Devapriyaji - True History Analaysed

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17 DIESTRUCTION OF MAANAVEERA NAADU

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THE HISTORY OF THE FINDING

In and around 1650 A.D., villages appeared above the great red sand hills. According to Alex Muthaiah, Christians built a church in Thopuvilai with thatched roof for Maria Matha. Thopuvilai and Puliyankaadu were the first villages with Christian inhabitants and visited by the missionaries from Europe. Jesupuram, Rammadupuram and many villages re- appeared. Thopuvilai became for some time the center of the missions in that region.⁸

About 1670 A. D., one Gnanamuthu, his wife Santhayee, his sister Arulayee and some other Christians moved from Thopuvilai across the Hanuman River on the west, and settled there. This region is now known as Vadakkankulam.⁹

ST. JOHN DE BRITTO

In 1680 A.D., one day when Santhayee was collecting cotton with some of her kindred in the cotton field, she saw St. John De Britto with white costume crossing the field on horseback from west to the east. The saint must have travelled in search of Christians in Thopuvilai, but was stopped by Santhayee and was astonished to hear that these people are Christians from Thopuvilai. He visited their huts, blessed them and went on his way.¹⁰

In the year 1685 about the month of July or August, Gnanamuthu and some people from Vadakkankulam went to Madurai to meet St. John De Britto and to invite him to baptize not less than 200 people who were prepared to become Christians. Immediately the saint bringing to a halt his journey to Thanjavoor rushed with some more Catechists to Vadakkankulam. And since there was not a church so far, he gathered the people in a Palmira grove, stayed there several days, and after appropriate instructions, baptized them all in the Catholic Church.¹¹

The above details are testified by the following historical note that at that period of time St. John Britto, also known as Arulanandar, traveled on foot, on horseback and bullock cart all over Tamil Nadu: “In 1673 St. John de Britto, a young energetic man from a royal family in Portugal, set foot on the shores of Goa in India. God filled his soul with a great dream project that of working for Christ by evangelizing the people in Tamil Nadu in South India. Desiring to spend his life with the simple and poor people, John Britto, also known as Arulanandar Swami in the Tamil language, traveled on foot, on horseback and bullock cart all over Tamil Nadu and elsewhere. Next to St. Thomas the Apostle, Britto is the only martyr-Saint in India to date.”¹²Source: http://johndebritto.com/feedback.asp

In 1691 about the month of January or February St. Arulanandar, the Martyr of Marava Naadu is said to have visited Peria Thaazhai (Tuticorin Diocesan directory Page, 158).¹³

In 1701 the mission at Nemam (near Thiruvananthapuram) was started by an Italian priest Xaverio Borghese, and in 1713 another priest Fr. Antony Tavares was assigned. According to Rt. Rev. M. Arattukulam, Nemam then counted five churches, three in Travancore (Nemam, Thiruvithankodu and Marugoor), and two in Madura Province (vadakkankulam and Isalapuram). Thus the Christian villages of the South Pandian kingdom were attached to the Nemam Mission.¹⁴

ISALAPURAM (JESUPURAM)

In 1713 Isalapuram (Jesupuram) became the mission center (parish) under Nemam Mission. In the history of Anaikkarai Parish, it is said that Isalapuram had been recorded in the year 1713 as one of the mission centers belonging to Nemam Mission.¹⁵

“Jesupuram”, had been the principal city of Maanaveera Naadu, where the king and his administrative persons were residing from the first century onwards. It was situated half a kilo meter south of Anaikkarai. Until recent times (about 15 years) remnants of buildings were seen there as signs of highly cultured settlements of a big population. When this city was captured by the Pattanies (the ancestors of Misrikan Panisahib), the name of Jesupuram was changed in to Isalapuram, and thus remained until the city was left to ruin without inhabitants.¹⁶ Now (in September 2o11) when the author undertook a personal survey around the spot, he could see no sign of any habitation except small pieces of potsherds spread everywhere; and the area being an unoccupied reserved land.

