The Maramon Convention is a Christian convention held at Maramon, Pathanamthitta, Kerala, India annually during the month of February on the vast sand-bed of the Pampa River next to the Kozhencherry Bridge.[1] It is organised by the Mar Thoma Evangelistic Association, the missionary wing of the Mar Thoma Church.
The origin and growth of this annual get together for one week at a stretch can be traced to the great revival movement which gathered momentum along with the reformation in the ancient Syrian Church of Malabar under the pioneering leadership of Abraham Malpan. This brought about the resurgence of the ancient apostolic Church in Kerala founded by St. Thomas the Apostle of Jesus Christ, believed to be in AD 52.
By 1877, there were two factions in the Malankara church, known as Bishop faction (Methran Kakshi) and Patriarch faction (Bava Kakshi). By a court verdict on 12 July 1889 Bishop faction lost all the properties. Just before the verdict was given, on 5 September 1888, 12 members of the Bishop faction formed a missionary group called “Mar Thoma Evangelistic Association”.[2][3] These 12 members are considered to be the founding fathers of the Maramon convention. The names of these 12 members are:-
1. Kottarathil Thomas Kasseessa, Chengannur 2. Edavamvelil Mathai, Eraviperoor. 3. Kottooreth Yohannan, Chengannur 4. Chempakasseril Kadavil Abraham, Kallissery 5. Chakkalayil Cherian Upadesi, Puthencavu 6. Chempakasseril Kadavil Mathew, Kallissery. 7. Azhakinal Thommi, Kallooppara 8. Nathaniel Upadesi, Chengannur 9. Kurichiath (Vattadiyil) Ittiyavara, Niranam 10. Arangat Philipose, Maramon 11. Ottaplammoottil Kunju Mathew, Kallissery 12. Kochumannil Skariah, Edayaranmula
They met at the Kadavil Malika belonging to Kadavil Abraham and Kadavil Mathew. This house at Kallissery near Chengannur was built by their grandfather Unnithan Kathanar and father C. Abraham in the early 19th century. (This historic Kadavil Malika was reclaimed by the Marthoma church and has recently been renovated and recommissioned on Saturday, 10 September 2005.)
By 1894 a number of small prayer groups were formed in the Methran Kakshi and this was followed by a big revival. They had regular meetings in various parishes. Because the number of people attending these meetings was growing it was decided to have a meeting of all these groups at a central place. The duty of organising this meeting was given to the Mar Thoma Evangelistic Association and the first convention was held in 1895 at Maramon.
By 1900 Methran Kakshi adopted the name Malankara Marthoma Suriyani Sabha also known as the Mar Thoma Church.
Maramon Convention (2008). This view of the convention is from Kozhencherry side. Kozhencherry bridge is on the right. There is no empty space inside the Panthal (tent). So people are standing outside and sitting in the shades to listen to the messages.
Maramon Convention (2009). This view of the convention is from Maramon side. Kozhencherry bridge is on the left.
The first convention was held for 10 days from 8 to 17 March 1895. The venue was the vast sand-bed of the Pampa River next to the Maramon church. The parishes in and around Maramon – Kozhencherry helped in making a very large panthal (tent) to accommodate about 10,000 people. The main speakers were David and Wordsworth. On an average 10,000 to 15,000 people attended these meetings. On the last day almost 25,000 attended. There were no proper roads during those days. So nearby houses accommodated the people from far away places. Some of them came in boats and used them as their shelter.
Maramon Convention is held for eight days during the first week of the Great Lent that usually falls in February. The tent has a seating capacity in excess of 160,000 people. They are seated on the dry sand bed. Old and weak are given chairs to sit on. There is also a smaller tent erected next to the larger one for people with infants and with children below 5. All around the tent there are temporary sheds and tents for various purposes related to the Convention. Stalls for the sale of religious literature, church offices and restaurants are allowed to operate in the vicinity of the tent under the strict control of the Church authorities
The Maramon Convention is pre-eminently an assembly of Christians who once a year come here for listening to the Word of God as read and expounded by leaders of Christian thought from all over India as well as abroad. Preaching and Bible study occupy the major part of the convention programme. In the morning there will be separate Bible study classes for Men, women, youth and children conducted by specially invited leaders. In the mornings and afternoons there are public meetings and in the evening, meetings for men. Four of the afternoon public meetings are for ‘’Social evils awareness. Mar Thoma Voluntary Evangelistic Association, Ladies sessions (Sevika Sangham) and Missionary Session. Though the choir leads the singing the whole gathering joins in singing. A hymn book with 101 hymns including 16 new ones are printed every year for the convention use. Everyday half an hour is spent for intercessory prayer. Also there are family gatherings, youth meetings and special gatherings after the afternoon session.
