Trichy-Tanjore Diocese of the Church of South India

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The CSI Tiruchirappalli-Thanjavur Diocese
Location
CountryIndia
Ecclesiastical provinceThe Church of South India
HeadquartersCSI Tiruchirappalli-Thanjavur Diocesan Office, Allithurai Road, Puthur, Tiruchirappalli, Tamilnadu, India - 620 017.
Statistics
Members88,831 (as of 2000)
Information
Secular priests100+
Current leadership
BishopDhanraj Chandrasekaran
Website
http://www.trichytanjore.csi1947.com/

The CSI Tiruchirappalli Thanjavur Diocese (தென்னிந்திய திருச்சபை, திருச்சிராப்பள்ளி-தஞ்சாவூர் பேராயம்) is a diocese of Church of South India in Tamil Nadu state of India. The diocese is one among the 24 dioceses of Church of South India and was one of the first 14 dioceses to be formed at the inaugural of the Church of South India in 1947.

About the diocese

The diocese spreads over the

Ariyalur District and part of the Union Territory of Puducherry & Karaikal. For administration purposes the diocese is subdivided into eight District Church Councils(DCC) - Thanjavur DCC, Tiruchirappalli DCC, Perambalur-Collidam DCC, Karur DCC, Dharapuram DCC, Udumalaipettai DCC, Tharangambadi-Nagapattinam DCC and the Anaimalai Hills DCC. The diocese had a membership of 88,831 in 2000 and the mission in the diocese is carried through 100+ ordained pastors along with a bishop. The diocese has a partnership with Leicester in The United Kingdom
. Empowerment of women and Dalits is the main thrust of the diocese.

Ministry

The diocese does Education Ministry, Hospital Ministry, Tribal Welfare Ministry, Mission and Evangelisation Ministry and Ministry among women. Education Ministry: The diocese has 52 primary schools, 2 high schools, 17 higher secondary schools (including St.Peter's Higher Secondary School, Thanjavur, which taught English to Indians for the first time in India since 1784, St.John's Vestry Higher Secondary School and Bishop Heber Higher Secondary School, Teppakulam, Tiruchirappalli in education service since 1763 and 1762 respectively), 2 nursing schools, 1 industrial training centre and 5 colleges specialised in Arts & Science, Management, Nursing & Community Welfare (including Bishop Thorp College, Dharapuram, the first self-financing college in Tamil Nadu State). All institutions of this diocese are religious minority educational institutions. These institutions are some of the earliest institutions of the Tamil Nadu state started by the then missionaries with a highly dedicated sacrifice and a vision of super quality education in the area wherever they are located. Most of these institutions are residential. Hospital Ministry: The diocese has 2 general hospitals; The CSI Mission General Hospital is located in Uraiyur, Tiruchirappalli and the CSI Dr.Anne Booth Mission Hospital in CSI Mission Compound, Dharapuram. These hospitals are multi-speciality hospitals on service committed and dedicated to the glory of God through the ministry of healing with modern facilities, infrastructure, dedicated management and staff. Tribal Welfare Ministry: The diocese operates Tribal Welfare programmes in the tribal area whichever is located in the jurisdiction of the diocese. Mission and Evangelisation Ministry: The diocese does a Mission and Evangelisation programme within the limit of the diocese's territories. Ministry among women: Having the motto of empowering women in the diocese, the diocese operates various programmes and welfare measures for the development of the lifestyle and social status of the women. Diocesan Press and Book: The diocese has its own printing press at Uraiyur, Tiruchirappalli; where they print all their reading materials. They also publish a book called "Thiruchabai Malar" (திருச்சபை மலர்) on every month which is circulated internally.

Officers of the Council

The diocese is headed by a bishop, who is an elected presbyter through the Diocesan Council. He is considered the head of the diocese and all the institutions belonging to the diocese. Other than the Bishop as the head of all, the Clerical Secretary position takes care of the Pastoral & Evangelical workers in the diocese, the Lay Secretary position takes care of all the Lay Workers in the diocese, the Educational Secretary position takes care of all Educational Institutions and the workers of those institutions and as usual of all the organisations, this diocese also has a position for the Diocesan Treasurer to manage all the incomes and expenditures of the diocese.

Bishops of the diocese and their tenure

Following is the list of bishops who served in the Diocese.

Edgar Bentley Thorp (1947-1962)

Edgar Bentley Thorp

Wesleyan

Methodist majority in the diocese. He died at Prestatyn
on 1 September 1991.

Bishop Thorp Arts and Science College in Dharapuram is named in his remembrance. Also, the diocese has named a lot of constructions in some of its institutions in his remembrance. For example, Thorp Block at Bishop Heber Higher Secondary School in 2001 Puthur, Tiruchirappalli, Bishop Thorp hostel for women at Bishop Heber College 2008 Tiruchirappalli and Bishop Thorp Memorial Church at Chinnaputhur Pastorate in Dharapuram, 2014 Ammapatti village.