The Last ruler of Maanaveera Naadu, a Christian known as Anbudaiyaan has been buried in the ancient cemetery of the kings’ families. The ruins of this cemetery is seen west of Rammadupuram and on the eastern bank of the river. The author has seen the grave of Anbudaiyaan together with Alex Muthaiah (in the year 2004) and assured that the year of Anbudaiyaan’s death was 1790.¹⁷

After 1790 when Misrikan Panisahib occupied Isalapuram, the king’s family and relatives, and some of the citizens had to flee from the “inaam land” of Isalapuram. At the death and burial of Anbudaiyaan, his wife took her two sons Thommaiyappan, and Eustace, and went to Azhagappapuram (Kanyakumari Dist.) where already in 1613 their fore fathers had gone and settled.¹⁸

After the occupation of Isalapuram by the rulers of Islam (1790), Anaikkarai became the mission center.¹⁹

PRIESTS WHO VISITED ISALAPURAM

AND ANAIKKARAI MISSIONS

After St. John De Britto, there were several Christian villages such as Sokkankuditiruppu, Chettivilai, Thopuvilai, Rammadupuram, and Changanankulam belonging to the mission centers of Isalapuram and Anaikkarai. According to the accounts given in the Directory of Tuticorin Diocese and by Alex Muthaiah, these villages of Maanaveera Naadu were visited by the following missionary priests until the miraculous discovery of the Manal Matha Kovil in 1799:²⁰

- 1685 – 1695 Rev. Fr. Ignatius S.J.

- 1699 - 1745 Rev. Fr. Xaverio Borghese S. J.

(The founder of Nemam Mission)

and Fr. Desouza S.J.

- 1704 – 1751 Rev. Fr. Antony Tavares S. J.;

Rev. Fr. John Baptist Buttari S. J.

(Paranjothi Nathar).

- 1773 - 1838 Priests from Pondicherri were visiting these villages.

(During the suppression of the Society of Jesus)

THE MIARCULOUS DICOVERY OF MANAL MATHA KOVIL

After the destruction of the church at Kanakkankudiyiruppu and the human residences around, 150 years passed (1649 to 1799). People forgot everything about the church, and no record of any kind was maintained by any one. But God willed to reveal this miraculous church in order to prove to the world that there are many undocumented historical facts hidden under this gigantic sand hill of Maanaveera Naadu.

Vadakkankulam and Anaikkarai were the mission stations looked after by the above mentioned priests until the year 1773 when the Society of Jesus was suppressed.

According to the Tuticorin Diocesan Directory (Page, 167), Vadakkankulam in 1773 came under the supervision of the Arch bishop Salvadore Thoraise of Cranganore (Cochin). Missionaries from Pondicherry came and settled in Vadakkankulam to assist the Cochin mission. At that time Sokkankudiyiruppu situated north of Puthan Tharuvai was one of the substations of vadakkankulam. The southern side of the Lake (Tharuvai), where once Kanakkankudiyiruppu was situated, now looked like a desert full of thorny bushes and meadows of sand hills. By the side of the lake on the south there was a grove of Palmira, Banyan and Fig trees. Shepherds used to take rest under the shades of these trees.

VISION OF OUR LADY

The author has taken liberty here to add up his own imagination to give graphic description to the historic event. The names and dates are his own suppositions.

It was September 8, the birth day of the Blessed Virgin Mary, 1799. A shepherd boy, Savariappan by name, hailing from Sokkankudiyiruppu left the sheep for grazing, and was lying down under the Banyan tree. Suddenly a bright light was shone among the branches of the tree. Hurriedly the boy gathered the sheep and sped towards the lake. Something struck heavily on his toes and he fell. After rubbing the toes for a while, he rushed again towards the lake.

Once again the bright light appeared! A gentle breeze of heavenly music of innumerable angels was approaching! It was exactly twelve noon. A stupendous lightning appeared! Savariappan had closed his eyes. Hearing a sweet voice “my son”, he opened his eyes. Oh! What a wonder! Surrounded by angels Our Lady of Assumption stood before him above the ground. The Mother of God kindly gazing on the shivering boy said: “My son, do not be afraid! Go and search digging the spot where you fell!” saying this she disappeared!

Savariappan hurried back to the spot and saw a stick protruding a little above the sand. With eagerness he dug the sand with his fingers. It was a beautiful cross! Firmly fixed on a solid structure! With all speed he ran to Sokkankudiyiruppu and narrated to the people all that happened. People of Sokkankudiyiruppu came to the spot in a great crowd. They dug the ground still deeper and found out that it was a cross on the font façade of a church!

