Mr. Samuel Saju Diocese of Adoor [email protected] 48 Fr. S. J Jeyaraj St Stephen’s Church Negombo 49 130, ? Galle Street, Colombo -5 52 Rev. Fr. Niroshan Perera, F.S.C Rev. Fr. Ignatius Vanukulainghan Rev. Fr. Dushantha Rodrigo Mr. K. M. Mathew 53 Thomas Simon 54 P. T. Thomas 55 Fr. Linu Lukose 56 Mr. Neil D’Silva 0094 777668850 0094 772516970 0094 773448004 0094 773992899 0094 718460111 0094 9444075586 00971 565499309 00966 504496519 0091 8754490145 - 50 51 St Anthony’s Church Colombo -9 S. Paul’s Kynsey Road St Thomas Orthodox Church, Chennai St. Thomas Orthodox Cathedral, Dubai St. Thomas O.S.C., Bangalore-East Vicar, St Thomas OSC Madurai, Coordinator of Sri Lankan Mission The ninth generation of Dr. J. B. Misso PAGE 3 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] m [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] m [email protected] [email protected] A GLOBAL AND LOCAL HISTORY OF THE BUONA MORTE CHURCH 22-23 November 2018, Main Auditorium Hall at Caritas-SEDEC & the Buona Morte Church, Colombo BROCHURE BIOGRAPHIES Prof. Dr. Rev. Fr. Selvaj Aruldoss S.J. [email protected] Prof. Aruldoss, S.J. is the director of the Madurai Jesuit Province Archives at Shembaganur and head of the Department of History at St. Joseph’s College (Autonomous), Tiruchirappalli. He holds a PhD in Philosophy in History from Bishop Heber College (Autonomous) Tiruchirappalli with a dissertation entitled Socio-religious Conditions of Tiruchirappalli Diocese during the Time of Its First Four Jesuit Missionary Bishops. Prof. Aruldoss’ interests include Historiography, Indian history, International relations, History of ideas, National leaders & Environmental studies. Prof. Dr. Rev. Fr. Jayalath Balagalla, O.P. [email protected] Fr. Balagalla is the first Sri Lankan Dominican priest. He holds an STL degree in Pastoral theology, an MA in Oriental religions and cultures, and a Phd in Social cultural anthropology. He is a lecturer at the Joseph Vaz Deva Dharma Nikethanaya and its branches. He is a visiting lecturer at the National Seminary and Don Bosco Chinthaloka Philosophate. He is an author of over ten books on a variety of subjects. The Rev. Marc Billimoria [email protected] The Rev’d Marc Billimoria is an Anglican Presbyter of the Diocese of Colombo of the Church of Ceylon. Trained for the ordained ministry at Ripon College Cuddesdon, Oxford and the Theological College of Lanka, Pilimatalawa, he served in parish ministry before returning to the field of education in 2007 and since 2015 has been Warden of S. Thomas’ College, Mount Lavinia. He currently also serves as an elected Member of the General Assembly of the Church of Ceylon, a member of the Commission on the Future Direction of the Church of Ceylon, a Member of the Standing Committee and Council of Clergy Synod of the Diocese of Colombo and as Secretary of the Church of Ceylon Joint Liturgical Commission. He has been a member of International Commission for Anglican-Orthodox Theological Dialogue since 2012. His academic interests include the study of Church History, Anglicanism and Liturgy on which he has written papers including a chapter on the Contextualization of Anglicanism in Sri Lanka in the Oxford Handbook of Anglican Studies edited by Mark D. Chapman, Sathianathan Clarke, and Martyn Percy (OUP, 2015). 1 Fr. Lawrence David Crasta [email protected] Fr. Crasta works at Diocese of Brahmavar, Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church. In 2001 he graduated from the Orthodox Theological Seminary with a degree in Sacred Theology. Among numerous publications and translations in English, Konkani and Kannada is Fr. L. David Crasta, Rev. Fr. R. Z. Noronha: The Unsung Saint (Uppinakote, 2008). Mr. Stan Devotta [email protected] Mr. Devotta received his early education at St. Joseph's School, Grandpass and obtained a National Diploma in Electrical Engineering specialising in electronics. He attended the technical college in the evenings while working as a clerk in Colombo Commercial Company, a leading company managed then by the British. On completing my Technical Diploma, I joined a company that manufactured radios and other electrical equipment. In 1983, a widespread communal disturbance affected my company. He then became an assistant to their Second Secretary at the Embassy of Japan. His work included speech-writing for the ambassador, as well as IT work and assistance to the secretary in liaising with