Table Of Content(Life Story of Archbishop Mar Ivanios)
PETER C. ABRAHAM, MYLAPRA
IN HIS MASTER’S FOOTSTEPS
(Life Story of Archbishop Mar Ivanios)
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IN HIS MASTER’S FOOTSTEPS
(Life Story of Archbishop Mar Ivanios)
PETER C. ABRAHAM
Mylapra
Translation of “Malankara Sooryan”
by
REBECCA THOMAS
Mylapra
BP No. 93
BETHANY PUBLICATIONS
KOTTAYAM 686010
2001
IN HIS MASTER’S FOOTSTEPS
(Life Story of Archbishop Mar Ivanios)
Author
Peter C. Abraham, Mylapra
Translator
Rebecca Thomas, Mylapra
First Published
June 2001
Published by
Bethany Publications
Kottayam 686010
Printed at
Bethany Press
Kottayam 686010
Price Rs. 100/-
TRANSLATOR S NOTE
When Peter C. Abraham brought us a copy of his recently
published novel in Malayalam, “Malankara Sooryan” and told us he
was hoping to get it translated into English I decided I would wait
for the translation to read about this extraordinary Archbishop.
Months later when Peter had not found a translator I volunteered to
do the translation myself.
I am very glad I did so. I enjoyed reading the book and translating
it and in the process finally learned about this unusual clergyman.
He was a highly gifted man, an evangelist and missionary who wanted
to change the lives of his unfortunate fellowman in every way,
spiritually and physically, but the strife-torn Jacobite world he was
bom into, and which had nourished him, would not have given him
the peace he needed to carry out his dreams. He would, however, be
able to do so in the Catholic fold, and so in my humble opinion, he
went over, but he could not, and did not, abandon the unquestionably
beautiful form of worship of the Jacobites so he carried it with him,
thus giving a new dimension to the Catholic Church.
I take this opportunity to thank my husband. Dr. V.G. Thomas
without whose untiring patient help I could not have achieved this
work. He chased up words in the dictionaries, and he read and
compared Peter’s work and mine to make sure I had not erred
anywhere in the translation. I cannot thank him enough.
I hope this book will carry the story of Archbishop Mar Ivanios
to the four corners of the world, and young people everywhere will
be inspired by it. I wish Peter Abraham all success.
Valliath, Rebecca Thomas
Mylapra.
5-5-2001
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The Malankara Syrian Catholic Church is seventy years old,
yet one has to acknowledge that no complete and authoritative book
has been written so far about its founding father. A book in English
does exist written by an Englishwomen, Margaret Gibbons, but it is
a little known one. Sadly no one has attempted to tell the story of this
extraordinary Prelate even in Malayalam.
It was against this background then that I wrote “Malankara
Sooryan" a historical novel based on the life of this remarkable
visionary, it was so well received by the reading public, that Bethany
Publications which had published the book soon felt that a translation
of the same in English would carry the story of his life to a wider
public.
I began to look around for someone who would translate this
book for me. Someone who would be able to capture the essence of
my book and reproduce it in English. 1 did approach a few people,
but eventually found someone in my own backyard as it were. I
discovered a retired English teacher, Rebecca Thomas, living in my
own village and she agreed to translate the book for me. I am extremely
thankful to her.
Archbishop Cyril Baselios, has been kind enough to write an
encouraging introduction to my work. In spite of his busy schedule
as the one who directs the affairs of the Malankara Syrian Catholic
Church and as the President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of
India he has never failed to provide encouragement for my work. I
take this opportunity to express my heartfelt thanks to His Grace for
i
his encouragement for my work.
The Bethany Publications, Kottayam has also given me every
encouragement by publishing my works, and in spite of its heavy
financial obligations it has undertaken to publish this translation. I owe
much to its Director, Father Sylvester Kanjiramukalil, O.I.C. for all
the help he has given me. I cannot thank them enough.
I owe special thanks to two other people who helped me
financially with this translation. One is Mr. Baby Thomas
Naikamparampil of New York and the other is Shri Anthony Vaikkath
of Carmel. My sincere thanks to both of them.
I hope and pray that the younger generation of today, and the
coming generations will be inspired by the life and times of this
extraordinary visionary, His Grace Archbishop Geevarghese Mar
Ivanios.
Chari vuparampil Peter C. Abraham
Mylapra P.O.
Pathanamthitta 689671
GREETINGS
(Malayalam Edition)
In the recent history of the Christian Community in Kerala there
is no one who can in any way be compared to the late Archbishop
Mar Ivanios. Not only was he an extremely intelligent human being
but he was also extremely good and kind and was also a saintly ascetic
who gave up all the pleasures of this world that he might live to fulfil
his Master’s Will. It was he who single-handedly directed the course
of the Syrian Christian community in Kerala towards the Catholic
Church, with far-reaching consequences. The process which had
started four centuries earlier and which had suffered a crushing break
could now be set right. The earnest prayers of the church officials
and the faithful for a reunification were finally coming to satisfactory
end.
Peter C. Abraham in his deliehtful historical novel, “Malankara
Sooryan" has given a very good picture of the astonishing Prelate
who changed the lives of a large number of Christians and non-
Christians in Kerala. The younger generation for whom Mar Ivanios
is only a name, should in fact be encouraged to read this book to get
a comprehensive idea about this astonishing Archbishop. And they
should not find it difficult to read it for Peter C. Abraham has adopted
a simple appealing style for his narration.
In our Malankara Syrian Catholic community Peter C. Abraham
is an up and coming writer in the Makfyalam language. My heartfelt
congratulations to him for producing such a good piece of work.
This should appeal to not only our members but to all who desire
reunification. I hope and pray that Peter C. Abraham will produce
more such books.
Archbishop’s House Most Rev. Cyril Mar Baselios
Trivandrum Metropolitan Archbishop of Trivandrum
1st August 1996