This marvel of the red sand hill was immediately reported to the Parish Priest (name not known) residing at Vadakkankulam. He was one of those missionaries from Pondicherry who had come and settled in Vadakkankulam to assist the Cochin mission, during the suppression of the Society of Jesus (1773 to 18380). The priest came immediately to the spot. With trembling hands he embraced the cross and venerated the sign of redemption with tears of joy! It was he who inaugurated the great project of excavating the sand hill of Kanakkankudiyiruppu.

No permission or aid was sought from the government. The faith and devotion of the People of Sokkankudiyiruppu alone was his investment. He was struck with awe at the fervor and eagerness of the people. It is true even today that the faith and devotion of the people of Sokkankudiyiruppu astounds the Missionary Priests.

Taking the people into confidence, the Parish Priest came and settled in a shed erected on the sand hill and launched on the excavation with suitable equipments and plenty of people to work without salary.

If this project was not of the Blessed Virgin Mary, millions of rupees would have been required to launch on this venture. But expecting no kind of remuneration, but influenced only by genuine devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary all the children and adults, learned and unlearned, Christians and non Christians of all castes and creed engaged themselves day and night, praying and singing the praises of Our Lady, to remove the sand hill. Hearing of this holy venture, people from the surrounding regions even Hindus and Muslims came forward to work with the people and encourage the Parish Priest. Some rich people came forward to feed the workers with plenty of rice, nuts, grams and pulses of various kinds produced in their farms.

Within three or four weeks the whole church was brought to sight. It was 1799, October 7, the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary, the day assigned by the Parish Priest. All people had gathered in front of the church. They came in procession around the church praying the Rosary and singing hymns and the litany of Our Lady. As they approached the front door of the church, with a roar of slogan, the whole crowd bean to sing the greeting song “Ave Maria, Ave Maria!” The Parish Priest opened the door, saying “Gate of Heaven, Pray for us!”

THE MARVEL WITNESSED IN THE CHURCH

This is a traditional belief (not the imagination of the author). The priest followed by the people with tears of prayerful ecstasy entered the church. Ah! At the awesome sight of the miraculous phenomenon inside, all prostrating on the ground, blubbered with tears: Ah! Amma! Amma‼ Mathave! Mathave‼ For two candles were burning by the side of the statue of Our Lady of Assumption. All these hundred and fifty years these candles might have had generated miraculous light to the sanctuary of Our Lady.

Not only that, but the church was also filled with a sweet-smelling perfume. All were wondering: “Ah! What a fragrance!" There is nothing to wonder, because it is nothing unbelievable. When Our Lady had been taken from the sepulcher body and soul, were not the candles burning for three days? Were not flowers blossoming and giving sweet fragrance?

On the main altar the beautiful statue of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary enthroned in 1542 by St. Francis Xavier appeared as if inviting the people with a smile: “Come, my children”. Holding a scepter on her right hand and the child Jesus on the left, she was adorned with a crown of twelve stars and there were angels under her feet as if carrying her in a chariot made of angels and clouds. Oh! The crowd was bewildered with an ecstasy of delight!

On the right side of Our Lady was the statue of St. Francis of Assisi the founder of the Franciscan order, enthroned by Arch Bishop John Marignolli in the tear 1339. And on the left was the statue of St. Ignatius of Loyola the founder of the Society of Jesus, enthroned by St. Francis Xavier in the year 1542.

It is good to note hear that until the time of St. Francis Xavier the statue of Our Lady on the main alter had been the original one, enthroned by St. Thomas the Apostle during the period of his sojourn in south India A.D. 33 to 72. He must have made this statue during his second visit to India after the assumption of our Lady. This ancient wooden statue was seen on the side alter when the church was opened after its excavation in the year 1779. Since the people of Sokkankudiyiruppu were not very much bothered about the importance of this original one, the leaders of the close by village called Chettivilai, with the permission of the then Parish Priest and the people of Sokkankudiyiruppu, took the original Statue of Our Lady (the date unknown) to Chettivilai and enthroned it in the church of Chettivilai, and it is venerated by the people there with all veneration due to its Apostolic origin.