governmental departments. Mr. Devotta was actively involved in the peace process for about 4 years until the retirement, but he continued the same job in the Canadian High Commission in the next two years. Since then he has worked for a UN body for human rights and then for the Minister of Education of Sri Lanka in private sectors. Now Mr. Devotta is working as an interpreter and translator for the Commission on Missing Persons, an office that comes under the Hon. Speaker. Meanwhile he is active in various church related events. Yuhanon Mar Diascoros [email protected] The metropolitan of Madras Diocese and assistant metropolitan to Kottayam Diocese of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church. He is the Synod Secretary of MOSC. His Grace was born in Kallarackal Kaleelil family on 28 May 1964 as the son of Mr. P. T. Mathunny Panicker & Mrs. Kunjamma Panicker. He is a member of St. Thomas Orthodox Valiyapally, Kundara. He obtained his B.Sc degree from Kerala University(1984), theological diploma (GST) from Orthodox Seminary, Kottayam, Bachelor of Divinity (B.D) from Serampore University (1988), Master of Theology (1991) and Doctor of Theology (1995) from the Pontifical Oriental Institute in Rome. He also holds a certificate in Pastoral Counselling from Glasgow University, Scotland (1997). On 19 feb 2009 he was ordained as bishop by H.H.Baselius Marthoma Didymus I, at St. George Orthodox Church, Puthupally. Mr. Sujith Varghese George [email protected] Mr. George works as Sales Manager in FLSmidth Maag Gear Switzerland, Chennai. He holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Leadership from Henley Management College, University of Reading. Mr. George is a member of the Research Team of the Diocese of Madras, Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church, India. 2 Prof. Dr. Adrian Hermann [email protected] Dr. Hermann is Professor for Religion and Society and Director of the Department for Religion Studies, Forum Internationale Wissenschaft, University of Bonn, Germany. He is author of Unterscheidungen der Religion. Analysen zum globalen Religionsdiskurs und zum Problem der Differenzierung von ,Religion‘ in buddhistischen Kontexten des 19. und frühen 20. Jahrhunderts, (Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht. 2015) and various edited volumes and journal articles. Among other topics of research, he works since 2017 on a project funded by the German Research Foundation: Independent Catholic Movements in Late 19th and Early 20th Century Asia. The "Independent Catholics of India, Goa, and Ceylon" and the "Iglesia Filipina Independiente" in the Context of Religious, Political, and Social Movements of Emancipation in Colonial Modernity. Dr. Wei Jiang [email protected] Dr. Jiang studied Early modern Catholicism in East Asia and holds a PhD in Historical Research from King’s College London. Since 2017 she works as postdoctoral researcher at Forum Internationale Wissenschaft, University of Bonn, Germany for a Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (German Research Foundation) project, on which she is writing a monography entitled The Independent Catholic Movement in South Asia: Antonio Francisco Xavier Álvarez and the Quest for Tradition, Identity, Autonomy in the 19th and Early 20th Centuries. Currently she is preparing for the publication of her doctoral thesis on the Missionary Rivalry in the Philippines, Japan, Macao and China, 1580-1680. Fr. M.O. John [email protected] The Priest Trustee of MOSC from 2017 onwards. The position of Priest Trustee in the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church is of paramount importance in the administration of the Church, together with the Malankara Metropolitan (Catholicos) and the lay trustee. He has been the MOSC representative in Managing committee from Europe and Africa for about 10 years. Church History Professor at Bangalore Theological College and former faculty at Old Seminary Kottayam. Managing Editor for Malakara Sabha Deepam. A renowned scholar in Church History, known for his oratory skills, founder of MOSC congregations in South Africa and Geneva. He did in B.D from Old Seminary Kottayam and the got his M.Th and Doctorate on Church History from Vienna University. Fr. Joy Mariaratnam CMF [email protected] Fr. Mariaratnam is a Claretian missionary working as the parish priest of St Sebastian Church, Hultsdorp, Colombo 12. He is also a lecture of Sacred Scripture. 