St. Mary's Jacobite Syrian Cathedral, Kothamangalam

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St.Mary's Cathedral Kothamangalam
St.Mary's Syrian Cathedral. Kothamangalam
Religion
Affiliation	Jacobite Syrian Church
District	Ernakulam
Province	Kerala
Ecclesiastical or organizational status	Valiyapally
Location
Location	Kothamangalam, Ernakulam, India
Architecture
Type	Church
Direction of façade	West

St.Mary's Church or Marth Maryam Cathedral is a Valiyapally (Principal church) situated in Kothamangalam town of India. It is located in Ernakulam district of Kerala state, India.

It's one of the most ancient Christian churches in India. It is believed that the church was founded on or before 4th century by a few Syrian Christian families who migrated from Paravur and Angamali. The new church established in AD 1340 by four Syrian Christian merchants who bought the entire land of Kothamangalam from a local chief for commodity trading with the nearby state of Tamil Nadu.

History

Historically kothamangalam is the major commercial city in Portuguese Period.The Marth Maryam church at Kothamangalam, commonly known as Valiyapally is the oldest of all the churches in the region. It is also believed that one of the seven and a half churches founded by St Thomas is @ Gokkamangalam=> Kokkamangalam=> Kotamanagalam=>Kothamangalam. It should be mentioned that no other ancient churches in Kerala bring forward any claim for the ancient Gokkamangalam church established by St. Thomas. According to tradition, Mar Yuhannon who represented the Malankara Church at the Holy Synod of Ephesus in AD 431 stayed at Kothamangalam church and had visited Angamaly Church.^[1]

Altars

The altars in the Martha Maryam church are dedicated to the Mother of God , Saint George , Saint John the Baptist, Apostles Saint Peter & Saint Paul and Saint Thomas

Feasts

The most important festivals of the church are celebrated on 10 February and 15 August.

Holy Soonoro

A small portion of the Holy Girdle of Saint Mary , rediscovered at the Syrian Orthodox Church at Homs in 1953 by Patriarch of Antioch Ignatius Aphrem I Barsoum , was established in this church In 1980 by the diocesan Metropolitan Thomas Mor Dionysius (The present Catholicos of Malankara) ^[2]

Historical Events

All the five Patriarchs of Antioch who had visited Malankara in the last two centuries came to this church as well. Last of these Patriarchal visits was that of His Holiness Ignatius Zakka I Iwas in 1982. It was during this historical visit the Holy Patriarch had ordained an assistant metropolitan for the diocese by name Mor Severios Abraham, at the Kothamangalam Cheriapally.
As per the biography of Saint Gregorios of Malankara written by Mookencheril Paily Varkey in 1903, Palakunnath Mathews Mar Athanasius ordained the saintly Gregorios Thirumeni as Korooyo in this church in 1858.^[3]
From 1974 to 1997, the building adjacent to the Valiyapally was the bishop's residence of the diocesan Metropolitan.

