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CSI Kattakada - Parish History

Official Website of CSI Parish Kattakada, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala

Official Website of CSI Parish Kattakada, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala
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History of CSI Parish, Kattakada


 

     The CSI parish in Kattakada was established in 1846 by the pioneering LMS missionary Rev. John Cox. The services of the parish were held initially in a temporary shed thatched with wild grass, in Mundapally (Choondupalaka), which was shifted in 1855 to the present location of the church. Some poor backward class people who accepted Christianity were the believers at this stage. They hadRev. John Cox to face all types of oppositions and oppressions from the upper caste people and the landlords, for the freedom of worship.

     Oral traditions has it that Rev. John Cox chose this location as his area of work as he happened to see the paddy fields being ploughed by tying human beings to the yoke, instead of oxen. It was a common sight in our country side those days. But as per the Christian morality of the English people, such an inhumane practice was a crime. Rev. John Cox decided to bring about a change to the pathetic situation through Gospel.

     At the initial stage, Shri. Samiel was one of the leading figures, who worked hard for the improvement of the church. Later, he became a Deacon of the church. In this, he was amply supported by the lower caste people S/shri. Pathros Vedamanickem, Chadayan Joseph, Chadayan Masillamani, Kali Mosa, Kochan Gurunathan, etc., who were living in the church compound where they were accommodated by the missionaries. These people were Dalits who lived on the land owned by the church and involved in work for its progress. When the church was shifted to it present location, the land was covered with thorny bushes. The believers bore Rev. John Cox on their shoulders, as he was seated on a wooden make-shift palanquin, on this occasion.

     The leadership of the missionary inspired the poor people to steadfastly stay on the course of Christ. They gained the courage to tide over the oppressions of  the upper caste people.

     In 1855, the church had 14 acres and 8 cents of land as its own. The temporary shed used for worship was made of mud walls and its roof was thached with coconut leaf. The construction of the present building commenced in 1927. When the old shed was decommisioned, an elementarty school was constructed using its furniture. This was the first school in Kattakada.

   The progress that our parish has achieved over the years has been outlined in the sessions attributed to former vicars. Looking back, our minds are filled with praise for the invaluable name of Jesus Christ, as our parish has remained the lighthouse of knowledge and change in Kattakada.