David Chellappa (1962-1964) (Interim)

David Chellappa

David Chellappa (1905–1964), the first Indian Bishop of the

United States of America, the famous Hope College, Holland, Michigan State, conferred a honorary Doctor of Divinity
[D.D] degree on Chellappa. He was guiding the diocese as an "interim Bishop" till 7 February 1964 and died the same year on August 25.

Solomon Doraiswamy (1964-1982)

consecration
to Doraiswamy as they were not arranged on time.

During the fourteenth

Tiruchirapalli. The Senate of Serampore College (University) awarded an honorary doctorate degree to Doraiswamy in 1981. C.S.I. Bishop Solomon Doraisawmy College of Arts and Science in Karur
is named in his remembrance. He retired at his 65th age in 1982.

Rajamanickam Paulraj (1982-1998)

R. Paulraj

Rajamanickam Paulraj was elected and consecrated as the third Bishop of the Tiruchirappalli Thanjavur diocese on 21 January 1982. He guided the diocese for 16 years. A scholar and a bishop who was awarded three doctorates. He was actively involved in the CSI Synod as a bishop and was elected to serve as the Deputy Moderator of the Church of South India for the term 1994 – 1996 during the twenty-fourth Church of South India Synod held in January 1994 at the Bishop Heber College, Tiruchirappalli. Considering the need for higher education in Dharapuram area, he took great efforts to start "Bishop Thorp College" affiliated to the Bharathiar University, Coimbatore in 1984 – under the C.S.I Tiruchirappalli Thanjavur Diocese. Thus "Bishop Thorp College" emerged as the "First Self-Financing College" in the state of Tamil Nadu. He died on 18 January 2016.

Daniel James Seenivasan (1998 - 2008)

Daniel James Seenivasan was elected and consecrated as the fourth Bishop of the Tiruchirappalli Thanjavur diocese at Bishop Heber College campus in 1998. He guided the diocese in this capacity for 10 years. He retired at his 65th age in 2008.

Gnanamuthu Paul Vasantha Kumar (2008 - 2018)

Gnanamuthu Paul Vasantha Kumar was enthroned as the fifth Bishop of the Tiruchirappalli Thanjavur diocese in the year 2008. He guided the diocese in this capacity for 10 years till he retired at his 67th age.

Dhanraj Chandrasekaran (2018 - 2024)

Dhanraj Chandrasekaran has been elected and consecrated as the sixth bishop of the diocese. He was consecrated by Thomas Kanjirappally Oommen, the Moderator of the Church of South India and bishop in Madhya Kerala Diocese, on 28 May 2018 at St. Luke's Church, Bishop Heber College in Tiruchirappalli. One of his achievements was the C.S.I. Bishop Solomon Doraisawmy College of Arts and Science, Karur. He started this college on 22.06.2022, in memory of the former Moderator of the Church of South India and second Bishop of the diocese Solomon Doraiswamy.[citation needed]

Theological education

The diocese recognises theological degrees granted by institutions affiliated with the Board of Theological Education of the Senate of Serampore College. These might include:

List of Pastorates in Tiruchirappalli Thanjavur Diocese

List of Pastorates in Anaimalai (Valparai) DCC

  • Anaimudi Pastorate
  • Henry Edwin Bleby Pastorate
  • Iyerpadi Pastorate
  • Karumalai Pastorate
  • Mudis Pastorate
  • Nadumalai Pastorate
  • Sholayar Nagar Pastorate
  • Sirukundra Pastorate
  • Valparai Pastorate
  • Vellonie Pastorate
  • Waterfalls Pastorate

List of Pastorates in Dharapuram DCC

List of Pastorates in Karur DCC

List of Pastorates in
Kollidam
DCC

List of Pastorates in Thanjavur DCC

List of Pastorates in Tharangambadi-Nagapattinam DCC

List of Pastorates in Tiruchirappalli DCC

  • All Saints Church & Pastorate
  • Bethel Church & Pastorate
  • Christ Church GOC. North – D & Pastorate
  • Emmanuel Church & Pastorate
  • Holy Trinity Church, Kattur & Pastorate
  • Manapparai Pastorate
  • OFT Church & Pastorate
  • Redeemer's Church & Pastorate
  • St. Andrew's Church & Pastorate
  • St. Christopher's Church & Pastorate
  • St. Mathew's Church & Pastorate
  • St. John's Church & Pastorate
  • Luke's Church & Pastorate (Bishop Heber College Chapel, Tabernacle of Testimony)
  • St. Marks, Karumandapam Pastorate
  • St. Paul's Church & Pastorate
  • St. Peter's GOC Church & Pastorate
  • St. Thomas Church & Pastorate
  • The Fort Christ Church & Pastorate

List of Pastorates in Udumalaipettai DCC

Bishops appointed in India by Church of England before the Church of South India Union

The Bishops of Calcutta became Metropolitans in 1835; Royal Letters Patent, dated 10 October 1835.

References

  1. ^ a b Lawrence, H. S. S. "A Brief History". CSI St. George's Cathedral - Chennai. Retrieved 11 January 2021.
  2. ^ "Supplement to the Graduate List Last Published in 1954". Graduates of the University: 31. 1960. Retrieved 11 January 2021.

External links

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