Gallery

Kothamanagalam Valiyapally altar
Baptismal font @ Valiyapally Kothamangalam

External links

v t e Christianity in Kerala
Denominations	Assemblies of God in India Chaldean Syrian Church Church of God (Full Gospel) in India Church of South India Indian Pentecostal Church of God Jacobite Syrian Christian Church Kerala Brethren Latin Catholic Church Malabar Independent Syrian Church Mar Thoma Syrian Church Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church The Salvation Army St. Thomas Evangelical Church of India Syro-Malabar Church Syro-Malankara Catholic Church The Pentecostal Mission
Religious organisations	Divine Retreat Centre, Muringoor Jerusalem Retreat Center Kerala Catholic Bishops' Council Parumala Seminary Potta Ashram Thrikkunnathu Seminary
Related	All India Catholic Union Angamaly police firing Arnos Pathiri Benjamin Bailey (missionary) Bible translations into Malayalam Carmelites of Mary Immaculate Christianity in India Congregation of Saint Thérèse of Lisieux Hermann Gundert Malankara-Persian ecclesiastical relations Maramon Convention Pentecostalism in Kerala Saint Thomas Christians Sister Abhaya murder case Sisters of the Destitute Synod of Diamper Syrian churches of Kerala Syrian Malabar Nasrani Varthamanappusthakam Niranam Grandhavari
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v t e Church buildings in Kerala, India
Kasaragod	Bela Church
Kannur	St. Mary's Forane Church, Edoor
Wayanad	Pallikunnu Church St. Jude's Church, Chundale St. Mary's Church, Meenangadi St. George Forane Church Kallody, Wayanad
Kozhikode	St. Mary's Orthodox Church, Maikavu St George's Syro-Malabar Forane Church, Kulathuvayal Vattal Kurishu Palli
Malappuram	Little Flower Forane Church, Nilambur St. George Orthodox Church, Chungathara St. Gregorios Orthodox Church, Velamcode
Palakkad	St. Raphael's Syro-Malabar Catholic Cathedral
Thrissur	Basilica of Our Lady of Dolours, Thrissur Fathima Matha Chapel, Kandeswaram Mar Sleeva Syro-Malabar Church, Mapranam Marth Mariam Cathedral Marth Mariam Cathedral Mary Matha Syro-Malabar Church, Ollur Our Lady of Lourdes Metropolitan Cathedral Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church, West Chalakudy Pazhanji Church Pazhuvil Church St. Antony's Forane Church St. Francis Xavier's Church, Sampaloor St. Francis Xavier Forane Church, Velur St. Joseph Chapel, Americankettu North West St Mary's Church, Cheloor St. Mary's Syro-Malabar Forane Church, Chalakudy St. Thomas Cathedral, Irinjalakuda St. Thomas Syro-Malabar Church, Palayoor
Ernakulam	Marthoma Cheriapally Kothamangalam St.Mary's Cathedral Kothamangalam Mar Sabor and Mar Proth Church, Akaparambu Church of Our Lady of Hope CSI Immanuel Church, Ernakulam Don Bosco Church, North Paravur Holy Magi Syro-Malabar Forane Church, Muvattupuzha Kadamattom Church Karingachira Church St. Peter and St. Paul's Church, Kolenchery Kottakkavu Mar Thoma Syro-Malabar Church, North Paravur Little Flower Church, Kaprassery Mar Hormizd Syro-Malabar Church, Angamaly St. Mary's Forane Church, Arakuzha Marthoma Cheria Pally Kothamangalam Mary Queen Church, Thoppil Nadamel Marth Mariam Church Santa Cruz Cathedral Basilica, Kochi Vallarpadam Basilica Varapuzha Basilica St George church, Vypin St Louis Church, Mundamveli St Thomas' Church, Thuruthur Our Lady of Immaculate Conception Church, Manjummel St. Antony's Church, Kodanad St. Francis Church, Kochi St. George Syro-Malabar Basilica, Angamaly St. George's Forane Church, Edappally St. George's Syro-Malabar Church, Thalayolaparambu St. John the Baptist Church, South Parur St. Jude Church, Kidangoor St. Mary's Simhasana Church, Veliyanad St. Sebastian's Church, Udayamperoor St. Thomas More Syro-Malabar Church, Alakode (Meenmutty) St. Thomas Church, Kokkamangalam St. Thomas Syro-Malabar Church, Malayattoor St. Philomena's Forane Church, Koonammavu St.Thomas Dayara, Vettikkal
Idukki	Pattumala Matha Church St. Mary's Forane Church, Karimannoor St Sebastian's Church, Neyyassery
Kottayam	Holy Family Syro-Malabar Church, Mannila Immaculate Heart of Mary Cathedral, Kottayam Mar Aphrem Church St Antony's Syro-Malabar Forane Church, Kurumpanadam St. George Orthodox Church, Puthuppally St. George's Syro-Malabar Catholic Forane Church, Aruvithura St. Mary's Church, Kottayam St. Mary's Jacobite Syrian Cathedral, Manarcad St Mary's Metropolitan Cathedral, Changanassery St. Mary's Syro-Malabar Major Archiepiscopal Church Kuravilangad St. Thomas Cathedral, Pala St. Thomas Church, Arunoottimangalam Vettikkunnel church
Alappuzha	Basilica of St. Mary, Champakulam St. Andrew's Basilica, Arthunkal Kattachira Church Marthoma Church, Cheppad Pazhaya Suriyani Pally St. Bursouma's Church, Attuva St. George's Church, Cheppad St. George Orthodox Church, Cheppad St. Mary's Orthodox Cathedral, Puthencavu St. Thomas Mar Thoma Church, Pallipad
Pathanamthitta	Arohana Marthoma Church, Anicadu Bethel Marthoma Church, Chengara Holy Innocents' Church, Mezhuveli Kadammanittapally Kadampanad Church Kannamcode Cathedral Mar Thoma Sleeha Syro-Malabar Church, Thulappally Nilackal St.Thomas Church Sacred Heart Church, Mylapra St. George Orthodox Church, Chandanapally St. George Orthodox Church, Mylapra St. Ignatius Monastery Manjinikkara St. John's Cathedral, Tiruvalla St. Mary's Church, Niranam St Mary's Orthodox Church, Kallooppara St. Thomas Marthoma Church, Kozhencherry
Kollam	Dutch Church, Munroe Island Infant Jesus Cathedral Mount Tabor Monastery, Pathanapuram St Andrew's Church, Kovilthottam St Antony's Church, Kanjiracode St Elijah Orthodox Syrian Church St. George's Church, Chathannoor St. Mary's Cathedral, Kundara St. Mary's Cathedral, Punalur St. Mary's Orthodox Church, Avaneeswaram St. Mary's Salem Orthodox Church, Manappally
Thiruvananthapuram	All Saints Syro Malabar Church Cathedral of Saint Mary, Pattom Mateer Memorial Church Pentecostal Maranatha Gospel Church St. Joseph's Cathedral, Trivandrum St. Mary, Queen of Peace Basilica St. Theresa of Lisieux Catholic Church, Vellayambalam St. Xavier's Church, Peyad
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References

^ John Mason Neale, A history of the Holy Eastern Church : the Patriarchate of Antioch, (First published 1873. Republisher: Facsimile Publisher, 2015), p.6, ff.3..
^ http://www.socmnet.org/Holy_Girdle.htm
^ http://www.syriacchristianity.info/StGG/BreifhistoryMorGregorious.htm