Writings from the dairy of St Dynosius Vattaserril
The Statue of Holy Theotkos, St Joseph and Jesus Christ found at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Good Death
Ajesh T Phillip (OCP Delegate of Indian Sub-Continent & Chief Project Coordinator MARP)
12/9/14
Our Lady of Good Death (Boa Morte), Colombo: Cathedral and Head Quarters of Latin Rite (Independent Catholics of Ceylon) of Indian Orthodox Malankara Church
The church of Our Lady of Good death is the oldest church constructed by Portuguese missionaries in the Fort Area of Old Colombo. During the Padro movement this church community sided with the rebellious group lead by Dr P M Lisboa Pinto and Fr. AFX Alvarez. After 1889 it became the Head Quarters of Latin Rite (Independent Catholics of Ceylon) of Indian Orthodox Church. The Secretariat office was also located in the campus. Dr. Pinto and Mr De Silva worked as the secretaries of the Latin rite. The church was known as the cathedral of Independent Catholics of Ceylon.
In 1892 May 23, the consecration of Archbishop Rene Villate took place at the Church of Our Lady of Good Death, Colombo Ceylon (Sri Lanka), and was done canonically according to the Syriac Orthodox Church of Antioch and the Indian Orthodox Malankara Church. He was consecrated by Archbishop Julius Alvarez I (a Portuguese convert to Orthodoxy from Roman Catholicism and later glorified a saint), Archbishop Paul Athanasius (Bishop of Kottayam), and Archbishop Gregorius (Bishop of Niranam) who was later glorified as a saint of the Indian (Malankara Orthodox) Church.
According to His Holiness Mor Baselius Geevarghese I (Karuchira Geevarghese Ramban’s Diary) it has been mentioned that this Church is the largest church and cathedral of Alvares Julius I. Around 5000 people took part in the consecration ceremony. Fr. L M Soareas, Fr J De Demello & Fr. JtM Alvarez were served as vicars of this church In 1925 St Vattasseril Dynosius wrote a letter to the Parish priest FR JTM Alvares regarding the arrangement of matters after the demise of Alvarez Julius I (Letter book Unpublished). Fr Alvares was the last priest who passed away in 1948. He wrote a letter to Malankara asking help and to send one priest to Colombo. But no positive response was given from the church (Auto biography of Rev. Fr. Dr V C Samuel) After 1940 most of the members joined Roman Catholic Church (St Sebastian’s church), and the area also became dominant by the Muslim community.
But a hand full of families still exist (About 5 families); but seek their spiritual needs from St Sebastian’s Roman Catholic Church. Many of the priests and laymen of Independent Catholic Church was buried in the compound of this Cathedral. The church was definitely under the Jurisdiction of Indian Orthodox Malankara CHurch (Ceylon Blue Book _Census data; 1898- 1949).
Roman Catholics and other Christian denominations moved out of the area due the increase in the number of Muslim population. Moss of them sold their properties for very good price to Muslim businessmen and moved out and other followed the suit.
The Vicar of the nearby St. Sebastian parish priest, still maintains Our Lady of Good Death Church (The Cathedral Church of Metropolitan Alvares Julius), with the participation of few poor Tamil and Sinhalese Orthodox Christians (Independent catholic members) as members of the parish. It has been really hard for the Priest of St Sebastian Church to maintain the Cathedral of Alvares Julius. Divine Liturgy (Latin Mass) is celebrated twice a week and the annual feast is held on 15th of August.
Metropolitan Alexious Mar Thedosious (Bishop of Kollam and Outside Kerala diocese) of Indian Orthodox Malankara Church visited Our Lady of Good death Church in 1938. He started a programme for Bethany nuns and a convent. In 1940 again he visited the church for a second time and celebrated Divine Liturgy.
Further Notes
The Church is canonical because the first Primate, Metropolitan Timotheos Rene Villate of Blessed Memory, was consecrated in Colombo Ceylon, now known as Sri Lanka, by bishops of the Syriac and Malankara Syrian Churches. His Holiness Ignatius Peter III, Patriarch of Antioch, issued a Bull in 1892 and the consecration took place on May 23, 1892. The consecration took place at the Church of Our Lady of Good Death, Colombo Ceylon (Sri Lanka), and was done canonically according to the Orthodox Syrian Church of Antioch. He was consecrated by Archbishop Julius Alvarez I (a Portuguese convert to Orthodoxy from Roman Catholicism and later glorified a saint), Archbishop Paul Athanasius (Bishop of Kottayam), and Archbishop George Gregorius (Bishop of Niranam) who was later glorified a saint of the Indian (Malankara Syrian) Church. The Bull authorizing the consecration was issued on December 29, 1891. Two bishops who took part in the consecration of Metropolitan Timotheos in 1892 are now glorified saints of the Holy Church, i.e., St Gregorios of Parumala and St Julius of Goa.
1890-1892 Support for Vilatte’s consecration came from the Independent Catholic Church of Sri Lanka, Goa and India, through Father Bernard Harding, a priest in Roman orders who had been a missionary there (then called Ceylon) before joining the Society of Precious Blood in 1890. Upon his recommendation, synodal council members were in touch with the bishops of that church and in particular, Bishop Antonio F.X. Alverez. The Bishop gave a positive answer to their request and stated that he had to consult with the Syrian Orthodox Patriarch, Ignatius Peter III, to whom he owed his obedience, and with his colleagues, the Syrian Malabar bishops of India. The patriarch gave his permission for the consecration in a bull that was issued in Mardine, on December 29, 1891, and the ceremony tool place in the Cathedral of Our of Good Death, in Colombo, on May 29, 1892. Indian Malabar bishops, Mar Paul Athanasius (Kottayam) and Mar Gregorius (Niranan, India). acted as co-consecrators. U.S. Council, William Morey acted as official witness. Returning to Wisconsin, Vilatte established his see at Duvall and used saint Mary’s as his pro-cathedral.
Vilatte ordained Edward Knowles on August 15, for an English speaking mission in West Sutton, Massachusetts, Published the book, Ecclesiastical Relations with Foreign Churches, written in collaboration with synodal officers G. Barrette, E. De Bekker and A. Marchand. The document deals mostly with the difficult rapports with Anglican Bishop Grafton of Fond du Lac and the Old Catholics in Europe, following Vilatte’s episcopal election in 1889.
1893 Vilatte wrote and published an Encyclical to Bishops of the Apostolic Succession, mostly to respond to false accusations made by Bishop Grafton re: his episcopate. Opened new parishes St Joseph in Walhaim, Kewaunee County, Wisconsin. Admitted a new Society of Precious Blood member, Louis A. Fournier.
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