Global InformationMarathakavalli David information
The Reverend Marathakavalli David, CSI Ammagaru | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1950[7] Neyyattinkara,[8] Kerala, India |
| Died | 2011[6] |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Citizenship | Indian |
| Education |
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| Alma mater |
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| Occupation | Pastor |
| Parent(s) | Smt. Gnanakristi and Sri M. G. Davy[7] |
| Religion | Christianity |
| Church | Church of South India (Diocese of South Kerala)[1] |
| Ordained | May 28, 1989[2] by Bishop I. Jesudason[3] at the CSI-Mateer Memorial Church,[3] Trivandrum |
Congregations served | In Kerala: Nediakala,[4] Kollam,[5] Nannamkuzhy, Meppallikonam, Meenara, Poozhikkunnu, Jagathy and Aakkulam.[6] In Telangana: Bhainsa[5] |
Offices held | Presbyter, Diocese of South Kerala |
| Title | The Reverend |
Marathakavalli David (1950[7]-2011[6]) was the first[4] woman Priest in Kerala[4] hailing from the South Kerala Diocese[1] (headquartered in Trivandrum) of the Church of South India who was ordained in 1989.[4]
Marathakavalli trod her path in difficult streams as the Ordination of women was still being debated in her Church Society. When the issue of Ordination of women came up in the Church of South India Synod in 1970, it was vehemently opposed leading a decade of debate and protracted[3] legal recourse initiated by the opponents but eventually the persistence of the Church of South India Synod led to a majority vote in 1982 favouring the ordination of women in the Church of South India. While Elizabeth Paul became the first ordained woman Priest in India in 1987,[9] Marathakavalli David became the first woman priest in Kerala in 1989.[4]
Since her school days,[5] Marathakavalli nursed an ambition to become a Priest and was influenced[5] by the lives of Florence Nightingale and William Carey who strove to serve mankind[5] braving all odds. She also acknowledges the inspiration from one of the pioneer missionaries, Rev. Harris.[5]
- ^ a b M. Ezra Sargunam, Mission Mandate: A Compendium on the Perspective of Missions in India, Mission India 2000, Madras, 1992, p.538. [1]
- ^ S. B. Bhattacherje, Encyclopaedia of Indian Events & Dates, (Sixth revised edition), Sterling Paperbacks, New Delhi, 2008, p.A268.[2]
- ^ a b c Church of South India ordains Kerala's first Woman Priest in The Union of Catholic Asian News (UCAN), June 06 1989. [3]
- ^ a b c d e Holy Habit in India Today, June 30, 1991
- ^ a b c d e f Women priests better equipped to console grief-stricken, in The Rediff News, April 26, 2010. [4]
- ^ a b c Rev. Marathakavalli passes away in Malankara Nazrani, October 2011.[5]
- ^ a b c Nimmi Chakola, Kerala's First Woman Priest in Femina, July 23-August 7, 1989, p.41.
- ^ a b c Women can serve flock well: Kerala’s first female cleric in The Political and Business Daily, Wednesday, 28 April 2010. [6]
- ^ Lalrinawmi Ralte, Evangeline Anderson Rajkumar (Edited), Feminist Hermeneutics, Indian Women in Theology / Indian Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, New Delhi, 2002. pp.8–9. [7]