St. Xavier's Church, Peyad
Encyclopedia
The St. Xavier's Church is a Catholic
Church run by the Latin Diocese
of Neyyattinkara
.
Diocese of Neyyattinkara was formed on 5 November 1996 and prior to the formation of Diocese of Neyyattinkara, St.Xavier's Church Peyad was under the control of Latin Arch Diocese of Thiruvananthapuram.
, Navarre
– 3 December 1552, Shangchuan Island
, China
) was a Navarrese
pioneering Roman Catholic missionary
of Basque
origin and co-founder of the Society of Jesus
. He had visited India for missionary purpose.
It bears a combination of Greek and Roman architecture and has a Church Bell brought by Fr.Pascasious O.C.D from Belgium and it is one among the 44 Church Bells belonging to the same make. The Missionaries from Belgium selected an engineer from Belgium and native Kunju Contractor to complete the shrine. The present residence for the priest was built during the time of Fr.Brocard O.C.D. In those days St.Xavier Church at peyad was known as a Partial district comprising Kundamanbhagam. As per Ora Malabaria the diocese of Thiruvananthapuram originated in 1937 July 1 with Rev.Fr.Vincent Dereire as the first Bishop of Thiruvananthapuram who established 15 High Schools, 28 Middle Schools and 68 Primary schools.
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
Church run by the Latin Diocese
Diocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
of Neyyattinkara
Neyyattinkara
Neyyattinkara is municipality in Thiruvananthapuram district in the Indian state of Kerala. The name Neyyattinkara in Malayalam literally means the shore of Neyyar River. Neyyar River flows from Agasthyarkoodam , the highest peak in southern end of the Western Ghats. The taluk has a total...
.
Diocese of Neyyattinkara was formed on 5 November 1996 and prior to the formation of Diocese of Neyyattinkara, St.Xavier's Church Peyad was under the control of Latin Arch Diocese of Thiruvananthapuram.
About Saint Francis Xavier
Saint Francis of Xavier, born Francisco de Jaso y Azpilcueta (7 April 1506, JavierJavier
Javier may refer to:* Javier * San Javier , Spanish-language references to Saint Francis XavierGeography:* Javier, Spain, a town and municipality in Navarre* Javier, Leyte, PhilippinesFictional characters:...
, Navarre
Kingdom of Navarre
The Kingdom of Navarre , originally the Kingdom of Pamplona, was a European kingdom which occupied lands on either side of the Pyrenees alongside the Atlantic Ocean....
– 3 December 1552, Shangchuan Island
Shangchuan Island
Shangchuan Island also written is the main island of Chuanshan Archipelago on the southern coast of China. Its name originated from São João - Saint John in Portuguese. It is part of the Guangdong province, in the South China Sea...
, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
) was a Navarrese
Kingdom of Navarre
The Kingdom of Navarre , originally the Kingdom of Pamplona, was a European kingdom which occupied lands on either side of the Pyrenees alongside the Atlantic Ocean....
pioneering Roman Catholic missionary
Missionary
A missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. The word "mission" originates from 1598 when the Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin...
of Basque
Basque people
The Basques as an ethnic group, primarily inhabit an area traditionally known as the Basque Country , a region that is located around the western end of the Pyrenees on the coast of the Bay of Biscay and straddles parts of north-central Spain and south-western France.The Basques are known in the...
origin and co-founder of the Society of Jesus
Society of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...
. He had visited India for missionary purpose.
Parish history
The church claims its origin to the pre-independence days. Rev.Fr.John Damisien, the father of Neyyattinkara mission, founded in 1901, founded Kundamanbhagam Mission which was under control of the parish of Palayam. Further missionary work, by Rev.Fr.Gregory O.C.D and Rev.Fr.Pascasious O.C.D resulted in the beginning of the church's construction in 1904 at Kundamanbhagam. Missionaries of Carmelite belonging to the Asters Province in Belgium helped. Though the region was remote, the feast of St. Sebastian attracted believers. Furthermore, records reveal that Dr. Alosious Maria Benzigar, the Bishop of Quilon visited Kundamanbhagam mission and upon his suggestion the missionaries rebuilt the church of St.Francis Xavier at Peyad.It bears a combination of Greek and Roman architecture and has a Church Bell brought by Fr.Pascasious O.C.D from Belgium and it is one among the 44 Church Bells belonging to the same make. The Missionaries from Belgium selected an engineer from Belgium and native Kunju Contractor to complete the shrine. The present residence for the priest was built during the time of Fr.Brocard O.C.D. In those days St.Xavier Church at peyad was known as a Partial district comprising Kundamanbhagam. As per Ora Malabaria the diocese of Thiruvananthapuram originated in 1937 July 1 with Rev.Fr.Vincent Dereire as the first Bishop of Thiruvananthapuram who established 15 High Schools, 28 Middle Schools and 68 Primary schools.