St Thomas Cathedral[1] Or simply Cathedral of Pala is the name that receives a religious building that belongs to the Catholic Church, follows the Syro-Malabar rite and is located in the town of Pala[2][3] in the state of Kerala in the south of the Asian country of India. It serves as the mother church of the Diocese or Eparchy Syro-Malabar of Palai ( Eparchia Palaiensis) which was created in 1950 through the bull "Quo Ecclesiarum" of Pope Pius XII.
The church was constructed in the year 1002 July 3, by four Syrian Christian families. These four Christian families of Palai were Tharayil (tharayil mappila) Koottumkal (brother of Tharayil Mappila) Erakonni &Vayalakombil. They engaged mainly in agriculture and trade. It is believed that the old church St. Thomas cathedral was built by these families. Tharayil Mappila seek the permission to build a church at Pala. But the local ruler meenachil kartha's (karthavu) asked him to bring three more families. He brought two families, ERAKONNI & VAYALAKOMBIL. And still he was in need of one. So he brought his own brother (Tharayil family) to Pala and gave him family name Koottumkal , in order to construct the church. Meenachil Karthas gave land on the banks of meenachil river and the church was constructed. These four families stayed in and around the church and opposite to the church. This church was designed by Architect Philip Mathew. He studied in Sir J.J School of Architecture, Bombay.
