Honnavar
Mission is an organization functioning in the state of
Karnataka., India in spiritual and educational fields
under the supreme leadership of the Patriarch of Antioch
and All the East. The headquarters of this institution
is located in a small town namely Honnavar in North
Canara District, Karnataka. Fr. George Pinto was the
founder of this organization which was established in
the year 1917. Initially it was named as "The Order of
St. Antony" to commemorate St. Antony, and was
registered as St. Antony's Educational Society. It then
took initiative to start schools, orphanages and
hospitals in Mangalore, Brahmavar and Honnavar Regions
of Konkani speaking Christians. Around 32 schools were
functioning under the Honnavar Mission during 1940s and
most of them were taken over by the Government of
Karnataka after India attained Independence.
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Fr.
George Pinto was a towering personality with
farsightedness. He was very much found of the ancient
heritages and tenets of the Oriental Christian theology.
Besides, he was interested in the functioning of the
organization that started by him. with separate and
distinct identity in the places where they were located.
For that he desired a different style of functioning
unlike that of other organizations in Roman Catholic
Church. During this time, Fr. George Pinto eagerly
watched the functioning of the Jacobite Syrian
Christians in Travancore - Cochin region and found that
it is better to establish ecclesiastical communion with
the Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, which paved
the way for him to arrive in Manjanikkara Dayaro, where
His Holiness Mor Ignatius Elias III was laid to rest. He
was ordained as Cor Episcopo by L.L Mor Julius Elias,
the then delegate of Holy Throne. Subsequently the
properties and institutions belonged to the Mission were
gifted in favour of the Patriarchate and documents were
registered accordingly. St. Antony's Jacobite Syrian
Church Jeppu, Mangalore was established in the year
1937. Fr. P. I. Mathews Paduthottathil of Mulanthuruthy
who came to serve in this church breathed his last on
October 10, 1942 and was buried inside the church. Very
Rev. George Pinto Cor Episcopa passed away on June 1,
1954, after completing the eternal mission successfully.
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Fr. John Machado and Fr.
Simon Louise also embraced the Jacobite Syrian Christian
faith. They served as vicars in Brahmavar and Udyavar
parishes. During this period, the migration of Jacobite
Syrian Christians to Malabar region of Kerala started in
large numbers from Travancore - Cochin region. The migration
of Keralites to different areas of Karnataka State started
from 1958. The Jacobites among them had chosen the
agricultural friendly regions of Udupi, Chikamangalore and
Mangalore Districts. Very Rev. George Pinto Cor Episcopa was
a constant visitor to Manjanikkara Dayaro after embracing
the Jacobite Church. His successor Fr. George Machado had
taken initiative to establish a church in the name of St.
Mary in Athiyadi of Udupi Dt, where Jacobite Syrian
Christians migrated. During this time, Very Rev. Jacob
Kureekkal Cor Episcopo was appointed as Director of Honnavar
Mission by Mor Julius Elias Metropolitan. The functioning of
the mission widened to the Malayalee settlememt areas
subsequently. Fr. Abraham Edasserry served as the
manager of the mission during this period.
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St.
George JSO Church, Madhyody was established by them.
Rev. Paulose Kaseeso (LL Catholicose Aboon Mor Baselios
Paulose II) served as the Vicar of the Brahmavar church
for one year during this period. Rabban Abdul Ahad (LL
Patriarch Ignatius Yaq'ub III) visited the region during
this period and stayed along with Fr. Paulose for 3
months in Brahmavar. During this sojourn, once the
Rabban fell down into a pond while going to have a bath.
Still this pond, situating adjacent to the St. Milagris
JSO Church in Brahmavar is known as 'Ramban Kulam' (the
pond of Rabban). Rev Paulose Kaseeso interacted freely
with the local Christians who embraced Jacobite Syrian
faith and instilled a high degree of confidence in their
mind. Fr. Simon Loise, also deserves special mention,
who had contributed a lot of his time, energy and money
to the development of the Honnavar Mission in general
and to the St. Milagris Church, Brahmavar in particular.
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Subsequently, Rev Fr Huriakose (presently H.G Mor Julius
Kuriakose) arrived and served as vicar in Brahmavar
church. In the year 1962, Fr M P George, (presently HG
Mor Polycarpus Geevarghese) arrived to serve in Mission.
