St. Theresa of Child Jesus Church - Salur (Chinna Veedhi)

Catholic

Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, India

St. Theresa of Child Jesus Church - Salur (Chinna Veedhi)

08964 - 252746


The first person to be ever remembered in the line of Salur is Fr. Peter Payroud, the founder of Salur Mission. As per the available Fr. Peter’s note the mission at salur was started with 37 catholics in 1883 in February. It was noted that Fr. Peter might have contacted the Salur khonds through some relations of his khond conver ts of Palakonda. His first conver ts were all Khonds-villages such as Gangandoravalasa, Ittikavalasa, Chintalavalasa, Punikilavalasa etc. One thing to us remains as a miracle till today how he reached these interior and remote villages in those days, which are even now not very accessible. Some of these mentioned villages we have, but some have disaappered. He bought the proper ty at Salur and built a home and began to stay there from 1898. It is indeed interesting to note that he was always on the move visiting his villages from Jeypore to Parvathipuram in those days when we didn’t have proper roads if not to think of the present vehicles. Only for the annual retreat, he used to come to Visakhapatnam. Fr. Payround fell ill in June 1911 seriously. Bishop sent Fr. Zlexis Marroliat, a young priest from St. Aloysius to assist him. By the time Fr. Alexis reached there, the veteran missionary passed away. The Lutharen Minister at Salur carried him to the grave. Fr. Marroliat, the young priest took charge of the Salur Mission and remained there for 36 years. He is very well known to be the builder of the Salur Mission. He along with his co-workers spread the faith in many hond and jata villages of salur and Makkuva. Boys were sent to Kothavalasa boarding and even to Phirangipuram. One such is the first girijan M L A of Salur Mr. Boina Rajaya. The Sisters of St. Joseph star ted a school and boarding for the girijan girls in the old place of Fr Payrond which was given to them. The sisters house was constructed in 1922. The present compound of the fathers’ residence, a vast area of 20 acres was bought in 1924 and the prebsytery wherein fathers shifted, was constructed in 1928.

Fr. Marroliat had various schemes to help the people. He had a grami bank. He redeemed the people from the clutches of Marvadies who used to give money at exorbitant interests and then take away even their lands. He even conducted cour t cases in defence of them. The school was constructed in 1931 and later it was enlarged. Salur Mission divided and the new mission of Makkuva was star ted in 1925.

Conversions took place among Harijans in 1925 in Salur town itself. Schools were started for their children at Peddaveedhi and Chinnaveedhi. A large church for Peddaveedhi in 1935 and a large church in the sisters compound for the benefit of the boarders and chinna veedhi people in 1948 were built. At present, salur town along embraces 1500 catholics. The boys boarding was star ted in 1954 by Fr. Mathew Naduvilekoot. The boys attend the sisters school. A New Church and a new Presbytery are ready for blessing and inauguration which is scheduled for the first week of February 2002. Under the influence of the founder and zealous fathers, Salur Mission is progressing and flurishing.