Prominent Figures of the Kerala Church-50
Fr. Emmanuel Thelly
Fr. Emmanuel (George) Thelly, a member of the C.M.I. (Carmelites of Mary Immaculate) congregation, is renowned as a Syriac language scholar, poet, author, and missionary. Born on February 5, 1925, in Poonjar, he was the fifth child of the couple Kunjuakko and Eliamma Thelly. He completed his primary education at Poonjar St. Antony’s L.P. School and passed the Fifth Form from S.M.V. High School. In 1942, he joined the 10th class at Mannanam St. Ephrem’s High School. During his 10th-grade year, George was already an active member of the C.M.I. congregation.
After studying Latin and Syriac, he entered the novitiate at Amboor in 1945. He studied Rhetoric and Philosophy at Kunammavu and completed his theological studies at Chethipuzha. Fr. Emmanuel completed his priestly education under the guidance of C.M.I. priests such as Rev. Dr. Placid, Dr. Kanishius, Dr. Jonas, and Dr. Luca. On December 8, 1953, at Aluva Mangalapuzha Seminary, he was ordained a priest by Cardinal Tisserant, Prefect of the Congregation for the Eastern Churches.
Fr. Emmanuel had a special love for the Syriac language and tradition. In December 1954, he began pastoral work and taught Syriac at Mannanam. By 1961, he had renewed and published a Syriac grammar. In 1964, he went to Iraq for missionary work and returned to Kerala after three years. He continued teaching Syriac at Mannanam College and later at the Mutholi Ashram, where he also taught Syriac to students. In 1968, he taught Syriac at Devagiri College in Kozhikode and at the C.M.I. seminary in Merikkunnu.
He served at the C.M.I. Ashram in Koodathayi, a major immigrant center in Malabar, for six months and also taught at Venappara Clarist Junior. Subsequently, he spent four years at the Poonjar Ashram, during which he found time to conduct monthly Eucharistic adoration and retreats at schools and monasteries.
From 1974 to 1984, he served at the Amanakkar Ashram, including three years as Principal of the C.M.I. ITC. He was a member of the sub-committee responsible for preparing the Syro-Malabar Church’s liturgical prayers for 15 years and assisted in their publication. From 1984 to 1989, Fr. Emmanuel worked at the St. Vincent Ashram in Pala, where he wrote numerous books.
From 1989, he spent five years in the U.S., where he began working on a Syriac-English-Malayalam dictionary. Returning to Pala’s St. Vincent Ashram from 1994 to 2000, he completed and published the dictionary. He then worked at the Amanakkar Ashram for three years, during which he also provided pastoral care in Mananthavady and Doha. He taught Syriac at the Mananthavady Minor Seminary and published the book “An Introduction to Syriac Studies.”
In 2003, he moved to the Poonjar Ashram. He wrote numerous poems in Malayalam, English, and Syriac, publishing two small books under the title “Whisperings of the Wind.” His poetry has been submitted to competitions in America, earning him awards on six occasions.
Contributions to the Church
Fr. Emmanuel composed several hymns in the Syriac tradition for the church and has had many of his hymns approved by the church. He has written over 85 hymns and authored books such as “The Resurrection of Lazarus,” “Muthumala,” “Footsteps of Time,” “The Kitchen Maid,” and “Bible Singer.” He translated various Syriac prayers from the Syro-Malabar Synod’s liturgical text into English, including the Subbara, Shliha, Kaitha Elia Slewa Mose, and Kudasha Ethakkalam.
He also assisted in the translation of hymns from Pithaya and contributed to the work of the liturgical commission. Fr. Emmanuel was a member of the Syriac Board at Gandhiji University. His dedication and hard work are well recognized.
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