To testify this fact the Parish priest of Chettivilai Fr. Selva George has given to the author a written testimony of his parishioners dated (Dec.2, 2011) saying: “In the excavation work of Manalmatha church, the contribution of Chettivilai was equally great. And therefore after the excavation was over when the Pariah Priest of Sokkankudiyiruppu wanted to take this statue to Sokkankudiyruppu, they requested it for Chettivilai church and obtained it”. Thus the original statue of Our Lady has been preserved as a precious property of Chettivilai to this day.

From the day of excavation onwards continuously people gathered there to pray and work, removing the land-sliding around the church. And until the priests of the Society of Jesus were once again sent in the year 1838, the missionaries of Pondicherry came regularly to maintain the Manalmatha miraculous church.

DEVELOPMENT OF MANALMATHA CHURCH

AS A GREAT SHRINE OF PILGRIMAGE

In the year 1838 the priests of the Society of Jesus were once again sent to their mission centers. In 1843 Fr. Casthanier S.J. and in 1851 Fr, Verdier S.J., sent to Vadakkankulam as Parish Priests were taking care of the Manalmatha church.

In 1861 Fr. Danish Cushen S.J. appointed as Parish Priest of Sathankulam was maintaining the Manalmatha church until 1880.

Fr. John Mangella S.J.

In 1880 Anaikkarai was made a separate Parish and Fr. John Mangella (Arulappa Nathar) took charge as Parish Priest of both Anaikkarai and Sokkankudiyiruppu. Fr. Mangella had a special affection towards Manalmatha church. He had an unquenchable desire to protect the church from being once again exposed to land sliding or sand storm.

So far it was a hard task for the people every day to remove sliding sands out from the main door of the church. Seeing this Fr. Mangella with an expensive project in cooperation of the people’s labour, built a portico in front of the main door and saved the entrance of the church from land sliding. Thus it was Fr. John Mangella who started for the first time to develop Manalmatha church as a shrine of pilgrimage.

From that time onwards devotees of Manalmatha began to come in great number to honour our Lady and to obtain her favors in times of crisis both in body and in soul. It had become a holy practice chiefly among those afflicted with fatal illness, infected with diseases like cholera and hopelessly abandoned by the doctors to seek the intercession of Athisaya Manalmatha. Those who received her favors came with offerings and money as an act of thanksgiving to Our Lady of the sands. Thus the practice of families and individuals coming and staying there for a week or ten days as an act of penance began, and many miracles were commenced to be recorded.

Lepers, paralytics and men and women possessed by evil spirits whom Fr. Mangella touched and prayed over, were cured through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary. From that time onwards people from around a radius of 80 kilo meters began to come at least once a year in pilgrimage to Manalmatha church.

The above details are recorded in the book “50 years in Madura Mission” by Fr Danish Cushen S.J. in the year 1886: “In the formation of this shrine of pilgrimage, the contribution of Fr. Mangella is immensely great. He loved and cherished this church worth more than his own life”.

Then in 1890Fr. Baumal S. J. and in 1900 Fr. Couthurier S.J. had been the care takers of Manalmatha church. In 1902 Sokkankudiyiruppu was again attached to the Parish of Sathankulam. And Manalmatha church was entrusted to the care of Fr. Soosai Manickam, a diocesan priest, who must have been one of the native priests belonging to the diocese of Tiruchirapalli.

Between A.D. 1912 and 1923 when Fr. Sabatier S.J. was the Parish priest at Sathankulam, Fr. Y. Ignatius, as the assistant Parish Priest with an amazing devotion to Manalmatha was inclined to complete the excavation project and spread the prominence of the shrine of Manalmatha. Therefore people began to call him “Manalmatha Bakthan”.

In the year 1923 the Diocese of Tuticorin became a separate Diocese. In the same year Sokkankudiyiruppu also became a separate Parish. Fr. Dominic (Swami Nathar) became the first Parish Priest. Manalmatha church was maintained by him till 1928, by Fr. Bankaar till 1935, and by Fr. Dominic (Swami Nathar) till 1937.