3 Mr. Prabo Mihindukulasuriya [email protected] Prabo Mihindukulasuriya teaches theology and history at Colombo Theological Seminary, where he also serves as Deputy Principal. He studied theology at Regent College, University of British Columbia (2000) and recently completed a doctoral thesis on the intervention of British Christian humanitarian organizations following the 1915 Pogrom for the Faculty of Graduate Studies, University of Colombo. His conference paper is based on a monograph The 'Nestorian' Cross and the Persian Christians of the Anuradhapura Period (2013) published to coincide with the visit of Mar Aprem Mooken, Metropolitan of the Assyrian Church of the East in India. Prof. Dr. Gnanamuthu Pilendran [email protected] Prof. Dr. Pilendran is a Catholic priest of the diocese of Jaffna and a professor in Christian Civilization and former Head of the Department of Christian and Islamic Civilizations of the University of Jaffna. He was awarded the degree of Master of Philosophy and Doctor of Philosophy by the University of Jaffna for his research on Christian literature and Sri Lankan Church History respectively. He is also a permanent lecturer of Sri Lankan Church history at St. Francis Xavier’s Major seminary, Colombuthurai, Jaffna. He served in parishes as pastor and held the posts of Director of Jaffna Diocesan minor seminary and Vice-Principal of St. Patrick’s College, Jaffna. He has published many research articles and is the author, editor and publisher of several books. Mr. Ismeth Raheem [email protected] Mr Raheem works as a Chartered Architect in Colombo. He is an acclaimed artist, curator and art historian specializing in Photography of Colonial Ceylon. His publications include Images of British Ceylon: Nineteenth Century Photography of Sri Lanka (Times Editions, 2000); Changing Face of Colombo, 1505-1972: Covering the Portuguese, Dutch, and British Periods (Colombo: Lake House Investments, 1984). Prof. Fr. Rajesh Melvin Rosario [email protected] Prof. Fr. Rosario is a priest of the Catholic Diocese of Mangalore, India. He completed his licentiate in Systematic Theology from Urban University, Rome in 2013. Since 2013, he is teaching Systematic Theology in St. Joseph’s Interdiocesan Seminary, Mangalore, India. Prof. Fr. Rosario’s recent interests center on the history of the conflicts between the Portuguese Padroado and the Roman Congregation of Propaganda Fide, on which he has presented recently a paper in the University KU Leuven, Belgium, with focus on the Indian Church in the nineteenth century. Prof. Dr. D. A. Premakumara De Silva [email protected] Prof. De Silva is a renowned sociologist and works as the Dean of the Faculty of Arts, University of Colombo. His latest publication is Beyond the Sacred Journey: Pilgrimage Practices at the Temple of Sri Pada. (Colombo: Social Scientists Association, 2012). 4 Prof. G.P.V. Somaratna [email protected] Prof. Somaratna taught at the University of Colombo for 38 years as Head of the Department of History and Political Science, Professor of Modern History and Chief Student Counsellor. He received his doctorate from the University of London. His subsequent theological studies were in Lee University, Cleveland and Fuller Theological Seminary (both US). He was a Visiting Professor at the Truman Institute of the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, Lee University in Cleveland and Fuller Theological Seminary in California. Prof. Somaratna is a prolific researcher and author of books and articles to academic journals. His most recent contributions have been the Dictionary of Theology (Sinhala, 899 pages), Sinhala Bible Encyclopaedia Volume 1-4, Classical Culture of Israel (Sinhala) all published by Colombo Theological Seminary. Dr. Meladath Kurian Thomas [email protected] Dr. Thomas is a socio-religious historian of Kerala, India, He has transcribed, edited and published several of the eighteenth and nineteenth century Malayalam manuscripts. His proficiency in the area had resulted in paving light into certain unseen areas of the Malankara Nazranis, otherwise called St. Thomas Christians. 