Mother overcomes son’s loss by handwriting Bible
George Kommattam - February 2026
Philomina Chengananickal’s world collapsed when her 23-year-old son died in a road accident.
Seven years later, the Church hails the retired teacher from Manippuzha village in Kerala’s Kottayam district for her remarkable testimony of faith and endurance.
Archbishop Thomas Tharayil of Changanacherry and Bishop Jose Pulickal of Kanjirappally have applauded the 63-year-old woman, fondly called “Jolly Teacher,” for transforming her grief into an act of love: Handwrite all 73 books of the Bible in Malayalam and then the 27 books of the New Testament in English.
Jolly teacher recalled that sleep had eluded her after her son’s death. “Why did this happen to me?” she kept asking.
Her younger son, Binu Jones, died in 2018. “It was a very dark time,” she recalled, “There was deep sorrow and sleeplessness. I could not find peace.”
The turning point came during the COVID-19 pandemic. A sermon by her then parish priest Father Jose Karimattam inspired her to consider writing the Bible by hand. The priest spoke about the transformative power of God’s Word – how the Scripture can renew and strengthen a broken heart.
Jolly decided to try.
“What began as a way to seek comfort slowly became a spiritual discipline,” she told Matters India February 14. “As I wrote, my doubts faded. My faith deepened.”
She copied the official Malayalam Catholic Bible, following the exact sequence and structure of the published edition. Completing the Malayalam Bible took her about one and a half years. She went on to handwrite the New Testament in English as well.
“In the early days, I made mistakes and rewrote entire pages to ensure accuracy. Each time I rewrote a page, I felt greater peace,” she recalled. “Writing the Word of God became prayer.”
She said her painstaking project was not for any record, but for survival.
Her husband, C J Johny, proofread each page, comparing her manuscript with the original printed text and correcting errors.
“When she expressed the desire to write the Bible, I was very happy,” he said. “Her handwriting is so beautiful and is a gift from God. I simply helped in whatever way I could including proof reading.”
Jolly also found encouragement in the “Blessed Family,” a support group for mothers who have lost their children. Their solidarity strengthened Jolly teacher’s resolve when grief resurfaced.
She said her prayer throughout the project was simple: “Lord, keep me firm in faith.”
The completed manuscript was later bound into a single volume with the encouragement of her new parish priest, Father Joseph Kuzhikkattil.
The manuscript was used during a Bible enthronement ceremony during Lenten retreat in April 2025 at her parish church, some 55 km southeast of Kottayam town.
“In an age dominated by digital screens and instant communication, Jolly’s quiet, handwritten labor stands as a countercultural act – one rooted in contemplation and faith,” said Jaimon Kumarakam, a journalist working with Sunday Shalom, a Catholic media group in Kerala.
“What began as an attempt to cope with unbearable loss has become a witness to spiritual resilience,” Jaimon said.
Jolly teacher says reading and writing God’s Word can bring unexpected peace to “those who feel alone in their suffering. by handwriting Bible
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