THE DAWN OF THE GOLDEN AGE

OF MANALMATHA SHRINE

Fr. Y. Ignatius Manalmatha Bakthan

Fr. Y. Ignatius, who from his childhood onwards had obtained the love and grace of Our Lady, regularly visited the Manalmatha shrine offering prayers and sacrifices, and received the gift of vocation to the priesthood. In the year 1937 he came as the Parish Priest to Sokkankudiyiruppu. It is no exaggeration to state that this coming of Fr. Y. Ignatius was the dawn of the golden age for the shrine of Manalmatha church.

If missionary work was to him like an eye, devotion to Our Lady was the apple of the eye. He loved the people of Sokkankudiyiruppu as his beloved children. But above all that he cherished and loved the Manalmatha shrine as his own heart. He prayed to Our Lady and asked her guidance to develop the dignity and decorum of her shrine.

Manalmatha in her turn, rendered her presence and inspiration to him as the “Apostle of Our Lady” to protect and develop this church, built on the same place where St. Thomas as the “Apostle of Jesus Christ” had built the church to Our Lady.

In this perpetual project of protecting the church, Our Lady worked many miracles to give confidence to Fr. Ignatius in his arduous labours. For example:

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1. THE FINDING OF THE MIRACULOUS DRINKING WATER WELL

The first miracle took place in the year 1938. There had been no drinking water available in that sandy hill for the pilgrims who came in great number to visit the shrine. In order to quench the thirst of Our Lady’s children, Fr. Ignatius with a filial right and affection prayed to the Mother of God. Manalmatha worked a miracle by sending an angel to help discover the same location of the miraculous spring, which St Thomas the Apostle found on this spot to baptize and cure his primitive Christians at the time of Gandapparasa. That spring was flowing during the time of St. Thomas (A.D. 36), at the level of about 50 feet lower than the level of the present sand hill.

Now let us hear the story how Fr. Ignatius was shown the location of the original spring by an angel, and how he managed to dig a well in that sand hill, as he himself narrated in person to Mr. Maria Pankiras from Sokkankudiyiruppu, when he was an altar boy to Fr. Ignatius in 1946. The following record written by Mr. K. Pankiras (in 1999) has been kept in the archives of the author. He writes:

“I believe it was 1946, when Fr. Ignatius had been the Parish Priest of Sokkankudiyiruppu. Even at that time, as it is today, every Saturday Holy Sacrifice of the Mass was offered at Manalmatha church. But it would start in the early morning at 05 - 30. And therefore many of the school boys would go and stay at Manalmatha church Friday night itself. Fr. Ignatius would be there seated on a chair on the sand hill by the southern side of the church shaping his beard with his fingers. I used to sit by his side with filial affection and hear him narrating his past experiences.

“One day on such an occasion Fr. Ignatius began saying: “Do you know how drinking water was obtained on this hill?” I became eager to hear the story, and he continued: “Seeing the people suffering from lack of drinking water, I resolved to dig a drinking water well by all means. So in front of the church at about 20 yards away, we excavated the earth. At the depth of about 25 feet, we found the roof of a house. Knowing that it was the roof level of the city of Kanakkankudiyiruppu, the workers felt that to get water they have to reach the ground level of that city, and thence they did not know how deeper they would have to dig out. We became discouraged and gave up the venture.

“I was filled with grief and engaged in deep deliberation. One fine morning a young lad approached me from the west direction, and asked me: “I suppose you are in quest for the proper location of a drinking water well, right? Come with me, I know the location where water is available. With an unknown impulsion I followed the lad without asking any question. He went and stood in a place, sketched a circle with his foot and showed me the spot. When I moved closer he disappeared! With an ecstasy of delight, I called the people and said:

“Our Lady has sent one of her angels to show me the place where drinking water is available. Let us dig here deep until we reach the spring”. With renewed impetus the people broke up the earth to the depth of 50 feet, and water gushed forth.” Father Ignatius ended his story by saying that this water had been called ‘miraculous spring’ to this day.”

“I said: yes Father, I too remember that a few days after the finding of the miraculous water, my father carried me on his shoulders to the bottom of the well through the sandy steps down, and gave me to drink from the spring, saying: ‘miraculous water! Drink’! I said it was very tasty. It is to be noted that I wrote this story at the time of our Parish Priest Fr. Cruz Antony (1964) and it had been published in the daily news paper “Dinamalar.”

Prof. K. Maria Pankiras M. A., M. Ed.

