St. George church at Thumpamon, consecrated with Holy Mooron on 30th April and 1st May, 2007, is one of the newest churches built in the diocese of Thumpamon. The Consecration ceremony was led by H.B. Catholicos Aboon Mor Baselios Thomas I Bava and assisted by Metropolitans Their Graces Mor Themotheos Thomas (Kottayam & Greater India Archdiocese), Mor Gregorios Joseph (Secretary of Holy Synod & Metropolitan of Kochi diocese), Mor Severios Kuriakose (Knanaya Archdiocese), Mor Theophilose Kuriakose (Seminary & Europe dioceses) and Mor Thevedosios Mathews (Asst. Metropolitan of Kollam diocese). Thousands of faithful from the three southern dioceses of Niranam, Kollam & Thumpamon participated in the holy ceremony.

Thumpamon is a small, but prosperous and picturesque village situated in Pathanamthitta district. The history of the Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Christians in Thumpamon is of great trial and tribulations. Earlier the Church had a much larger representation in the area, but the absence of a worshipping centre here for many decades resulted in the dispersal of faithful. The parting away of a semi-protestant sect in late 19th century and dissidence of a group led by a Metropolitan in the early 20th century resulted in continued schisms in the Malankara archdiocese. These disputes were more evident in  southern parts of the erstwhile state of Travancore which includes the village of Thumpamon. In order to settle the schism in Malankara and to bring back the faithful, St. Ignatius Elias III, the Patriarch of Antioch and all the East and the supreme head of the Syrian Christians, came to India in 1932.  By revoking the excommunication of the Metropolitan who rebelled against the previous Church head, the holy father tried to bring peace in the Malankara Archdiocese; but reconciliation did not materialize because of the rebellious attitude of a few in Malankara.

During his sojourn in Malankara the holy father visited and stayed in many churches; on one such visit to the church at Manjinikkara, H.H. passed through the front of Thumpamon Valiyapally. Seeing a Syrian Church, the holy father expressed his desire to pray there. His Holiness got down from the vehicle and walked to the church, but the holy father could not enter as the doors remained closed before the supreme head of the Church. The holy father sadly and silently went back and on the third day of this event His Holiness passed away unexpectedly and was entombed at Manjinikkara dayro which subsequently became a very famous pilgrim centre and a holy place.

After His Holiness' demise, the faithful who were a minority in the Thumpamon Valiyapally constructed a Simhasana (Patriarchal) church nearby for their spiritual nourishment. But the reunification of the Church in 1960's and the sad events that followed resulted in the forced closure of the lone Jacobite Syrian church in Thumpamon which was built with the sweat and tears of a few faithful, thus pushing the Syrian Orthodox Christians into wilderness once again. The lack of a worshipping centre in Thumpamon since then, was a great setback for the few Syrian Christian families living there. The nearest churches were at some distances away in Manjinikkara and Omalloor.  A church remained only as a dream for the faithful living in Thumpamon and nearby places.

After 3 decades of isolation, the Jacobite Syrian Christians in Thumpamon once again came together in 2001 and formed a congregation with an aim to start a worshipping centre in their native place. In 2004 with the help of a few faithful, a land was bought at Thumpamon. On 23 October 2005, the diocesan Metropolitan His Grace Mor Milithios Yuhanon laid the foundation stone for a new church here and in the next 2 years time a beautiful church was built with the wholehearted support of the faithful; thus begins the history of the present Thumpamon St. George Jacobite Syrian Church.  The consecration of St. George church on 30th April and 1st May 2007 marked a new beginning for the Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Christians of Thumpamon. It is really a miracle that a small congregation could build such a beautiful church in the heart of Thumpamon which would not have been possible without the wholehearted support of the diocesan Metropolitan and all the well-wishers. 

 

Holy Madbho of the Thumpamon St. George Church

 

 

 

Photos of the reception given to His Beatitude the Catholicos Aboon Mor Baselios Thomas I Bava

& Metropolitans who arrived for the consecration ceremony on 30th April 2007

 

http://www.syriacchristianity.info/Photos/ThumpamonChCons/index.html

 

 

 

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