Andrianaivoravelona, Josefa (1835-1897)
One of the first Malagasy ministers of the Reformed Church of Madagascar
Adrianaivoravelona was born into a non-Christian noble family of the central part of Madagascar. After his baptism in 1857, he dropped his original name Andriantseheno and adopted Andrianaivoravelona as more in keeping with his Christian faith. Thereafter he applied all his energy to the conversion of his people, hiding in various places because of religious persecution by the queen, Ranavalona I, who was hostile to Christianity and foreign influence. While in southern Madagascar he founded the first church of Fianarantsoa. On his return to Antananarivo, the capital, he was able to work as a self-educated preacher until the persecution ended in 1861, thanks to the secret protection of the queen’s son and the prime minister. He was elected as pastor in 1866 by the congregation of Ampamrianana, thus becoming the first native minister of the church and its dependent communities. When the new queen, Ranavalona II, converted to Christianity, he also became one of the pastors of the palace church in 1869, remaining pastor of the two churches until 1897. In spite of his age and heavy pastoral and family responsibilities, Andrianaivoravelona pursued his studies brilliantly in London Missionary Society College at Antananarivo from 1869 to 1873. He was a prolific hymn writer, an indefatigable and immensely popular preacher, and a member of the committee for the revision of the Bible from 1873 to 1887. He drew praise from fellow countrymen and foreign missionaries alike, although some of the latter were distrustful of his independent spirit. Such a formidable character attracted the suspicion of the French government, so that he was sent into exile to the island of Reunion with the last queen, Ranavalona III. There he died.
This article is reprinted from Biographical Dictionary of Christian Missions, Macmillan Reference USA, copyright © 1998 Gerald H. Anderson, by permission of Macmillan Reference USA, New York, NY. All rights reserved. By Yvette Ranjeva Rabetafika.
Bibliography
Joseph Andrianaivoravelona, “Andrianaivoravelona,” in Mpanolotsaina 34, nos. 139-142 (1937).
Ratovonarivo, Tantaran’ny Fiangoana Ambonin’ Ampamarinana (History of the Ampamarinana church) (1974).
Francois Raison-Jourde, Bible et pouvoir a Madagascar au XIXe siècle (1991).
Ravelojaona, ed., Firaketana (Malagasy encyclopedic dictionary) (1937).