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| 10.An
Apostle of Charity |
| Though Portuguese
Government dubbed him as a traitor, later
he was considered by them and by all the Goans
as an ‘Apostle of Charity’. In
1871 he started a Charitable Association in
Panaji to render help to the poor, beginning
with wandering beggars. After few years he
extended the Association to other cities in
Goa. During the last ten years of his life
he concentrated his activities in Panaji.
His home for the poor was having lepers, T.B
patients, scavengers, beggars and all other
destitutes as inmates. Since he was not having
any income he was forced to beg with a bowl
in his one hand and a staff in the other hand
for support. One day Mar Alvares requested
a shop keeper for contribution. Instead of
giving any money, the arrogant fellow spat
in the bowl. Without getting angry His Grace
told to him “All right, I shall keep
this for me. Now, give something for the poor”.(He
was very much ahead of Mother Teresa in that
respect). By seeing the dedication and determination
of the Arch Bishop the shop keeper contributed
generously. |
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| 11.
Martyr |
Mar
Alvares was having a firm faith in the Orthodox Church.
Leaving his fortune in the Catholic Church, he embraced
the Orthodox Church. He was excommunicated and persecuted.
He was falsely abdicated, arrested, stripped off his
Episcopal vestments and taken through the street,
only with his underwear, to the police lockup. There
he was put in a filthy room without a bed or chair
wherein the floor smelt of urine and faeces. He was
also forcibly deprived off his cross and the ring,
the episcopal insigne he was wearing. He was beaten
and presented in the Court. But the Government could
not prove the allegations and he was acquitted. After
few days he was caught again on alleged charges of
high treason but this time too the Justice found him
innocent. He was not allowed to use his Episcopal
Vestments till his death; he used only a black robe.
When His Grace was persecuted, none of the Orthodox
Church People were nearby. He suffered alone as forsaken
by everybody; just like his own Master, Jesus. As
a true Christian, Alvares Mar Julius Metropolitan
suffered like the Disciples and Martyrs of the early
Christianity. |
| 12.
Last days and funeral |
| His last days
were in Ribandar Hospital at the mercy of a
charitable institution, fighting against dysentery
at the old age. It was his wish to be buried
by any Orthodox designates but he was specific
not to have any Catholic priest for the same.
He breathed his last on 23rd Sept. 1923. Since
he was a well known journalist and social worker,
he had a number of friends. The citizen committee
lead by the Chief Justice, arranged to give
a grand funeral to this Patriot and Saint. His
body was kept in state in the Municipal Hall
for 24 hours to enable the people to pay homage.
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| All
the News papers were full of articles and homage about
the departed. Though Alvares Mar Julius was considered
by the Government and the Roman Catholic Church as
an enemy, the Governor General sent his representative
to pay tribute to him. Thousands of people especially
poor and beggars paid their last respects. Funeral
speeches were made by high dignitaries. The funeral
procession winding all the main roads of Panaji was
taken and the body was laid to rest in the secluded
corner (‘Themmadikkuzhi’) of St. Inez
(Panaji) cemetery on 24th Sept 1923 without any funeral
rites. |
| 13.
Sepulcher of Mar Alvares |
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|
After
four years (23-09-1927) his bones were collected
by his friends and admirers, kept in a lead
box, buried in the same place, laid a marble
slab with the inscription “Em Memoria
De Padre Antonio Francisco Xavier Alvares,
Diue Foimui Humanitario Missionario E Um Grade
Patriota”(Padre Alvares a great Humanitarian
Missionary and a great Patriot) and erected
a big Cross. This is still the biggest Cross
in that Cemetery. |
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| For forty
long years nobody visited the grave. Nobody
knew where he was buried. But a jewel could
not be hidden for long. His Grace Mathews
Mar Athanasios, the then Metropolitan of out
side Kerala Diocese (Later His Holiness Baselios
Marthoma Mathews First) during his visit to
Goa in 1967, after a lot of enquiries, found
out the Tomb. It was a coincidence that the
first Holy ‘Qurbana” of Orthodox
Church was conducted by His Grace in the St.
Inus Church where the Late Alvares Mar Julius
was laid to rest. As per his and the Panaji
Orthodox Parishners’ wishes, a small
Church was constructed in Ribandar and the
Holy Relics were translated to the Church
by His Grace Philipose Mar Theophilose, the
Diocesan Metropolitan Of Bombay on 5th October
1979.
When the St. Mary’s Church was reconstructed
in the same place, the Holy Relics were shifted
to the present Sepulcher which was specially
made on the side of the ‘Madbaha’,
by the Catholicos of the Malankara Orthodox
Church H.H Moran Mar Baselios Mathews II on
06th October 2001.
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| 14.
‘Shradha Perunnal’ |
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The
St. Mary’s Orthodox Syrian Church, Ribandar,
Panaji celebrates his Shradha Perunnal every
year in September, during the week falling
23rd to honor this great Apostle of charity
and Martyr. A large number of people are blessed
through his intercession. So many visit his
Kabar everyday with prayers and offertory
seeking blessings and favours. |
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Except
in the first few centuries of Christianity, the Church
never had such a missionary worker as Alvares Mar
Julius. Nobody might have suffered like Mar Alvares,
who was chased from his home state, arrested on fabricated
charges, paraded nakedly through streets, beaten,
jailed, produced to the Court, forced to beg for the
poor and the needy, buried in the ‘Themmadikkuzhi’
etc.
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Who
else was described as a pious priest, a zealous Missionary,
prolific writer, a powerful orator, a militant Journalist,
a selfless Philanthropist, a noted educationist, a
dedicated Social Worker, a daring Revolutionary, an
alert Political Activist, over and above an Apostle
of Charity. Truly he was a Martyr of Orthodox Church
in India. He was a living stone used in the building
of the spiritual temple, made himself as a Holy High
Priest. His life was sacrificed to God. He is truly
a Holy Saint. |
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“THE
MEMORY OF THE RIGHTEOUS IS A BLESSING” (PROV.
10:7)
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