Malayattoor
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Malayattoor Saint Thomas Church is one of the most prominent Christian pilgrim centers in the Ernakulam district
Ernakulam district
-Economy:Agriculture constitutes the most important segment of the district’s economy and it is the biggest source of employment. Of the geographical 235319 hectares, crops are grown in 0 hectares. Coconut is the principal crop followed by rubber, paddy, and tapioca...

 of Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....

, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...

.
The Malayatoor Church of Cochin attracts a large number of devotees from not just Kerala, but also all over India.
St. Thomas the Apostle was the one who took initiative to begin a Christian community in Kerala. He also set up the church here which has been designated by the Vatican
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...

 as an International Shrine. It is believed that St. Thomas held prayer at this church when he landed in Kerala. The hilltop church is located 15 km away from the town of Kalady
Kalady
Kalady is a village located east of the Periyar river, in the Ernakulam district of Kerala, India. Notably, it is the birthplace of Sri Adi Shankara, and thus is a popular destination for pilgrims...

. Malayatoor and Kodanad
Kodanad
Kodanad is a rural riverside village and a popular picnic spot and tourist destination in the Ernakulam district of the state of Kerala in southern India. Elephant rescue and care centre for central and southern forest region of Kerala is located in Kodanad...

 villages are located on the opposite banks of the Periyar river with unspoiled and rustic views of the surroundings.

History

St. Thomas is believed to have landed in Kerala at Kodungallur
Kodungallur
Kodungallur is a municipality in Thrissur District, in the state of Kerala, India on the Malabar Coast. Kodungallur is located about 29 km northwest of Kochi city and 38 km Southwest of Thrissur, on National Highway 17 . Muziris the ancient seaport at the mouth of the Periyar River was...

 (Cranganore) in AD 52. Oral tradition says that while travelling through Malayattor, faced with hostile natives, he fled to the hilltop where he is said to have remained in prayer and that he left his foot prints on one of the rocks. According to beliefs, during prayer, he touched a rock, upon which blood poured from it.

The chief festival is on the first Sunday after Easter
Easter
Easter is the central feast in the Christian liturgical year. According to the Canonical gospels, Jesus rose from the dead on the third day after his crucifixion. His resurrection is celebrated on Easter Day or Easter Sunday...

. It is traditionally believed that St. Thomas used to make the Sign of the Cross
Sign of the cross
The Sign of the Cross , or crossing oneself, is a ritual hand motion made by members of many branches of Christianity, often accompanied by spoken or mental recitation of a trinitarian formula....

 on the rock, kiss it and pray at Kurisumudi. The story has it that a miraculous golden cross appeared at that particular spot. Pilgrims going up the hill to call out incessantly "''Ponnum Kurishu Muthappo, Ponmala Kayattom", meaning "O Patriarch of the Golden Cross! Climb we shall, this golden hill!"

This Shrine was promoted to Archdiocesan status by Archbishop
Archbishop
An archbishop is a bishop of higher rank, but not of higher sacramental order above that of the three orders of deacon, priest , and bishop...

 Mar Varkey Vithayathil on 4 September 1998. There is also a very ancient Church in the name of St Thomas (Estd. 900) at Malayattoor on the bank of Periyar River
Periyar River
Periyar is the longest river in the state of Kerala, India, with a length of 244 km. The Periyar is known as the lifeline of Kerala; it is one of the few perennial rivers in the region and provides drinking water for several major towns...

 which serves as the parish Church at present. The annual festival of this church is known as 'Malayatoor Perunal' and it is celebrated in the months of March–April.

Malayattoor is a part of the Malayattoor-Neeleeswaram Panchayat (Local governing body) of Ernakulam Dist.

Tourist information

St. Thomas
Thomas the Apostle
Thomas the Apostle, also called Doubting Thomas or Didymus was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus. He is best known for questioning Jesus' resurrection when first told of it, then proclaiming "My Lord and my God" on seeing Jesus in . He was perhaps the only Apostle who went outside the Roman...

 founded churches in different places in Kerala including Kollam
Kollam
Kollam , often anglicized as ', is a city in the Indian state of Kerala. The city lies on the banks of Ashtamudi Lake on the Arabian sea coast and is situated about north of the state capital, Thiruvananthapuram...

, Kodungalloor, Nilakkal, Niranam
Niranam
Niranam is a village in central Travancore region in Kerala, India. It was a port in ancient Kerala, on the confluence of the Manimala and Achankovil River. It is almost from Tiruvalla in Pathanamthitta District of Kerala...

, etc. One can easily seek spiritual happiness and satisfaction amidst the calm and serene locales surrounding Malayatoor. In fact, this center is the most popular and largest St. Thomas shrine in India. It is a popular tourist center and many people throng this place to have a look at this magnificent church. It is a must visit while traveling to Cochin.

Every year on the first Sunday after Easter, thousands of pilgrims throng to this shrine to seek holy blessings. The architecture of the church is very interesting and uses a combination of unique styles that are a delight to the eyes. It is a combination of Greco-Roman architecture
Architecture
Architecture is both the process and product of planning, designing and construction. Architectural works, in the material form of buildings, are often perceived as cultural and political symbols and as works of art...

 with a traditional Greek styled altar. The front of the church has been built in the typical Roman Catholic architecture. The church has been decorated with beautiful carvings, designs and paintings that depict the life of Jesus Christ. There are facilities for confession and adoration also in this church. The church also has an ancient pond that was used for baptism
Baptism
In Christianity, baptism is for the majority the rite of admission , almost invariably with the use of water, into the Christian Church generally and also membership of a particular church tradition...

 purposes and a traditional pulpit
Pulpit
Pulpit is a speakers' stand in a church. In many Christian churches, there are two speakers' stands at the front of the church. Typically, the one on the left is called the pulpit...

that is considered to be of much historical significance.

How to Reach Malayattoor Church.
  • By Air

The Cochin International Airport is at a distance of 15 kilometers from here.
  • By Rail

The Angamaly railway station is at a distance of 17 kilometers from Malayattoor, but since most train do not stop at Angamaly you can get down at the next railway station Aluva (Alwaye)as every train halts here.
  • By Road

Malayattoor Church is easily reachable from anywhere in Kerala and Cochin as the place is well connected by a wide network of roads.
To get to Malayatoor driving down on the NH47, one will have to take a diversion towards Kalady from Angamaly and drive all the way up to Kalady town which will take about 10 minutes. Then take a left towards Malayatoor. Folks driving down from Ernakulam / Cochin can drive up to Angamaly and take the same route or take the left towards Kalady after Cochin International Airport on the NH47. The latter route is shorter but the time taken will be a little long due to the small roads on will have to drive in.

External links

  • http://www.malayattooronline.com/ Malayattoor Kurisumudy visitor information
  • http://www.malayattooronline.com/ Malayattoor live information
  • http://www.malayattoorkurisumudy.in
The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
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