Mor Gregorios Jacobite Students' Movement Explained

MGJSM
Native Name:Mor Gregorios Jacobite Students' Movement
Country:India
Religion:Oriental Orthodox Church
Denomination:Malankara Jacobite Syriac Orthodox Church
Founders:St Paulose Mor Athanasiaus
Motto:To Serve and Bear Witness
Patron:Saint Gregorios Of Malankara
Established:6 May 1922
Free Label1:President of MGJSM
Free Label2:Vice Presidents
Free Text2:Rev Fr Thomas Pothicote
Free Label3:General Secretary
Free Text3:Rev Fr Tijo Markose
Free Label4:Joint Secretary
Free Text4:Ebin Eldho
Ria Susan Sabu
Free Label5:Headquarters
Free Text5:M S O T Seminary, Vettickal, Mulanthuruthy, Ernakulam, Kerala, India
Homepage:MGJSM

Mor Gregorios Jacobite Students' Movement (MGJSM) is the student wing of Malankara Jacobite Syriac Orthodox Church. It is a Christian student organization in India. The headquarters of MGJSM is located at Malankara Syrian Orthodox Theological Seminary of Ernakulam District in Kerala.

History

Founded in 1907 as "Syrian Students Conference", it is the first Student Christian Movement in India. It conducted annual conferences till 1912 on a regular basis. After the church split in 1912, the annual conferences were abandoned.

Later on 6 May 1922, a special convention of the Students of the Malankara Jacobite Syriac Orthodox Church was convened at the Cheruthottukunnel St. George Church of Angamaly diocese (in Pallikkara Region), under the initiative of St Paulose Mor Athanasius of Aluva (Valiya Thirumeni). In that meeting Thirumeni proposal of naming the organization after his spiritual mentor, St. Gregorios Geevarghese of Parumala was accepted. Thus 'Mar Gregorios Syrian Vidhyarthi Sangam' (also called Mar Gregorios Syrian Students Association - M.G.S.S.A) came into existence as the student wing of Jacobite Church. This was the first ever student's organization that adopted the name of St. Gregorios of Parumala. The movement gained momentum after this conference and started conducting conferences annually. Units were established in every parish and educational institution with a minimum of 10 Jacobite students. Valiya Thirumeni nourished the organization into becoming the 'back bone' of Jacobite Church. By 1950 the movement had nearly 500 units and a total of nearly 20000 members. During this period most of the church leaders were alumni of MGSSA.

In 1960 MGSSA and St Thomas Syrian Students of Mertran Faction, as it merged with Jacobite Church, merged to form Mar Gregorios Orthodox Christian Student Movement Mgocsm. During this period the Students Movement showed exponential growth and is said to have nearly 700 units and more than 25000 members. But this 'Golden Era' was short lived and soon in 1972 both the churches split apart. MGOCSM under Malankara Orthodox Church and SOSMI (Syrian Orthodox Students Movement of India), the Student wing of Jacobite Church which was later renamed as JASSMI (Jacobite Syrian Students Movement of India) in 2002 when the church adopted a new constitution.

In the century year of Metropolitan Consecration of St Athanasius, the Holy Episcopal Synod of Jacobite Syrian Christian Church held at Puthencruz in the Month of June 2009 decided to the change the name of the Organisation as MGJSM (Mor Gregorios Jacobite Syrian Students Movement), in the name of St Gregorios of Parumala in whose name St Athanasiaus started the students movement in the church. The organization now has more than 250 units and 25000 members. Annual Leadership Camp named LUMINA has been conducted every year since 2011. The first Regional Office was inaugurated at St Mary's Jacobite Cathedral, Morakkala for Pallikkara Region. H G Kuriakose Theophilose Metropolitan has been leading this rapid growth of MGJSM from 2009 onwards. Spiritual leaders like Fr Bobby, Fr George, Fr Elias, Fr Tijo, Dn Anish, Fr Thomas have made their contributions through the years.

Leadership

MGJSM Officebearers from 2009

Year President Vice President General Secretary Secretary Joint Secretary Treasurer Malankara Coordinator
2009-10 H G Kuriakose Mor Theophilose - Dn Bobby John Tharayani Arun George Prasobh Reji Jijo Abraham Dn Thomas Poothicote
2010-11 Fr Bobby John Tharayani Fr George Vayaliparambil Prasobh Reji -
2011-12 ● Fr Bobby John Tharayani
● Fr George Vayaliparambil
Dn Anish K Joy Thomas Elias Rukma George Joseph Renjith
2012-13 Rev Fr Elias Paul Shinil Thuruthummel Basil Thambi Akhil Peediayakkan
2013-14 Jincy Jose
2014-15 Fr Tijo Markose
2015-16 Fr George Vayaliparambil
2016-17 Fr Thomas Poothicote Biju N Raju Ria Susan Sabu Basil C Eldhose Shinil Thuruthummel
2017-18 Ebin Eldho