5 ABSTRACTS The Persian Christians of the Anuradhapura Period Mr. Prabo Mihindukulasuriya Abstract: The earliest reference to Christianity in Sri Lanka is found in the 6th century Alexandrian Greek treatise Christian Topography attributed to ‘Cosmas Indicopleustes’. This source makes brief references to a community of Persian Christians on the island. The discovery of the ‘Nestorian Cross’ pillar fragment at Anuradhapura in 1912 provides possible archaeological conformation of this ancient Asian Christian presence. However, in 1954, Assistant Archaeological Commissioner D. T. Devendra questioned the reliability of the Christian Topography and asserted that the cross had a much later 16th century Portuguese origin. The matter was further complicated by the publication of Prof. Senarat Paravitana’s Story of Sigiriya in 1972, which purported to narrate the intrigues of a ‘Magian Priest’ turned Christian monk in the fraternal conflict between Moggalana and Kashyapa. Paranavitana’s insistence that his reconstructions were based on a collection of so-called ‘interlinear inscriptions’ deciphered solely by him has been repeatedly discredited as fabrication by epigraphists. This paper attempts to unravel many of the disputed issues in the historicity of the Persian Christian presence in Late Antiquity in the light of recent archaeological discoveries in Sri Lanka and the Persian Gulf. 6 Was Independent Catholic Church a revival of Orthodox St. Thomas Christians in Ceylon? Mr. Sujith Varghese George Abstract: One of the meaning that Cambridge dictionary gives for the word ‘Orthodox’ is (of religious people) having more traditional beliefs than other people in the same religious group (Christians). Though small in number, the St. Thomas Christians are one of the oldest Christian communities of the world. They are also called the Nasranis. They are so called because they trace their ancestral history towards being directly converted by St. Thomas the apostle when he landed in India in the year AD 52. Hence they are directly the disciples of the apostle Thomas who in turn was a disciple of “Jesus of Nazareth‟. One thing is certain that ever since the discovery of, the land and sea routes from the Mediterranean via the Persian Gulf and Egypt to India, there were indeed intense contacts between these areas, from ages unknown. Little is known with complete certainty about the first few centuries of the Indian Church, but it is beyond doubt that there were good relations between St. Thomas Christians of India, Ceylon and church of Persia that existed from very early centuries. The first half of this paper examines briefly about the presence of St. Thomas Christians in India and Ceylon, from the early Christian era till the advent of Portuguese based on geographical knowledge and maritime trade routes; that were available to common people and throws light on a few sources. Second part of this paper discusses and analyses on how the centuries of valuable experience has given Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church (MOSC) the understanding on how to strive as an indigenous independent church and to bring in social change by re-inventing themselves from time and time again when ever challenged, but always sticking to their Orthodoxy. This has helped MOSC to sustain their independence in the ever changing sociocultural and political scenarios. And in the case of ICC these are the qualities what MOSC actually wanted to instill in struggling communities, Build them up, train and finally handover the control to these communities themselves so that they become self-governed and are independently rooted in their own culture and traditions. This way paper tries to answer the question that ‘Was ICC a revival of Orthodox St. Thomas Christians in Ceylon?” 7 The establishment of the Buona Morte Church and the spread of Schism to Mannar and Jaffna - A study from a Roman Catholic Perspective Prof. Dr. Gnanamuthu Pilendran Abstract: The main objective of this study is to identify and analyse the various factors that led, in the first-half of 19th century, to the establishment of the Buona Morte Church at Hultsdorf initiating the ‘Padroado schism’ in Sri Lankan (Ceylon) and its expansion to the North. The Roman Catholic Church considers this event as the origin of ‘Schism’ in the Sri Lankan Mission. Since 1558 A. D. Sri Lanka formed part of the diocese of Cochin, South India, and all missionary activities in Sri Lanka were carried out under the Royal Portuguese “Padroado” agreement between the Pope and the King of Portugal, a privilege granted during the time of the Conquesta. However, due to conditions prevailing in Sri Lanka, Propaganda Fide abrogated the rights