| 1.
At a glance. |
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Born
in Verna, Goa on 29-04-1836 |
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Ordained
as Priest of the Catholic Church-1862 |
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Joined
the Malankara Orthodox Church-1887 |
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Ordained
as Bishop at Kottayam- 29-07-1889 |
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Entered
in to the heavenly abode-23-09-1923 |
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Holy Relics
translated in to St.Mary’s Orthodox Syrian
Church, Ribandar- 05-10-1979 |
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Holy Relics
shifted into the present ‘Kabar’ 06-10-2001 |
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| 2.
Childhood and life as Father Alvares. |
Antonio
Francisco Xavier Alvares, son of Joseph Baptista Alvares
and Marino Expectaco Lorenco was born in a pious and
noble Catholic family in Verna on 1836. After completing
his studies in Rachol Seminary in 1859 he left to
Bombay and there he was ordained as a Catholic Priest
in 1862 by Bishop Walter Estin, the Apostolic Vicar
of Bombay. |
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Fr.Alvares
came to Goa in 1867 and resided in Panaji. He spent
his time in serving the poor and downtrodden. Besides
social and charity works he was very much involved
in the field of Education and Journalism. He left
RC Church and embraced the Malankara Orthodox Church
in 1887. |
| 3.
Alvares Mar Julius Thirumani. |
| While he was
a priest of the Catholic Church he was in search
of the true Biblically Christian One, Holy,
Catholic and Apostolic Church. He was against
the false devotion and religious exhibitionism.
He objected to the ‘Concordot’ of
the Pope and interference of the Government
in the Church Administration. He could not withstand
the harassment meted out to him by the ecclesiastical
and civil powers. He went to Western and Eastern
Churches and finally came to Malankara and joined
the Orthodox Church. Being pious and considering
his faith, his way of life and attitude towards
his fellow being, he was consecrated as Bishop
by Mar Joseph Dionesious (Pulikkottil), Geevarghese
Mar Gregorios of Parumala, Mar Paulose Evanios
of Kandanadu and Mar Athanasios (Kadavil) at
Kottayam Old Seminary on 29th July 1889.He was
elevated to the position of Metropolitan (Arch
Bishop) with the jurisdiction of Goa, India
(excluding Malabar) and Ceylon.
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| 4.
Patriot and Saint. |
This
designation was given to Alvares Mar Julius by none
other than Goan Historians. After joining the Orthodox
Church Mar Alvares was excommunicated by the RC Church.
He was persecuted by the Catholic Church and the Portughese
Government. Though he was advised by some off his
old friends to reunite with the Catholic Church, especially
when he was very sick, he refused and stuck to his
Orthodox faith. For the common people he was a true
Missionary, a patriot, and an apostle of charity.
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| 5.
True Missionary |
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Since
Alvares Mar Julius was not allowed by the
rulers to work freely in Goa he was mostly
based in Canara region of Karnataka with the
main base at Brahmawar. He along with Fr.
Noronha worked with dedication to spread the
true faith among the people along the west
cost of India from Mangalore to Bombay. About
5000 families joined the Orthodox Church.
It is a fact which is unknown to many that
he ordained two priest namely Rev. Fr. Joseph
Kanianthra and Rev.Fr. Lukose of Kannamcote
and one Deacon David Kunnamkulam at Brahmawar
on 15th Oct. 1911. The Brahmawar mission remains
still as a symbol of his work. |
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He
was in Ceylon for more than five years. While He was
there he ordained Timothy René Vilattee as
Bishop in the presence of Geevarghese Mar Gregorios
of Parumala on 1892. |
| 6.
Journalist and Writer |
He
started a number of periodicals one after another.
“A Cruz”(The Cross), “Vardade”(The
Truth), O Progress De Goa”, “O Brado Indiano”,
“Times Of Goa” were prominent among them.
Most of them were educative and supportive for the
right of the public. As he was a critic of the Government,
most of them were banned and forced to stop publications
after few years. “The Universal supremacy of
the Church of Christ”, “Antioch and Rome”
were some of the books written by him. |
| 7.
Freedom Fighter |
Fr.
Alvares, was having an independent vision. The Catholic
Church and the Portuguese Government were just like
two sides of a coin. He was against the interference
of the rulers in the Church activities. The section
of the Catholic Community lead by Fr. Alvares formed
an ‘Independent Catholic Mission’. Finally
he left the RC Church. He wanted a free nation and
a free religion. |
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His
‘Swadeshi’ ideology urged him for strong
advocacy for the use of local commodities in place
of foreign materials (clothes, food etc-) and encouraged
people for the indigenous way of life. He was well
ahead of Lokmanya Tilak and all other Indian Nationalists
in that “Swadeshi” Ideology. |
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He
did not leave even the Antiochean Patriarch Mar Abdullah
when he claimed full authority over the Malankara
Orthodox Church in 1911. He joined in condemnation
of the above powers by Patriarch. He did not want
the Malankara Orthodox Church should bow to anybody. |
| 8.
Educationist |
Fr.
Alvares was a great Scholar, man of high principles
and had an impressing personality. He opened a college
where Goan priests were teaching Portuguese, Latin,
French and Philosophy. In 1912 Mar Julius opened an
English School in Panaji. Both did not function for
long, due to one reason or other. |
| 9.
Social Worker |
At
that time Goa was frequently affected by epidemic
like malaria, typhoid, small pox, cholera and plague.
Mar Alvares was every where extending help to the
needy without caring for his own health. He published
a booklet “Direcoes Para O Treatment Do Cholera”
(Directions for Treatment for Cholera). |
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He
was so concerned about shortage of food in Goa. His
Grace appealed to the people to produce cheaper food.
He published a booklet “Mandioca” (about
the cultivation of Tapioca). |
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