St. Mary's Forane (Martha Mariam) Church
St. Mary's Forane (Martha Mariam) Church
http://www.stmarykuravilangad.org
Martha Mariam church is the ancestral home of Christian communities in Kerala and out side the State. It is in Meenachil Taluk, 22 kms north of Kottayam, on the eastern side of M.C. Road. Martha Mariam Church belongs to the diocese of Palai.Traditional beliefs, some legendary factors and historical associations contribute to the actual history of the church. It is believed that four Christian families - viz. Palli (Kalli), Kaliyakal (kalikavu), Sankarapuri and Pakalomattam from Palayur arrived at Ettumanoor and they moved to Kalikavu near Kuravilangad in the beginning of the second century. Kuruvilangad Church's Altar Fountain It is also believed that Our Lady appeared to a few children at Kuravilangad, who were tending their flock in the bushes. Our Lady asked them to build a church at the place from where a miraculous perpetual spring sprouted, a spring which exists even today. The children reported this matter to the elders and a church was built there. The present church was completed in 1960 when Rev. Fr. Thomas Manakattu was the parish priest. Kuravilangad has a unique place in the history of the Church of Malabar. The temporal administration of the church was conducted by Archdeacons who were very influential in the society. It is believed that the Archdeacons have been descended from the Pakalomattam family. The mortal remain of a few Archdeacons are still preserved at the Pakalomattam Chapel. Mar Alexander De Campo (Parampil Chandy Metran) is an illustrious son of Kuravilangad. He is the first indigenous bishop of the whole of India. He was ordained bishop on first February 1663 by Mar Sebastany a foreign bishop. Mar Alexander was staying at Kuravilangad till his death, 2nd January 1687. Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Nidhiri ( Nidhirikal Mani kathanar ) (1842- 1904) of Kuravilangad is a colossus in the history of the church in Kerala. He was an eminent educationalist, orator, organizer and a champion of ecumenism. He was the first editor of the first Malayalam daily "Deepika". As vicar of the Kuravilangad church, he started the St.Mary's English school for boys in 1894. The present president of India, K. R. Narayanan matriculated from this school. Fr. Jacob Panamkuzhakal (Panamkuzhakal Valliyachan) (1479-1543) was a very holy priest of Kuravilangad. Many people testify on the favours received through the intercession of Fr. Jacob. The Panamkuzhakal family celebrates the death anniversary of Fr. Jacob on 5th November every year."Moonnu Nompu" is the main feast of the church. Thousands of people from all over Kerala come to this three-days-feast. The ceremonial procession on the second day of the feast when the replica of the vessel used by prophet Jonah of the OT is taken out is the main attraction of the feast. The people of the Kadapoor locality has the privilege to carry the vessel during the procession.The statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary kept at the side altar is unique. It is carved from granite and it is believed that it was brought from North India. This is a miraculous statue and the devotees call this statue "Kuravilangad Muthiyamma".The granite cross in a single block of 48 feet in front of the church was erected around 1597. The devotes offer coconut oil in the lamps at the foot of the cross. On first Fridays devotees stand in queue from early morning to late in the evening to offer oil.An ancient bell with the engraving on Syriac "Mother of God" speaks loudly of the traditional faith of christian community here in Kerala. Three majestic bells that peal out the glory of Kuravilangad were brought from Germany in 1911.The eight tongued coconut scraper is a marvel in carpentry. It is carved out of a single block of wood. It was used to scrape coconuts for the "Monnu Nompu" feast. A good number of educational and charitable institutions do creditable service to the people of this locality. A century old Boy's Higher secondary school, half a century old girls secondary school and a first grade college, Devamatha speak volumes about the contribution of the church in the field of education. St.Vincent's Hospital run by congregation of the sisters of charity of St.Vincent De Paul in a land mark here is the field of medical service. About one hundred girls are taken care of at the Balabhavan run by the CMC sisters. Sisters from five convents render immense service to the parishioners. With about 2500 families and 12500 members, Kuravilangad is the ancient and the biggest parish in the diocese of Palai. This Marian pilgrim centre is a source of solace and hope to thousands of devotees who visit this church every year.
Religion
Mar 27, 2007
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Guruvayoor.org provides all information about guruvayur temple and pooja. Located 29 km north-west of Thrissur District in God's Own Kerala, Guruvayur is one of the most important pilgrimage centers of South India. Guruvayur is also called the Bhoolokavaikunta - the heaven on Earth!The square Sreekovil is the sacred sanctum Sanctorum of the temple, housing the main deity of Lord Krishna, an incarnation of Lord MahaVishnu.It is at this temple that Melpathur Narayana Bhattathiri composed his well-known Sanskrit devotional poem 'Narayaneeyam'. The temple is renowned for its healing powers. Several offerings are made to the deity here from the simple 'Archana' (offering of flowers) to the expensive and elaborate 'Udayastamana' pooja or 'Thulabharam' where a devotee is weighed against offering of bananas, sugar, jaggery or coconuts.Guruvayur is the site for weddings and Annaprasanam, the first feeding ceremony of a child. This is probably the only site for several weddings and 'Annaprasanam', the first feeding ceremony of child.Within the temple, there are also the idols of Ganapathy, Sree Ayyappa and Edathedathy Kavil Bhagavathy. Only Hindus are allowed inside the temple. The walls of the sanctum sanctorum are inlaid with exquisite mural paintings and carvings. The eastern nada is the main entrance to the shrine. IJust in front of the temple there is a huge tower of light, it has thirteen discs including basement and is 24 feet in height. There are four Deepasthambams made of brass, inside the temple. One at northern wing was smashed by the Gajarajan Kesavan . The eastern tower, Kizhakke Gopuram (eastern tower) is 33 feet and Patinjhare Gopuram (western tower) is 27 feet in height.
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The history of the Diocese of Cochin begins with the arrival of Portuguese missionaries along with the famous explorer, Vasco da Gama, in Calicut. The second Portuguese fleet under Pedro Alavarez Cabral reached Cochin on December 24, 1500. It was Francesco de Albuquerque who built a place of worship which was blessed on November 1, 1503.The first Portuguese Viceroy, Francesco de Almeida, who reached Cochin in 1505 built a church edifice using lime and stone. On the feast of the “Invention of the Holy Cross”, May 3, that year its foundation stone was laid and when completed it was named Santa Cruz. (This church was on the eastern side of the present Children’s Park, Fort Cochin).When the Dutch conquered Cochin in 1663, they destroyed all the Catholic institutions except the Cathedral and the Church of St. Francis. The Cathedral used as an armoury was later destroyed when the British took over in 1795 ( One of its monumental remains, a decorative granite pillar, is kept on the south-eastern corner of the present Basilica ).Bishop Dom Joao Gomes Fereira who became the prelate of Cochin in 1887 started rebuilding the cathedral but only during the reign of his successor, Dom Mateus Oliveira Xavier it could be brought to reality. On November 19, 1905, the new Cathedral was consecrated by Dom Sebastiao Jose Pereira, Bishop of Damao.Considering the earnest request of Rt. Rev. Dr. Joseph Kureethara, who was holding the Crosier of Cochin then, and considering the covetable antiquity, artistic magnificence and historic significance, Pope John Paul II raised the Santa Cruz Cathedral as a Basilica on 19th December, 1984. It was, indeed, a matter of great joy to each and every faithful of the Diocese, especially the Kochinites, irrespective of cast and creed.
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