Kodungallur, the cradle of Christianity in India, was blessed by the arrival of St. Thomas the Apostle in A.D. 52, who formed the first Christian community. Knai Thomman came in A.D. 345, but invasions, the 1341 Periyar flood, and Portuguese rule later forced St. Thomas Christians to migrate. Latin Christianity later grew with European missionary support, and the region also houses historic sites like the Cheraman Juma Masjid and Sri Kurumba Bhagavathy Temple.
After the Syro-Malabar hierarchy was restored, the Church revived the St. Thomas tradition. The Azhikode Pontifical Shrine holds the relic fore-arm of St. Thomas, brought from Italy in 1953, and is cared for by the C.M.I. Fathers. With the formation of the Eparchy of Irinjalakuda, Mar James Pazhayattil organized the faithful and built a church in 1984 dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary, where relics of the Twelve Apostles are installed. Religious congregations later established educational and social-service institutions. In 2011, Mar Pauly Kannookadan founded the Kodungallur Research Academy, and the Mission Year (2011–12) was inaugurated here. The annual Kodungallur Pilgrimage commemorates the Apostle’s arrival in India.
The christian community in Ambazhakad is the second in antiquity in the eparchy. St. Thomas Forane Church was founded in A.D. 300 and is the mother of several churches in the archeparchy of Ernakulam-Angamaly and the eparchy of Irinjalakuda. It is traditionally believed that the ancient community received the christian faith through the apostolic community of Kodungallur. During the Portuguese period there existed the St. Paul's Seminary, Sampalur where Arnos Padri resided and did his literary works. There was also a printing press and a centre of publication attached to it. During the invasion of Tippu Sultan in 1781 the christian presence and institutions in Ambazhakad and Sampalur suffered severe damages. Later a number of houses belonging to the ancient indigenous religious institutes of the Carmelites of Mary Immaculate and the congregation of the Mother of Carmel were founded here at the early period. Taking the apostolic tradition, antiquity and prominence of the christian community into account this church was raised as a Forane Church in 1944.
The ancient community of Puthenchira adjacent to Kodungallur inheriting the apostolic tradition originated in AD 400. The Church was dedicated to the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. In those days water-transportation from Kodungallur to Puthenchira was very popular. The seat of Archdiocese of Kodungallur was shifted to Puthenchira from 1701 to 1777. Thus the Archbishops resided in the presbytery at Puthenchira. On their demise, the mortal remains of Most Rev. Dr. John Rebeiro S.J., Dr. Antonio Pimentel S.J, Dr. John Aloysius Concellos S.J and Dr. Salvador Dos Reis S.J were intered in the floor of St Mary’s Forane Church at Puthenchira.
Thresia (1876- 1926), the foundress of the Holy Family Congregation hails from Puthenchira rich in priestly and religious vocations. Her Ekanthabhavanam, a house of prayer and penance, was built at Puthenchira on 07-10-1913. Together with Venerable Fr. Joseph Vithayathil, the Vicar, she founded the Holy Family Congregation for sisters at Puthenchira on 14-05-1914, in view of family apostolate and women's education. The present magnificent church was built at the initiation of the Venerable Rev. Fr. Joseph Vithayathil, the parish priest and consecrated on May 30th 1915. It was for the first time that a parish church was solemnly consecrated by the three Bishops of Kerala namely Mar John Menachery, Mar Thomas Kurialachery and Mar Alexander Choolaparambil.
H.F.L.P. School was started in Puthenchira in 1915. Saint Mariam Thresia died on 08.06.1926 and was buried in the convent chapel at Kuzhikattussery. The house where she lived, the things she used and the dress with demarcations of her stigmata have been preserved intact now. Mother Mariam Thresia was beatified on 9th April 2000 and Canonised on 13th October 2019 by pope Francis. The Canonical Process of the cause of Venerable Rev. Fr. Joseph
The ancient christian community and the church of Chalakudy is traditionally believed to be founded in AD 600. It could be a migration from Kodungallur. It was well known at the time of the Portuguese in India. The Padroado Archbishop John Rebeiro, who was appointed Archbishop of Kodungallur in 1701, was consecrated in 1703 and came to Chalakudy, a christian centre on 8th June 1704 and held a meeting on 29th June 1704 and published the Bula of his appointment. He resided there till he shifted his residence to Puthenchira in 1706. The Church of Chalakudy has undergone several reconstructions and modifications periodically. The Forane church which was built preserving the main altar of the ancient church was consecrated on 10.08.1987 and was declared a Marian Shrine by His Eminence Simon Cardinal Lourdusamy, Prefect of the Congregation for the Eastern Churches.