Wings

WING HEADOFFICE IN-CHARGE
Media St Mary's Cathedral, Pallikkara Ebin Eldhose
Study Patriarchal Centre, Puthencruz Shinil Thuruthummel
Medical St Gregorious Dental College, Chelad
Parish
Campus MA College Ankith Sabu
Counselling St Thomas Chapel, Malecruz, Morakkala Fr George Varghese Vayaliparambil
Prayer
Charity Akhil Peediayakkan
Finance Basil C Eldhose
Program Jerin Jacob Paul
Senior's Fr Thomas Poothicote
Centre's Fr Tijo Markose

Regions

Kerala

Sl No Region Spiritual Advisor Coordinator Secretary No of Units
1 ADIMALI Fr Babu Jobin 3
2 ANGAMALY Fr George Vayaliparambil Godly Jinson 23
3 IDUKKI Fr Tijo Markose 1
4 KANDANAD 1
5 KOCHI CITY Fr Joshi Chitethu 4
6 KOCHI SUBURBANEldho T K 2
7 KOLENCHERRY Fr Elias Thuruthel Jithu 13
8 KOLLAM Fr Joseph Steaphen Stefy Thankachan 2
9 KOTHAMANGALAM Fr Baby John Ebin Eldhose Basil C Eldhose 8
10 KOTHATTUKULAM Fr Bobby John Shyno Paul Basil 3
11 KOTTAYAM Arun Subin 5
12 KOZHIKODE 1
13 MALABAR Basil Chako 8
14 MULAMTHURUTHY 1
15 MUVATTUPUZHA Fr Kuriakose Maniyattu Ankith Sabu 18
16 NIRANAM Dn Thomas Poothicode 1
17 PALLIKKARA Fr Babu Varghese Alias Paul Eldho Jacob Karukapilly 20
18 PERUMBAVOOR Fr Varghese Mannarampil Mintu P Eldhose Joseph Peter 18
19 RAJAKUMARI Fr Babu Boney 4
20 THODUPUZHA Fr Boby Tharayani Albin 7
21 THRISSUR Fr Basil Mangalamdam 1
22 THUMBAMON Fr Giju M John Bibin George 3
23 TRIVANDRUM Fr Joseph Steaphen Ria Susan Sabu2

Activities

Camps

Lumina

The annual three-day camp held at MSOT Seminary. The first version was in 2011. Lumina has become the most watched out event of any Student Christian Organisations in India, due to its rapidly increasing number of participants.

YEAR DATE PARTICIPANTS SECRETARY COORDINATOR JOINT COORDINATOR
2011 June 10–12 333 Fr George Vayaliparambil Fr George Vayaliparambil Dn Thomas Poothicote
2012 June 1–3 287 Dn Anish K Joy Dn Anish K Joy Rukma George
2014 July 26–28 367 Fr Tijo Markose Shinil Paul Mathews Thuruthummel
2015 October 22–24 413
2018 May 18–19 250 Fr Thomas Poothicote Ebin Eldho

Regional camps

Different regions conduct 1 or 2 days camps for the members of that region like EDIFY by Pallikkara Region and Annual Camp by Kothamangalam Region.

VIBGYOR

This is an Inter Regional Conference of MGJSM.Initially it had 7 Regions-namely Pallikkara, Kochi City, Angamaly, Kolencherry, Koothattukulam, Perumbavoor, Kothamangalam-thus causing the name VIBGYOR. Later more Regions were added.

YEAR HOST NUMBER REGIONS PARTICIPANTS CONVINER
2013 St Peter's And St Paul's Church, Kizhakkambalam 9 64 Shinil Paul Mathews Thuruthummel
2015 St Mary's Jacobite Syrian Cathedral, Morakkala 14 138
2016 St Mary's Jacobite Syrian Cathedral Nerchapally, Rakkad 13 68 Jerin Jacob Paul

Cultural programs

MGJSM conducts cultural programs at Regional and Unit levels

  1. Christmas Celebration like Jingle Bells by Muvattupuzha Region and Yule by Pallikkara Region.

Competitions

MGJSM conducts arts and sports competition for its members notable being VANQUISH by Pallikkara Region

Charity work

Awards

Awards and prices are given to Best Units, Regions and also members who have excelled in academic, sports, social and arts fields.

Year Best Region Best Unit
2010 Koothattukulam MA College
2011 Pallikkara Thamarachal
2012 Kochi Thamarachal
2013 Pallikkara Morakkala
2014 Muvattupuzha Rackad
2015 Kolenchery Kunnackkal
2016 Kothamangalam Nagancherry
2017 Muvattupuzha Morakkala
2018 Kothamangalam Pindimana