2. CONSTRUCTING A STRONGHOLD

ARUOND THE UNDERGROUND CHURCH

The second miracle was a gigantic scheme of ten years from 1939to 1949. This scheme also Our Lady had inspired to Fr. Ignatius and had it completed.

This massive plan was to farther remove the sand hill around the underground church and to put up a deep and strong foundation, so as to construct an outer church from the bottom. And to construct a concrete roof over it when the level of the outer church reaches the top level of the underground church! And also it was necessary to construct tunnel ways from the ground level to reach the underground church. Only in this way the Manalmatha church had to be protected permanently from being covered once again by the sands.

If only Fr. Ignatius had been anxious how to raise money for this immense task, it would not have been achieved at all. Father had confidence only on Our Blessed Mother.

The work was started under the supervision of the architect Anthony Muthu from Vadakkankulam. Without any kind of aid from the Diocese or from any foreign agency, the wall of fortification was growing up. And that was possible, besides the devout prayers of Fr. Ignatius and the children of Our Lady with him, only by the continued labours, compulsory taxations, ceaseless encouragements and support of the local people as the only promising investment for this project.

The most difficult task was to build up a temporary preventive partition by means of Palmyra trees, bamboos, wooden planks and other materials to the height of about 30 feet, to hold back the landslides, chiefly on the southern side of the church.

3. MIRACULOUS ESCAPE OF THE DEVOTEES FROM DEATH

One day a newly married couple from Kerala while coming out of the church after their prayers and devotions, a beautiful lady appeared at the front door of the church, asked them to stay behind the doors and disappeared! The very next moment the preventive partition broke, and a heavy load of the sand hill fell in front of the church. If they had come out at that time, they would have surely died on the spot.

The report of this event was narrated to the author in front of Fr. Martin Manuel Parish Priest of Sokkankudiyiruppu on April 30, 2003, by an eye witness Mr. Rajaiah, who had been working there as a mason at that time.

Thus the construction work was progressing without any loss of life or misfortune, mainly due to the continuous prayers and watchfulness of Fr. Ignatius. Staying there day and night in a hut thatched with Palmyra leaves, Fr. Ignatius patiently suffered the sun and rain, the insufficiency of proper nourishment, and undertook the administration and direction of the work all under his personal supervision. And since this project was designed by the Blessed Virgin Mary, the offering of the pilgrims were abundantly augmenting and the building rose up 10 feet above the level of the sand hill. Then the concrete roof and an upper church at the west end and a resting place for the pilgrims, all were built within the date fixed the Father.

In the meanwhile Fr. Ignatius became unwell due to lack of rest and medical care. But in spite of his bodily weakness, reinforced with a strange vitality of spirit, he continued to make every effort to achieve a very important mission charged by the Blessed Virgin Mary in that place as shown below.

FATIMA PILGRIM VIRGIN

It was at that time (in 1950) the Fatima Pilgrim Virgin statue was brought to the Diocese of Tuticorin. Knowing the importance of the message of Our Lady of Fatima, Fr. Ignatius wanted to introduce the devotion of reparation to the Immaculate Heart of Mary in this miraculous shrine of Manalmatha church. And therefore he made arrangements to bring a statue of Our Lady of Fatima from Portugal, and enshrined it at the upper church of Manalmatha shrine.

It was the intention of Fr. Ignatius that Our Lady’s “Peace Plan from Heaven” should be fulfilled at this shrine of Manalmatha church, and that every First Saturday the devotion of reparation to the Immaculate Heart of Mary should be celebrated there.

For this purpose he enthroned the statue of Our Lady of Fatima in the upper chapel, and had it blessed and dedicated the upper chapel to Our Lady of Fatima by the auxiliary Bishop Thomas Fernandoon the feast of Our Lady of Fatima in the year 1951.

It is noteworthy to recall here the words of bishop Roach about Fr. Ignatius in 1951: “Manalmatha Church is an ancient shrine. It is Fr. Ignatius that enriched the sand covered church with singular splendor, and made known the glory of Our Lady of Assumption far and wide” These words are recorded in the Souvenir published as the commemoration of the 200th year of unearthing the church.

Again not knowing the importance of this statue and the above said intention of Fr. Ignatius, the people of Sokkankudiyiruppu discarded this Fatima statue and finally put it on the market away in 1999. Now it is under the custody of the author as an object of First Saturday devotion elsewhere.

