Rt. Rev. Dr. M. Azariah, the former bishop of Madras Diocese went to his eternal abode yesterday. The funeral service will be held at St. George's
Cathedral, Chennai today.
Bishop Azariah was presently the
chief functionary of the Ecumenical Council for Drought Action and Water
Management (ECoDAWM) which is a constituent member of the NCCI Council. Dr. Roger Gaikwad said Bishop Azariah was in
the staff team of the National Council from 1975 to 1977 as Mission
Secretary and Secretary for Christian Education Council of India. Bishop Azariah served the Church of
South India Synod as its General Secretary (1982-1990). He started his
ministry as a rural Pastor in CSI Madras Diocese, and he had taken up
the Office of the Welfare Officer of the Leprosy Mission Hospital in
Manamadurai. He also served as the Tamil Nadu Auxiliary Secretary of the
Bible Society of India (1976 and 1981).
He was known for his
Dalit commitment. He ministered the Dalits throughout his life as a church worker,leader, writer and teacher. He was
instrumental in promoting several Dalit movements and organizations and
made the churches to accompany the Dalits in their struggle for freedom
towards equality, dignity and inclusiveness.
He was described as ‘the pillar’ of Indian Dalits and Dalit movements
and was the ‘Dalit voice’ to the nation, church and ecumenical
movement at one point of time. Bishop Dr. Azariah also taught in the Gurukul Lutheran Theological College till recently.
The UTC principal, faculty, staff and students pray and give thanks to God for the life of Bishop Dr. M. Azariah and offer condolences to his family members and bishop, pastors and laity of the CSI Madras diocese.
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