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    The Book of Common Prayer in Tamil

 

Tamil is a Dravidian language spoken by approximately 66,000,000 people, primarily in South India (state of Tamil Nadu) and adjacent Sri Lanka. It has a very rich literary history, dating back over 2000 years.

Tamil is normally written in its own script, which consists of 31 letters which additionally may be combined to form over 200 syllables. Thus Tamil as written is syllabic, and not alphabetic as are European languages.

We present here two Books of Commoon Prayer (BCP's) in Tamil, one from 1885 and one from 1940. Both are written in Tamil script (with English titles), and were published and printed in India. Both include the entire Book of Common Prayer (the 1885 text is a bit less complete), less the Prayers at Sea, as may be seen by the Tables of Contents below.

The 1885 text is not listed in David Griffiths' Bibliography of the Book of Common Prayer, but is quite similar to his 169:17, printed in 1895. That book (and presumably this one also) was translated by a committee headed by the Rev. J. L. (Joseph Light) Wyatt, and was likely based on previous translations by his father-in-law, Bp. Robert Caldwell, a well-known Tamil linguist. The book contains xxxiv + 522 + 8 pages and measures 8 x 5.25".

The 1940 text is the last edition before Indian independence and the creation of the Church of South India. However, Tamil BCP's based on the English 1662 BCP continue to be printed and used. This book appears in the Bibliography of the Book of Common Prayer as 169:23. It has lxiv + 676 pages and measures 7" x 4.75".

Because these books use Tamil script, they arepresented here as PDF images. Bookmarks have been added for easier navigation.

JL Wyatt
Rev. JL Wyatt

Robert Caldwell
Bp. Robert Caldwell

1885
Table of Contents

1 The Order how the Psalter is appointed to be read
2 The Order how the rest of the Holy Scripture is appointed to be read
3 A Table of Proper Lessons for Sundays
4 A Table of Proper Lessons and Psalms for Holy Days
5 The Calendar, with the Table of Lessons
6 Table of Moveable Feasts
7 The Order for Morning Prayer
8 The Order for Evening Prayer
9 The Creed of St. Athanasius
10 The Litany
11 Prayers and Thanksgivings, upon several occasions
12 The Collects, Epistles, and Gospels, to be used at the Ministration of the Holy Communion, throughout the Year
13 The Order of the Ministration of the Holy Communion
14 The Order of Public Baptism
15 The Order of Private Baptism
16 The Order of Baptism for those of Riper Years
17 The Catechism
18 The Order of Confirmation
19 The Form of Solemnization of Matrimony
20 The Order for the Visitation of the Sick
21 The Communion of the Sick
22 The Order for the Burial of the Dead
23 The Thanksgiving of Women after Child-birth
24 The Commination Service
25 The Psalms of David
26 The Form and Manner of Ordaining Priests and Deacons
27 The Articles of Religion
28 A Table of Kindred and Affinity
The Accession Service

Download the entire book as PDF images (size=44.5MB)

Collects, Epistles & Gospels (13.8MB)

The Psalter (12.5MB)

All Services (i. e., everything not Collects, Epistles & Gospels, or Psalms - 18.9MB)

1940
THE CONTENTS OF THIS BOOK 

1 The Preface
2 Concerning the Service of the Church
3 The Order how the Psalter is appointed to be read
4 The Order how the rest of Holy Scripture is appointed to be read
5 Proper Lessons for Sundays
6 Lessons for Holy Days
7 Proper Psalms on certain days
8 The Calendar, with the Table of Lessons
9 Tabble of Movable Feasts
10 Psalms for Sundays and Holy Days
11 Psalms for Special Occasions
12 Alternative Lessons for Holy Days
13 Tables and Rules for the Feasts and Fasts through the whole year
14 The Order for Morning Prayer
15 The Order for Evening Prayer
16 The Creed of St. Athanasius
17 The Litany
18 Prayers and Thanksgivings, upon several Occasions
19 The Collects, Epistles, and Gospels, to be used at the Ministration of the Holy Communion, throughout the year
20 The Order of the Ministration of the Holy Communion
21 The Order of Public Baptism of Infants
22 The Order of Private Baptism of Children in Houses
23 The Order of Baptism for those of Riper Years
24 The. Catechism
25 The Order of Confirmation
26 The Form of Solemnization of Matrimony
27 The Order for the Visitation of the Sick
28 The Communion of the Sick
29 The Order tor the Burial of the Dead
30 The Thanksgiving of Women after Child-birth
31 A Commination, or denouncing of God's anger and judgments against sinners
32 The Psalter
33 The Form and Manner of Making, Ordaining, and
Consecrating of Bishops, Priests and Deacons
34 Forms of Prayer on accession of Sovereign
35 The Articles of Religion

Download the entire book, as PDF images (size=169MB)

 

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