When all that was destined for him to be accomplished, Fr. Ignatius fell ill, and went to the Rosarian Monastery to take rest for two months. Again he came back to celebrate the feast of Manalmatha church by hoisting the flag on Friday October 3, 1952. On the seventh day of the feast (Thursday, Oct. 10, 1952) at 07-00 am Fr. Ignatius fainted.

Having received the last sacraments through Fr. Amaladas Victoria who was there to assist him, he fell asleep on the lap of his beloved Manalmatha. Fr. Stephandas was there to witness the last hours of Fr. Y. Ignatius.

The Parish Priests who came after Fr. Ignatius

1952 – 1954 Fr. Xavier Mel

1954 – 1961 Fr. Cruz Maria Nathar

1961 – 1964 Fr. Augustine Fernando

1964 – 1972 Fr. Cruz Antony

- Electricity connection on Oct. 10, 1967.

- A large inn for the pilgrims in 1967

- Electric motor and pump set for the drinking water well

- Road construction from Periathazhai, from Thopuvilai,

and from Puthan Tharuvai.

- House for the priests.

- Marble floor for the church.

1972 – 1978 Fr. Mariadas S.

- Construction of the upper church.

- A large stair case in front of the upper church.

1978 – 1983 Fr. Hermes Moduthagam

- The limits of the church properties were appropriately defined.

1983 – 1988 Fr. Xavier C.

- Convent building for Sisters.

- Road construction to Valivilai.

1988 – 1992 Fr. Xavier Alwin

Fr. Oswald Fernando

Fr. Thilagaraj

1992 – 1997 Fr. John Bosco

- The first edition of Manalmatha history

- The new flag staff

1997 – 1999 Fr. Antony Robert

- Construction of the pilgrims Hall

1999- 2004 Fr. Martin Manuel

- The celebration of the 200th anniversary of the discovery of the

Athisaya Manalmatha church.

- Construction of the front façade of the upper church

- The paintings of the history of Manalmatha church

- New altar and statue of the upper church

- Staircase to venerate the cross of the lower church

- Renovation of the lower church altar

- The entrance arch to Manalmatha church.

- MGM house (higher class) for the pilgrims

- Open air stadium

- Dining hall (Asana madam)

- Light and sound arrangements with a generator

- Calvary grotto

- Publication of the “History of Manalmatha Shrine”.

The present structure of the upper church of the Manalmatha shrine is the external monument of the historical mission of evangelization started at this spot by St. Thomas the Apostle and continually carried on up to the present time.

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1. A. Chidambaranaar, “The History of Tamil Sangams”, Pages 173, 174

2. Alex Cruz Muthaiah ibid. Pages, 96, 97

3. Fr. John Bosco “Manam Tharum Manal Matha” page, 5

4. Alex Cruz Muthaiah ibid. Pages, 88, 89

5. Alex Cruz Muthaiah ibid. Pages, 93, 94

6. Fr. John Bosco ibid. Pages, 7, 8 http://www.lowpricedrums.com/video-theme/madha.html

7. St. Louis Marie Grignon De Montfort, “True Devotion to Mary” No. 50

8. Alex Cruz Muthaiah ibid. Page, 151, 152

9. Alex Cruz Muthaiah ibid. Page, 169

10. Alex Cruz Muthaiah ibid. Page, 169

11. Alex Cruz Muthaiah ibid. Page, 169, 170

12. “John De Britto and his Times” http://johndebritto.com/feedback.asp

13. “Handbook of Tuticorin Diocese” page, 158

14. Rt. Rev. Arattukulam, “Latin Catholics of Kerala” Page, 370 to 372

Alex Cruz Muthaiah ibid. Page, 152

15. “Directory of Tuticorin Diocese” page, 211

16. Alex Cruz Muthaiah ibid. Page, 158

17. Alex Cruz Muthaiah ibid. Page, 154, 155

18. Alex Cruz Muthaiah ibid. Page, 96, 97

19. Alex Cruz Muthaiah ibid. Page, 157

20. Cfr. “Directory of Tuticorin Diocese” pages166, 167

Cfr. Alex Cruz Muthaiah ibid. Page, 171