of “Padroado” in 1834 A.D. by establishing the Sri Lankan Mission as an independent Vicariate directly under Rome. Though initially all Oratorians in the Mission vehemently objected to this move by Rome, their loyalty subsequently, became divided between Propadanda Fide and Padroado. In the meantime, some lay Catholics had been calling for reform and renewal. But their genuine aspirations were construed by Rome as conspirational and realizing the gravity of the turn of events, Propaganda Fide started consolidating its position by sending more European missionaries. The Sri Lankan Vicariate was, in the meantime, divided into Colombo and Jaffna Vicariates. In spite of many inducements, threats of confiscation of properties and appeals to pledge their loyalty to Padroado and return to Goa, the Oratorians in general decided to remain in the Sri Lankan Mission. At this juncture, the appeal made to the Archbishop of Goa by lay Catholics was met with a positive response: more Padroado missionaries were sent to Sri Lankan Mission. The Buona Morte Church, led by Dr. Misso, was then formally established at Hultsdorf in 1843 A.D. In the Colombo Vicariate, though the Vicar Apostolic and most of the clergy were Goan Oratorians, due to the handling of the critical situation in a spirit of understanding and reconciliation, the Vicariate was relatively free from severe turbulences. But, in the Northern Vicariate, the ‘schism’ initiated by Rev. Miguel Philip Mascarenhas, supported by some Oratorians from the Southern Vicariate caused many relentless problems to Mgr. Bettacchini and his successors. 8 The Conflict of Rites: the incongruity between the Malankara Orthodox Church and the Independent Catholic Movements of Metropolitan Antonio Francisco Xavier Alvaris Mar Yoolios Dr. Meledath Kurian Thomas The existence of the broad spectrum of independent Catholic movements in the Portuguese Goa, British India, Sri Lanka and elsewhere was neither an offspring of the missionary work of the Malankara Orthodox Church nor an outcome of the zeal of a community to embraces the Orthodox doctrines of Christianity. In fact, it was just an alliance for convenience. The victimised Roman Catholic communities in the Padroado – Propaganda Fide conflict needs an ancient Christian benefaction to retain their Episcopal succession. The search of Fr. Alvaris for such a partner ended up at Orthodox Church of Antioch. He was directed to Malankara Orthodox Church in India and eventually was consecrated as Metropolitan Mar Yoolios of India, Goa and Ceylon. The elements like nationality, travel, communication etc. made Mar Yoolios to adhere with the Malankara Church rather than with the Patriarch of Antioch. This was an unprecedented joining and the Malankara Church was not having any amiable system to accommodate people from a different culture and liturgical tradition. It was impossible for the Malankara Church to think about anything other than the West Syriac liturgical tradition that they were following. As the result, tension regarding rite arose especially during the consecration of René Vilatte at Colombo. Later on, Latin branch (as mentioned in the Church documents then) went independently and the sole relation in between was Mar Alvaris. Even after the repeated requests of Mar Alvaris, the Malankara Church was not able to send priests for his mission basically due to the structural bondage of the priest in Malankara with their parish. Nor no new priests were emerged among the Latin branch. As the result, most of the Independent Catholic movements in India, Goa and Ceylon were ceased to exist by the demise of Mar Alvaris. Yet, a few pockets were survived further. There was a migrant Malankara community in Colombo till the outbreak of the World War II. They had priests to minister them too. The war followed by the political changes stopped the migration and that was the end of Orthodox Church in Sri Lanka. Except Brehmawar and Chennamkari, the few remaining pockets were lost chiefly by the abhorrence of the Malankara priests to say Latin Mass. This paper is a survey through various constrains which led to the collapse of Independent Catholic Movements in India, Goa and Ceylon such as rite, administration, communication, priests etc. based primarily on the documents in Malayalam language. 