Diocese of Kanyakumari of the Church of South India

The Diocese of Kanyakumari is one of the 24 dioceses under the Church of South India. The diocese was constituted on 2 June 1959.

History

Maharasan, a devout Hindu, longing to find peace took a pilgrimage on foot to the temple at Chidambaram. On his return, this disappointed seeker from Mylaudy – a village 4.5 miles northwest of Kanyakumari – had a vision that changed his course. On an eventful Sunday in the year 1799, Maharasan heard Rev. J.C. Kohlhoff proclaim the words of life. In a short time he received baptism at Tanjore and returned to Mylaudy and took the name Vedhamanickam.
His steadfast faith and ceaseless toil won many to Christ. In need of an experienced person to guide his flock. Vedhamanickam requested Kohlhoff to send them a missionary. In response to his request, a German missionary, Rev. William Tobias Ringeltaube came to Mylaudy, which was then part of the princely state of Travancore.

Over a period of ten years (1806-1816), through opposition, sickness and loneliness, Ringeltaube succeeded in building the mission on a firm foundation. The first church was built at Mylaudy in September 1809 and converts were baptized. Schools and churches were established in six more villages. Thus the Mylaudy Mission began to take shape.

A large church was built in Nagercoil, which later became the home church of the diocese. The mission was shifted from Mylaudy to Nagercoil, which is 19 kilometers from Kanyakumari.  A seminary established in Nagercoil, trained young men to become church workers.  Wives of the missionaries trained girls in skills like lace making and embroidery.  Boarding schools were started for girls and education for women gained momentum. Even non-Christian boys and girls received education. A printing press was started in 1821 and by 1838 a medical wing of the mission was established.
 
Travancore was caste-ridden and those who belonged to lower castes were ruthlessly denied education, choice of vocation and even dignity. Further, they were oppressed with heavy taxes. The gospel and education offered to the lower castes helped them to break some of the fetters that had bound the men and women for centuries. Through the tireless efforts of the missionaries with the help of the British rulers, slavery was abolished. 
 
Under the guidance of the London Mission Society, 32 churches in South Travancore became pastorates and native pastors were ordained in 1866. In 1874, the South Travancore Church Council was formed and when the Congregational and Presbyterian Missions united in 1908, it became part of South India United Church.  With this unification, negotiations were made with Anglicans and the Methodists for a wider union.

The Travancore Church Council in 1946 endorsed the wider union. South Travancore became a diocese of this United Church. The South Travancore Diocese bifurcated into South Kerala Diocese and Kanyakumari Diocese in June 1959. The Diocese of Kanyakumari consisted of 40 Presbyters and 277 congregations including the two congregations of the Thirunelveli Revenue District, Kannangulam and Levinchipuram at the time of formation.

Present status
The diocese boasts of having the largest membership under its belt with a headcount of 4,91,762 people and is tagged as one of the well administered diocese in India with assets, funds and savings running up to Rs. 600 crores. The diocese is credited with managing various Mission hospitals, schools and reputable colleges built in the early 1800s. This mission to provide health and education has touched and empowered lakhs of lives.

Notable churches

C.S.I. Pastorate Church, Pulippunam
C.S.I. Christcoil Church, Pillaiyadi
C.S.I. Home Church, Nagercoil
C.S.I. Mead Memorial Church, Kotticode
C.S.I. Pastorate Church, Koduppaikuzhi
C.S.I. District Church, Kaliyancaud
C.S.I. Pastorate Church Maruthoorkurichy
C.S.I. Pastorate Church, Painkulam
C.S.I. Pastorate Church, Paloor
C.S.I. District Church Maruthancode 
C.S.I. Easanthimangalam

C.S.I. Lewis Memorial District Church, Santhapuram 
C.S.I. Hacker Memorial District Church Moolachel 
C.S.I. Marthandam District Church
C.S.I. Kodiyoor District Church
C.S.I. Kulasekharam District Church
C.S.I. Neyyoor District Church
C.S.I. Kottaram District Church
C.S.I. Thittuvilai District Church

C.S.I. Nesamony Nagaer, Nagercoil
C.S.I. District Church, Irenepuram
C.S.I. District Church, Venkanji
C.S.I. District Church, Eathavilai
C.S.I. Christucoil District Church Palliyadi
C.S.I. Church, Easanthimangalam
C.S.I. Church, Ettamadai
C.S.I. Church, Sahayanagar
C.S.I. Chellamkonam Church, Kappiyarai
C.S.I. District Church, Kadamalaikuntu
C.S.I. Puliyadi church, Arumanalloor.

Bishops of the diocese
 Rt Rev I.R.H. Gnanadason (1959 -1973).
 Rt Rev C. Selvamony (1973-1979).
 Rt Rev G. Christdhas (1980-1997).
 Rt Rev M.I. Kesari (1997-2000).
 Rt Rev G. Devakadasham (2000-2018).
 Rt Rev Dr. A. R. Chelliah (2019- till date).

See also
 Church of South India
 Madurai-Ramnad Diocese
 Thoothukudi-Nazareth Diocese
 Diocese of Madras
 Trichy-Tanjore Diocese
 Diocese of Coimbatore
 Christianity in Tamil Nadu
 Church of North India
 Christianity in India

References

External links
 CSI Kanyakumari Diocese

Kanyakumari
Category:Christianity in Tamil Nadu
Kanyakumari
Category:Christian organizations established in 1959
Category:1959 establishments in India