24-Oct-2003
{ New Indian Express dt. 24-Oct-2003 }
Catholic art museum at Kochi
KOCHI: A Catholic art museum, exhibiting artefacts
from 14 and 15th centuries onwards, including a wooden statue of baby Jesus
shaped like Buddha, holy vestments and a one-inch Bible will be inaugurated here
on October 25 by Pedro Lopez Quintana, Apostolic Nuncio to India.
The museum belongs to the archdiocese of Ernakulam-Angamally and is situated in
the campus of the major archbishop's house here.
Curator of the museum Fr Ignatius Payyappilly and Bishop Mar Sebastian
Edayanthuruth told a pressmeet here that such a venture was thought of to
protect and hand over to posterity the glorious heritage of St Thomas
Christians.
Some of the artefacts exhibited reflect western influence especially of the
Portuguese, on the Indian culture, art and architecture.
The exhibits have been collected mainly from the ancient churches of the
Archdiocese of Ernakulam-Angamally. Statues of 14th, 15th, 18th and 19th
centuries, tabernacles, wooden flowers, candle stands (both made of wood and
metallic), holy vestments made of gold and silver strings, ancient gold
ornaments used by the St Thomas Christians for their wedding ceremonies, church
records in palm leaves, oil paintings, ancient green leaves paintings, decorated
wooden crosses and liturgic books have all been displayed.
The burnt statues collected from the churches attacked by Tipu Sultan in 1790
have also received pride of place in the museum.
A 300-year-old exhibit is the 'goat skin Bible', which contains the text of the
first five books of old testament written in Hebrew on a goat skin.
The oldest exhibit is the wooden statue of St George dating 14th century. St
George is seen seated atop a donkey shaped animal and a dragon.
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