9 Developments in 19th century Anglicanism in Ceylon Rev. Marc Billimoria Abstract: This paper will explore the historical developments that led to the establishment of the Church of England in Ceylon in the final years of the 18th century and the expansion of that Church from Colonial Chaplaincy to Archdeaconry to Diocese and then to one of the first autonomous, self-governing Churches of the emergent Anglican Communion by the dawn of the 20th century. It will show how the Anglican Way was established in its two primary manifestations –the Evangelical and the Anglo Catholic, Low Church and High Church, due to the ministry of the Church Missionary Society and the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel; the development of Church Governance that saw the Anglican community in the island first under the Dioceses of London, Calcutta and Madras with an Archdeaconry and then finally its own Diocese established in 1845; it will show the evolution of episcopal and synodical government in keeping with the Anglican principle that the Anglican Church is ‘Episcopally led and Synodically governed’ with a special look at the ministry of the 4th Bishop, R. S. Copleston,; the process of diocesanization and disestablishment as an arm of the Colonial government; and the famous CMS Controversy of Ceylon between the Diocesan Bishop and the CMS missionaries over episcopal authority and differing principles of Anglican ecclesiology. As the paper will look only at the various development that took place in the 19th century the paper will end with a overview at the contribution of the Anglican Church to the life of the island of Ceylon through its contribution to education. 10 St Luke of Hulsdorf: Dr. Pedro Manuel Lisboa Pinto and the "Moorish" community in nineteenth century Colombo Dr. Wei Jiang Abstract: In the peaceful evening on 1 October 1898, in the middle of Silversmith Street, Hulsdorf, birthday candles were lit in a new residence named after “St Luke”. On that occasion was celebrated the forty-one-year birthday of the house owner Dr. Pedro Manuel Lisboa Pinto (1857-1898), a leading layman of the Independent Catholic Church of Ceylon and a surgeon with origins in Goa and Bombay. A big number of Ceylonese friends, colleagues and patients gathered at the party, eager to present gifts in gratitude of the ten-year medical service received from the Goan doctor since his first entry to the island. The guest list published on the newspaper The Ceylon Independent in the following week revealed a noticeable "Moorish" presence in the evening at St Luke’s, in addition to the names of guests with other ethnicreligious backgrounds, such as the Burgher and the Sinhalese. This circumstance suggests that a rather amicable circle of clients surrounded Dr. Lisboa Pinto, but also that a potential network of Independent Catholics surrounded the neighbourhood of the Buona Morte Church, to which the house St Luke was attached. This paper analyses the relationship between the Independent Catholic and the Muslim communities by tracing the identities of the "Moorish" guests in St Luke’s party. I will further interpret the case of St Luke of Hulsdorf in the social-political context of Muslims in colonial Ceylon, in which multi-religious and multi-cultural societies all endeavoured to revive identities and define boundaries. This paper showcases an instance of inter-religious tolerance in late nineteenth century Ceylon, when Muslim migration started to become noticeable in central Colombo. Moreover, the paper aims to contribute to the public memory of the Hulsdorf district, where the Muslim-Christian co-existence today has become even more intensive, to the point that the ancient Roman martyr St. Sebastian has given his name to a local Muslim Sinhala school. Keywords: Independent Catholic Church, Moorish community, nineteenth century Colombo 11 Jesuit Madurai Mission and the Goanese Schism with special reference to Mar Basilius Rev. Dr. S. Aruldoss S.J. Abstract: In the contemporary world, events and institutions are examined in relation to their origin and development. The two phases of the Jesuit Madura Mission – The Old Madura Mission and The New Madura Mission – had its own opportunities and peculiar challenges and difficulties. While the Jesuits of Old Madurai Mission were mostly concentrating on conversion and spread of Christianity, the Jesuits of New Madurai Mission were mostly establishing and developing educational institutions. Suppression of the Society of Jesus in 1773 marked the end of the Old