Francis_Ah_Mya

Francis Ah Mya

Francis Ah Mya

Anglican Archbishop in India and Burma


Francis Ah Mya was an Anglican Archbishop[1] in India and Burma (now Myanmar) in the mid-20th century.[2]

He was educated at the Bishop's College in Calcutta and ordained in 1933. He was a tutor at the Divinity School, Rangoon from 1933 to 1940 and then the incumbent at St Matthew Moulmein until 1949. He became archdeacon of Toungoo in 1946[3] and was placed in charge of St Peter's Bible School when it was moved to Kappli.[4]

He was appointed to the episcopate as assistant bishop of Rangoon in 1949; he and John Aung Hla were the first native bishops in Calcutta.[4][5] He was consecrated a bishop on Pentecost day (5 June), by George Hubback, Bishop of Calcutta, at St Paul's Cathedral, Calcutta.[6][7] In 1966 he became its diocesan[8] and in 1970 established a new Anglican Province with himself as Archbishop,[9] resigning in 1972.[10]

Ah Mya transformed Rangoon into an autonomous province independent of the Province of India, Pakistan, Burma and Cylone;[11] he also worked on lay associations within the church as well as self-supporting projects and an evening Bible school.

In 1981, he reopened the Mindon mission.[4]

WWII

During the Second World War he was held as a prisoner of war by the Japanese. It was said that he became the leader of other POWs. He managed to persuade the Commandant to release other prisoners and himself under a plan given to him by God.[dubious ] — This story is told in the book "Going My Way" by Godfrey Winn.


References

  1. Crockford's Clerical Directory 1975-76 London: Oxford University Press, 1976 ISBN 0-19-200008-X
  2. "Church News: General". Church Times. No. 4504. 3 June 1949. p. 359. ISSN 0009-658X. Retrieved 25 October 2019 via UK Press Online archives.
  3. "Consecration of three national bishops". Church Times. No. 4507. 24 June 1949. p. 409. ISSN 0009-658X. Retrieved 25 October 2019 via UK Press Online archives.
  4. New Bishop Of Rangoon The Times Tuesday, Jun 07, 1966; pg. 12; Issue 56651; col D
  5. ttc Archived 2011-07-19 at the Wayback Machine
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