The first church in Velayanad was constructed on a hilltop in AD 900 and was dedicated to the Assumption of Blessed Virgin Mary. It was in 1100 that the second church was built up in the lower part. during the military expedition of Tippu Sultan the ancient church was damaged, but shortly repaired. The present church was constructed in the adjacent compound facing the main road in 1971, retaining the old one. Later the ancient church was repaired and renovated. This is the mother of several churches including the Forane church, Kalparambu.
The probable history of the christian community here traditionally traces back to 400 AD according to the local tradition. The first church at Parappukara was dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary. The locality was famous at the time of the Portuguese in India. It is locally believed that St. Francis Xavier had visited the place. They have erected a monumental cross to perpetuate his memory. Pehaps the re-dedication of the church to St. John Nepumcian was done after the canonisation of the Saint in 1729. This is one of the protopresbyterates formed shortly after the erection of the eparchy, namely on 25-01-1979.
There was an ancient christian settlement in Edathiruthy comprising the area of Kattoor and Karanchira.This community had with the millennium old churches of Enammavu (Enammakkal) and Pazhuvil. Edathiruthy developed as a centre of trade and industry. Eventually the christians of Edathiruthy built up as a small church of their own in 1700, dedicated to Our Lady of Carmel. Edathiruthy is rich in priestly and religious vocations. The blessed Euphrasia who was canonized on 23rd November 2014 was born (Kattoor) and was baptized here at Edathiruthy. The recently reconstructed house has been located and designed after the model of the ancient house of the Eluvathingal family of Rosa (Euphrasia). The church was declared a Foraneon25.01.1979.Thepresentchurchwasbuiltin1990elegantly incorporating the ancient altar.
Kalparambu is one of thechristiancentresofhistorical importance. It was in 1733 that thechurchdedicatedtoSt.Mary (Mother of Rosary) was built here. The so called "Pookotta seminary" of the Jesuits was established here in 1751. Both the church and the seminary. were destroyed during the military expedition of Tippu Sultan. The church was repaired shortly. The Malpanate was founded here in 1807 attached to the parish. This is the mother of several parishes in the vicinity. Considering its historical importance, Kalparambu was raised to a forane in 2002.
The christian community of Thazhekad orginated in AD 800. There is an inscription called Thazhekad Sasanam is seen in the premises of the church. The migrant traders named Manigramam - christian merchant group - received certain privileges from the rulers of the place. The first church at Thazhekad was in the name of St. Mary. But during the Portuguese period based on miracles connected with St. Sebastian, it was renamed and dedicated to the Saint. During the military operations of Tippu Sultan the church was seriously damaged. It was reconstructed after a century, namely in 1917. This has been one of the shrines of the Eparchy dedicated to St. Sebastian. On April 22nd, 2014 the new church was consecrated by Major A r c h b i s h o p M a r G e o rg e Cardinal Alancherry. The church was elevated as the major archiepiscopal pilgrim church by the Syro Malabar Church on 8th March 2020.
This is a place of pilgrimage during the Lentan season, particularly on Holy Week. Many pilgrims used to climb the hill as an act of prayer and offering. Pilgrimage to the hill which has been patronized to St. Thomas the apostle of Jesus came to India in AD 52 was started in 1940 following an insight and vision happened in dream to Rev. Fr. Anthappan Valiyaveettil, the thenvicar of St. Antony's Church, Perambra. He started the pilgrimage to the hill as he thought that it was the place that he had seen in his dream, and believed that it had significant spiritual importance, since St. Thomas would have gone through the hill as it is the nearest hill to Azhikode where the apostle was banked off the ship and praying at hills was a characteristic of Jesus and his disciples. On 29th March 2014 this centre was officially declared as the Eparchial Piligrim Centre
St. Mariam Thresia and Ven. Joseph Vithayathil Pilgrim Centre is where St. Mariam Thresia and Venerable Joseph Vithayathil are laid to rest. Born on April 26,1876 at Puthenchira, her life and activities were mainly concentrated in and around the village where she was born and brought up. She was committed to uplift the broken families and dedicated for the empowerment of women. In 1926, at the age of 50, she was called to eternal rest and her body was buried at Kuzhikattussery Holy Family Convent Chapel. During this short period, she lived thirty eight years as an ordinary lay woman and only twelve years as a nun. On 13 October 2019, the Holy Father Pope Francis declared her a saint. Fr. Joseph Vithayathil was her spiritual ‘guru’ who was elevated to the status of Venerable on 14 October 2015. On 13 October 2020, the centre where they are laid to rest, was officially declared as the Eparchial pilgrim centre.
The church at Mapranam, founded in AD 928, is believed to be the oldest in the locality. It was dedicated to the Holy Cross and several relics including that of Holy Cross are enshrined here from 1877 onwards. The history of Mapranam is blended with legends. Taking the antiquity of the church and other factors into account the State Government has declared this as a tourist centre. The bishop of Irinjalakuda has granted the church the status of Shrine on 01-12-2008. Ancient materials of archeological excavation are preserved here.