Madurai Mission. After the restoration of the Society Jesus in 1814, Jesuits came back to their Madurai Mission and that was the beginning of the New Madurai Mission. Priests from Goa were taking care of the Catholics in the Mission during the absence of the Jesuits. When the Jesuits came back to their Mission, they had to face challenges from the Goan priests as they refused to leave the Mission to the Jesuits. Such Goan priests were excommunicated. This led to Goanese Schism and the formation of “Independent Catholic Church”. Mar Basilius (Soarez), the second Archbishop of the Independent Catholic Church troubled against the Jesuits of Madurai Mission and died as an orphan. This article deals with that in detail. 12 From Goa to Ceylon via Brahmavar: The role of the Brahmavar mission in the Independent Catholic movement in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries Rev. Fr. Lawrence David Crasta Abstract: The early written history of Christian presence in Brahmavar can be dated back to the reign of Tippu Sultan (r. 1782-1799), who captured the entire Canara in 1784. Christian captives were camped in Brahmavar en route to Shrirangapattna. Since then Brahmavar has always been a focal node in the historical-geographical constellation of Christian presence across South Canara, leading also the creation of the Diocese of Brahmavar of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church. This was the outcome of an Independent Catholic Movement emerged in 1880s under the leadership of the Goan priest Fr. Antonio Francisco Xavier Álvares (1836-1923). In 1892 after being consecrated as Mar Julius I by the Syrian Church, Fr. Álvares founded churches in Colombo and Brahmavar and then expanded missionary work to Goa, Bombay, Travancore, and Madras. This paper first tries to examine the connections between the Brahmavar and the Colombo Churches by tracing up records of individual travels and communications between them. Then I offer an insight into the Brahmavar Church from newly discovered archives referring to the early development and the multiple challenges that emerged both within and without the Syrian Orthodox Church. Finally, I propose my interpretations on the unique cultural heritage and spiritual identities of the Brahmavar Church being the only Independent Catholic mission established by Fr. Álvares that has survived the last century. This paper aims at a reflection on the Brahmavar Church history in both macro and micro dimensions with focus on the connections, tension and comparability between the mission in Brahmavar and that of Colombo. This paper pays a homage to the founder and ensuing leaders of the Brahmavar Church by reconstructing their visions of the Independent Catholics as a united movement across South Asia as well as their respects to cultural diversity and social structures in each local mission. 13 The Independent Catholic Movement in the Philippines around 1900 and Its International Connections Prof. Dr. Adrian Hermann In 1902 the publicist, folklorist, historian, political activist and religious rebel Isabelo de los Reyes y Florentino (1864–1938) proclaimed the establishment of an independent national Philippine church – the Iglesia Filipina Independiente (IFI) – and named the Filipino priest Gregorio Aglipay (1860–1940) as its first archbishop. In 1903 the IFI received two letters from Ceylon, signed by Stephen Silva, trustee of the Independent Catholics of India, Goa, and Ceylon. The independent Catholics in Ceylon were asking for support and the sending of Philippine priests for their parishes. Focusing its analysis on two early IFI periodicals, this presentation explores the manifold connections between religious, social, political and national struggles for emancipation in the Philippines around 1900. Furthermore, since its beginnings, the IFI understood itself as belonging to a transnational, global movement of independent Catholic churches, was seeking contact with other contemporary Rome-independent groups and was publishing letters it had received in the IFI periodicals. Focusing on the importance of periodicals and newspapers in the entangled histories of transcontinental contacts between indigenous-Christian elites in the colonial public sphere around 1900, the paper thus places the IFI and its periodicals into the context of the emergence of a transregional and transcontinental indigenous-Christian public sphere. 14