In addition to the Metropolitan and Episcopas of the church, distinguished world renowned speakers addressed this convention. The Revd Thomas Walker, England (1900–1912), Sadhu Sunder Singh, Punjab (1918), Dr. G. Sherwood Eddy (1919), Dr. E. Stanley Jones, USA (1920–1968), Dr. Toyohiko Kagawa, Japan (1938), John R. Mott, Nobel Peace Prize winner (1946) and President of World Alliance of YMCAs, Dr. Bob Pierce, founder and president of World Vision (1964 & 66), Astronaut Colonel James Irwin, who spent a few hours on the moon (1985), Dr. John Haggai, founder president of Haggai Institute (1973), Bishop Donald Jacobs, Mennonite church (1974), the Most Revd Dr. Robert Runcie, Archbishop of Canterbury (1986), the Most Revd Dr. George Carey, Archbishop of Canterbury (1995), Dr. Samuel Kobia, WCC General Secretary (2007), the Revd Dr. A. B. Masalamani, the Revd Dr. Sam Kamalesen, and a host of others.[4]
The 116th Maramon Convention was held from 13 to 20 February. Main speakers were:
The 115th Maramon Convention was held from 14 to 21 February. On the opening day and on the last three days, the pandal (flat roof thatched by woven coconut leaves) that could accommodate almost 80,000 people overflowed and an equal number found accommodation under the tree shades on both sides of the river.
Two hundred thousand copies of Marmon Convention hymn book (in Malayalam and with transliterated) with 16 new hymns were distributed. A choir of 101 members led the hymns. Every meeting began with a singing session for 30 minutes.
The speakers included the Bishops of the Mar Thoma Church; Bishop Robert M Solomon, (Methodist Church, Singapore); Reverend Canon Tim Dakin, (General Secretary of Church Missionary Society, England), Rev. Martin Alphons (USA) and Rev. Vinod Victor, (Trivandrum, Kerala, India). Bishop Yoohanon Mar Chrysostom, Metropolitan of the Marthandom Diocese of Syro-Malankara Catholic Church addressed the Ecumenical Meeting and Bishop Sebastian Thekethecheril of the Latin Catholic Diocese of Vijayapuram addressed the Social Evils Awareness Meeting. Most Rev. Joris Vercammen, Archbishop of Utrecht, president of the Union of Utrecht (of Old Catholic Church), bishops from the Malabar Independent Syrian Church and bishops of Church of South India attended the meetings.
The MTEA attaches greater importance to a crusade against social evils, alcoholism and drug-addition. In fact an afternoon session in the convention is exclusively devoted for programmes against such evils to motivate the people to stand solidly against such evils and to take up programmes designed to route out such evils. Besides there are special sessions to focus attention on the ecumenical concerns, dalit activities, women's issues and children's programme.
The Church is constantly challenged through this convention to fulfill its missionary responsibilities and to spread its service activities from Tibetan Border in the extreme northern end of Uttar Pradesh, to Kanya Kumari (Cape Comerin) in the South. Several service institutions of the Church owe their origin to this annual get together at Maramon. Destitute homes, Ashrams, mission centres, hospitals, leprosy clinics, schools, and colleges have been started in and outside Kerala, thereby creating a congenial atmosphere fort the moral, social and spiritual upliftment of the masses and for the social and economic emancipation of the poorer sessions of the community. Schemes for homes for the homeless, land for the landless, marriage aid schemes etc. have been started through the inspiration and challenges at the convention, long before such schemes were initiated by the Government. In this way the Church by and large, was inspired to become alive and responsive to the contemporary issues and challenges through the messages of the Maramon Convention. It was in this way that the Mar Thoma Church was made known the world over through the Maramon Convention.
Most interesting aspect of this convention is the discipline shown by the participants all through the convention, which has almost become an inviolable tradition. Police contingent is not required in the convention premises to maintain law and order.
History of the financial matters is an interesting one. The panthal (tent), and the sheds are the voluntary contributions of the parishes nearby. Earlier, offerings were collected in every meeting. Now it is collected only in four of the 21 general meetings. The collection is distributed to various organisations of the church and also for the Bible society and CSSM.[5]
All those who come to the convention area will feel the spiritual liveliness that inculcates a self discipline. The unbroken prayer is the force behind the spiritual inspiration. The Maramon Convention displays co-operation and union between different sections of Church in Kerala. It fosters an ecumenical outlook. It is also a source of spiritual inspiration and enlightenment for thousands.