The golden era in the history of the Mission commenced
thereafter. The move to evict Malayalee migrants from
the soil of Karnataka was successfully resisted and
foiled by the unique leadership quality and
statesmanship of Fr M P George. The children of the
migrants who were poor and unaware of the vernacular
language were brought to Honnavar by Fr M P George and
instilled them with food, clothing and education that
eventually uplifted them to maintain the main stream of
the society. Thousand of students got the opportunity to
enjoy the care and guardianship of Fr M P George
throughout these years. The names of Very Rev C M George
Cor Episcopo ( Head Master, St. Antony's High School,
Honnavar), Very Rev P J Jacob Cor Episcopo (
Metropolitan H G Mor Anthonios Yaq'ub), Mr. Abraham
Varghese (Retd Principal, St. George Junios College,
Nellyady) and Mr. Chacko Varghese (Retd Head Master, St.
Antony's High School, Udane) deserve special mention in
this regard. St. Antony's Girl's High School Honnavar
was established during this period for the education and
uplifting of women.
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On Feb
15, 1982 the city of Mangalore witnessed the Apostolic
Visit of H.H Moran Mor Ignatius Zakka I Iwas. His
Holiness had offered Holy Eucharist at St. Antony's JSO
Church, Jeppu, Mangalore. This is one of the landmark
events in the history of Honnavar Mission. Very Rev
Jacob Kureekal Cor Episcopo demised at Bombay on Nov 11,
1984 and was buried in St. Mary's Knanaya Jacobite
Syrian Orthodox Valiya Pally, Kallisserry, which was his
home parish. During the period from 1984 to 1989 Very
Rev Thomas Cor Episcopo served as the director of the
Mission. He met with a road accident and succumbed to
the injuries on Oct 31, 1989 and was buried inside St.
Antony's JSO Church, Jeppu, Mangalore. During this
period 1989 - 90, LL Mor Osthatheos Benyamin Joseph
served as the acting Director of the Mission.
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On May
27, 1990 Ver Rev M P George Cor Episcopo was ordained as
the Metropolitan of EAE and conferred the name Mor
Polycarpus Geevarghese by HH Mor Ignatius Zakka I Iwas.
The additional charge of Honnavar Mission was also given
to Mor Polycarpus. Thereafter new priests were ordained
and regular Sunday services were started in almost all
the churches under the Mission. Very Rev P J Jacob Cor
Episcopo (Metropolitan Mor Anthonios Yaq'ub), Fr Jacob
Markose ( Metropolitan Mor Chrisostomos Markose), Fr
Ullas Varkey ( Metropolitan Mor Irenios Paulose) and Fr
Mathew John served as managers of the Mission under the
directorship of Mor Polycarpus. Rev Fr Simon Louis, Rev
Fr Abraham Edasserril, Rev Fr John Machado, Rev Fr
Philip Pallichira, Rev Fr John Abraham, Rev Fr P K
Abraham, Rev Fr Kuriakose Kavanattel, Very Rev C M
George Cor Episcopo, Rev Fr Scaria Joseph and Rev Fr
Sunny John served the Honnavar Mission during these
years along with the other dignitaries mentioned above.
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There
were certain attempts to topple the Honnavar Mission by
certain miscreants during the previous years. The
defectors from the Jacobite Syrian faith had instituted
legal proceedings before the court of law which
ultimately resulted in favour of the Supreme power of
the Patriarch of Antioch over the Mission as envisaged
in the land mark judgement of the Hon Supreme Court of
India in 1995. The contributions of Mor Polycarpus
Geevraghese, Late Chevalier C P Varghese and his son
Chev. Dr. Joe Varghese deserve special mention in this
regard. HH the Patriarch ordained Very Rev P J Jacob Cor
Episcopo as Auxiliary Metropolitan of Honnavar Mission
and conferred the name Mor Anthonios Yaq'ub, which will
pave the way for the flourishing of the activities of
the Honnavar Mission and will ultimately result in
strengthening the bondage of thousands of laities to the
Holy Throne of Antioch. It is hoped that in future the
Honnavar Mission will be able to utilize immovable
properties measuring around 20 acres that locate in and
around the city of Mangalore, Brahmavar and Honnavar for
the spiritual, cultural and educational uplifting of the
Jacobite Syrian Christians and thereby result in pride
and glory to the ancient Jacobite Syrian Christian
Church in India.
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