BETHANY ASHRAM refers to the religious congregation officially known as the Order of the Imitation of Christ (OIC). Fr P.T.Geevarghese Panickaruveettil (Venerable Archbishop Mar Ivanios) founded Bethany Ashram on 15th August 1919, at Mundanmala, Perunad, Kerala, India.
The late Archbishop, His Grace Mar Ivanios OIC, the founder of the Bethany Ashram was born on 21st September 1882 at Mavelikara to Thomas Panicker and Annamma Panicker. Belonging to the Malankara Syrian Orthodox Church, he assumed the baptismal name Geevarghese. Young Geevarghese, a brilliant student in his early school days, at the age of 15 received minor orders and was sent to Madras Christian College for higher studies. There he obtained his Master Degree.
On 15 September 1908 Geevarghese was ordained priest by his Grace Vattasseril Mar Dionysius. Just after the ordination, Fr. P.T. Geevarghese was appointed Principal of M.D. Seminary, Kottayam. Later the young principal moved to Calcutta, accepting an invitation to teach in the Serampore College. During his stay at Calcutta Fr. P.T. Geevarghese concentrated his attention on the foundation of a monastic community as an instrument of spiritual renewal within the Syrian Orthodox Church. In his attempt, he was very well inspired by the Christian and Hindu monastic traditions. After making the necessary arrangements to begin such a form of life he resigned his professorship at Serampore and started the community on August 15th 1919 at Mundanmala, Ranni, to which he gave the name Bethany Ashram which is officially known as the Order of the Imitation of Christ (OIC).
Within no time Bethany Ashram and its beloved founder came to the lime light of Malankara Orthodox Church and Abo Geevarghese OIC was consecrated Bishop of Bethany on May 1st 1925 and he received the new name Mar Ivanios OIC. His relentless search for truth in the ascetic atmosphere of Bethany Ashram led him to the firm conviction to reunite with the Catholic Church. On September 20, 1930 Mar Ivanios OIC together with Mar Theophilos OIC and most of the members of Bethany Ashram embraced the Catholic Church. As later history reveals the reunion movement gained rapid momentum under the leadership of Mar Ivanios OIC. An eminent scholar, a man of great vision, and a spiritual leader, Mar Ivanios OIC rightfully earned the title “Newman of the East” before his demise on July 15, 1953.
On April 14, 1966, the Congregation was raised to the status of a Pontifical right. In the year 2000, the congregation was bifurcated into two provinces, namely Bethany Navajyothy Province and Bethany Navajeevan Province. The headquarters of the provinces are situated at Desom, in Aluva and at Nalanchira in Thiruvananthapuram respectively.
The Charism of the Order of the Imitation of Christ is , to follow Jesus Christ in his life of prayer and action, realized in oriental monastic tradition and Indian Sanyasa and aimed at the evangelization of India through the spiritual renewal of the Malankara Church. To imitate Jesus in his life of prayer is to experience a sense of constant union with God through meditation, with special emphasis on the word of God, active participation in the liturgical life of the Church and the observance of the spiritual exercises and other practices prescribed in the Holy Rule of the congregation. To imitate Jesus Christ in his life of action is to follow his footsteps by proclaiming the Gospel of the kingdom of God on earth and leading people to the eternal Father. The active life of the congregation consists of apostolic activities , empowerment of human society and ecology.
Bethany Navajyothy Province
Bethany Navajyothy province was erected in the year 2000 and was inaugurated at Thiruvalla Bethany Ashram on 26th September 2000 by Arch Bishop Cyril Mar Baselios OIC. Later the Provincial House was shifted from Thiruvalla to Aluva for administrative purposes on 15th May 2001. At present the Provincial House of the Bethany Navajyothy Province is situated in Desom, Aluva on the banks of river Periyar. The members of the Province serve in the Archdiocese of Thiruvalla, in the Diocese of Bathery, Diocese of Moovattupuzha, Diocese of Puttur, Diocese of Gurgaon, Diocese of Khadki-Pune of Syro Malankara Catholic Church, in the Diocese of Embidir of Alexandrian rite and Nekamthe in Latin rite; in Ethiopia. Our members also work in different dioceses of Catholic Church in Europe and America.
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