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JAFFNA


269


JAmiSM


wrongfully, of having poisoned the Ottoman garrison and lus own soldiers infected with the pest. Ibrahim Pasha, the son of Mehemet Ah, captured the city in 1831, and seven years later it was destroyed by earthquake.

Jaffa is connected by railroad with Jerusalem; its harbour, which is difficult of access, received 1789 steam or sailing vessels in 1907, and transacted busi- ness to the extent of 28 million francs (.So, 600,000) —17,000,000 imports and 11,000,000 exports. The city is surrounded by magnificent orange groves, and has now entirely recovered from all its misfortunes, the census of 1905 crediting it with a population of more than 40,000 souls. Among these are 5000 Jews, 1000 Protestants (mostly foreigners), 3550 Orthodox Greeks, 100 schismatic Armenians, 1770 Catholics (of whom 1010 are Latins, 215 Maronites, 510 Melchites, and 35 Syrians). The remainder of the population (about 30,000) is Mussulman. Fran- ciscan Fathers direct the parish church and a school for boys. The Brothers of the Christian Schools have a boarding-school, two day-schools, and a com- mercial school. Italian Catholics also have a school tor boys. The Sisters of St. Joseph and the Fran- ciscan Sisters have each a boarding and a day school. There is also a French hospital conducted by nuns. The other (non-Catholic) Christian communities, es- pecially the Protestants, also have schools, hospitals, and orphanages.

ViGouRou.\, Joppe in Did. de la Bible: Meistermann, Nou- veau Guide de Terre Sainle (Paris. 1907), 19-27; Gderin, Des- cription de la Palestine. Judee, I, 1-22.

S. Vailhe.

Jaffna, Diocese of (Jaffnensis), situated in the northern portion of Ceylon, comprises the northern and north-central provinces of the island. Chris- tianity in Jaffna dates back as far as the time of St. Francis Xavier. In 1548 St. Francis visited Manaar and came to Jafl'na to persuade the king to cease his persecutions against the Christians. In 1580, under the protection of the Portuguese, the first Catholic church was built at Jaffna. The whole peninsula surrendered in 1591 to Andrea Furtado de Mendoza. Almost the entire population subsequently abjured idolatry and embraced Christianity. The fort of Jaffna capitulated to the Dutch in 1658. At that time there were in the peninsula 50 priests, 1 Jesuit college, 1 Franciscan and 1 Dominican convent, and 14 churches. The Dutch immediately manifested the most hostile disposition towards the Catholics. The priests and monks were banished, and giving them shelter was declared a capital offence. From that time dates the long persecution which ended only with the surrender of Ceylon to the British in 1796. To this diocese belongs the Island of Manaar renderetl famous by the apostolic labours of St. Francis Xavier and by the martyrdom of from 600 to 700 Christians, who were executed by order of the King of Jaffna. Madhu, though a solitary spot in the middle of the jungle, has also its historical fame. For a long time during the Dutch persecution it was the refuge of native Christians. To this spot they had transported a statue of Our Lady which is now enshrined in the new church. Madhu has developed into an impor- tant pilgrimage, where more than 40,000 pilgrims congregate every year for the feast of the Visitation.

In 1845 Ceylon was divided into the two vicariates of Colombo and Jaffna, with Bishop Orazio Betta- chini as vicar .Vpostolic of the latter. In 1847 the Oblates of Mary Immaculate arrived in Ceylon. In 1857 the Jaffna vicariate was handed over to the Oblates, and on the death of Bishop Bettachini, Bishop Semeria, O.M.I., was appointed vicar Apos- tolic. In 1S6S Bishop Christopher Bonjean, O.M.I., succeeded Bishop Semeria. He had lieen in the mis- sions for nine years in India and in 1S5(') had crossed over to Ceylon to join the 0'^l?t? Congregation.


During his administration a great impulse was given to primary education. The pernicious effects of the Protestant and Hindu schools were more than coun- terbalanced by the activity of the bishop and the missionaries. Subsequently Bishop Bonjean was transferred to the metropolitan See of Colombo. Bishop Theophile Melirzan, O.M.I., succeeded him at Jaffna and, following in his footsteps, was named Archbishop of Colombo in 1893. In the same year Henri Joulain, O.M.I., was appointed Bishop of Jaffna.

The entire population of the diocese is 499,200; the Catholics numbering 45, .500. The diocese is in the hands of the Oblates; 3 secular priests help in the parochial ministry. The total number of missionaries is 46. Attached to the cathedral is St. Martin's seminary for the education of junior students aspiring to the priesthood. St. Patrick's college and boarding school is the most flourishing institution of the north- ern province. It has a staff of 6 European fathers, 1 native father, 2 brothers, and 15 native professors. The average number of students is 450. It is espe- cially devoted to higher English education, and pre- pares its students for the Cambridge Junior and Senior examinations and for the London L'niversity Intermediate. Some years ago it was thought ex- pedient to come into closer contact with non-Cath- olics and especially with the higher classes of Hindus. For this purpose a Hindu boarding school was at- tached to St. Patrick's college. The boarders number 100, with good prospects for the future. Jaffna con- vent, conducted by the Sisters of the Holy Family of Bordeaux, follows the same junior and .senior courses, for the education of girls, as St. Patrick's. To the convent is attached a girls' orphanage. The native Brothers of St. Joseph are occupied in teaching at Jaffna, Kayts, Manaar, and MuUaitivu. The native Sisters of St. Peter conduct primary schools in all the important stations of the diocese. There are 127 schools under the control of the missionaries, for the vernacular and primary English education. At the two industrial schools of Colombogam and MuUai- tivu 125 orphan boys are taught agriculture and use- ful trades. The diocese has conferences of St. Vincent de Paul and yoimg men's associations for the working classes. St. Joseph's Catholic Press is the home of the Jaft'na Catholic Guardian, a weekly paper de- voted to the interests of the diocese. A Catholic Club has just been founded for the purpose of defending the interests of the Catholic community.

Catholic Directory (lladras, 1908); Bonjean, Jaifna Direc- tory.

J. F. Albert Lortib. Jager. See Agria.

Jager of Dornheim. See Crotus, Johann.

Jahveh. See Jehovah.

Jainism, a form of religion intermediate between Brahminism and Buddhism, originated in India in pre-Christian times, and has maintained its heretical attitude towards Brahminism down to the present day. The name is derived from jina, conqueror, one of the epithets popularly applied to the reputed founder of the sect. Jainism bears a striking resem- blance to Buddhism in its monastic system, its ethical teachings, its sacred texts, and in the story of its founder. This closeness of resemlilance has led not a few scholars — such as Lassen, Weber, Wilson, Tiele, Earth — to look upon Jainism as an offshoot of Budd- hism antl to place its origin some centuries later than the time of Buddha. But the prevailing \-iew to-day — that of Blihlor, Jacolii. Hopkins, and ethers — is that Jainism in its origin is independent of Buddhism and, perhaps, is the more ancient of the two. The many points of similarity lietween the two sects are ex- plained by the indebtedness of both to a common source, namely the teachings and practices of ascetic.