Kerala
pilgrim centers
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like churches
|
St. George Church,
Edappally, Kochi
|
St.
George Church, Edappally,
Kochi has a past that
touches 593 AD. This
is one of the major
pilgrim centres in Kerala
where even non-Christians
crowd for veneration.
Even during the week-
days devotees throng
the church to genuflect
before the statue of
St. George to express
their gratitude for
favours received through
the saint.
|
St.
Thomas Cathedral, Pala
|
St.
Thomas Church at Pala
in Kottayam district
is known for Rakkuli
festival commemorating
the Epiphany feast celebrated
on January 6. The festival
has become an occasion
for trade related exhibitions.
|
St. Francis Church,
Fort Kochi . |
The
first European church
in India, which later
became the model for
building churches in
elsewhere the country.Vasco
da Gama, who died in
Kochi during his second
visit to Kerala |
St. Mary's Church,
Niranam |
| This
is one of the oldest
churches in India, believed
to have been established
by St. Thomas during
his missionary days
in the State in AD 53.
The Apostle of Jesus
is believed to have
erected a crucifix and
built a church here.
The main religious festival
honoring Holy Mary is
on August 15. The birthday
of St. Mary is celebrated
on 8th September. St.
Thomas Day (July 3)
is also celebrated with
great zeal.
|
St. Sebastian's
Church, Aruthunkal |
One
of the most important
pilgrim centers of the
Christians in Kerala,
this church was established
by Portuguese half missionaries.
The feast of St. Sebastian
is held here every year
during the second week
of January. The Ettamperunal
is celebrated on the
8th day after the main
festival. A peculiar
votive of the church
is Urula nercha, an
offering where devotees
crawl on the ground
from the church premise
to the local beach. |
St. Thomas Church,
Kokkamangalam, Cherthala |
Built
by St. Thomas in AD
52, this church has
a special altar where
the holy relics of St.
Thomas, brought from
Edessa with the special
permission of His Holiness
John Paul II is kept.
The main feast of St.
Thomas is on the Sunday
following Easter, which
is attended by scores
of pilgrims from across
the country. |
St. George's Church,
Edathua |
Established
in 1810, the church
is dedicated to St.
George. It is believed
that prayers and offerings
at this church help
to heal all mental disorders
and other ailments.
During the eleven-day
annual feast (27 April-
7 May) pilgrims from
all parts of South India,
irrespective of caste
and creed, visit the
church and seek the
blessings of the saint.
|
Kurusumala |
| Kurisumala
Ashram is at the heart
of the Sahya Mountains,
which run parallel to
India's south west coast.
It is a place sanctified
by the breeze which
blows softly across
the valleys and by the
overwhelming beauty
of the creation, and
the mediative thoughts
which arise from the
depth of silence. Even
today people move to
the mountains in search
of peace of mind and
of God-experience.
|
Blessed AIphonsa,
Bharananganam |
| There
are two kinds of angels,
says Milton in the sonnet
on his blindness: those
who speed at God's bidding
carrying messages to
the distant universe
and those who just stand
in God's presence worshipping
him and singing his
praise. The latter are
not less heroic, for
,the poet continues,
"They also serve
who only stand and wait".
Saints, too, fall into
two similar divisions:
God's active heroes
who fulfill themselves
in action and those
no less heroic souls
who just burn away like
a candle in God's presence.
Blessed Alphonsa of
Bharananganam belongs
to the second category.Looked
at from a purely worldly
point of view, Blessed
Alphonsa's life does
not appear to be anything
extraordinary or even
remarkable. During her
life she was just an
ordinary nun who led
an obscure and eventless
life in the quiet cloisters
of the Clarist convent
at Bharananganam. Ill-health
rendered her inactive
and she remained bed-ridden
for long intervals of
time. She had no great
achievements to her
credit, nor was she
a person of exceptional
talents or of any high
intellectual acquisitions.
The church is one of
the important pilgrim
centers of the Christians
in Kerala. The mortal
remains of Sr. Alphonsa,
who was pronounced as
blessed, is kept in
this church. The death
anniversary of blessed
Sr. Alphonsa that falls
on the 20th of July
is an important day.
I |
St. Mary's Church,
Vallarpadam |
Vallarpadam,
an enticing tiny islet
is encircled by picturesque
Kochi backwaters. The
church on the eastern
end of the island is
a jewel on the island
physique. The church
was established in 1676
and the famous picture
of the Blessed Virgin
Mary was erected by
Portuguese who brought
it from their native
land. The picture is
believed to have miraculous
powers. Being an islet,
Vallarapadam had access
only by water. "'Vallarapadath
Amma", as the St
Mary of Vallarpadam
is called, is believed
to have miraculously
saved may lives from
shipwreck and violent
storms. The feast of
Vallarapadath Amma is
held on Sept. 24. The
week-long celebration
is accompanied by a
big fair quite different.
The products traded
are country boats, cars,
pots and straw mats.. |
Malayatoor |
This
place is famous for
the Catholic Church
on the 609m high Malayatoor
hill (dedicated to St.
Thomas). Thousands of
devotees undertake the
pilgrimage to the shrine
to participate in the
annual festival-Malayatoor
PtrllIl1/al (March/April).
St. Thomas is believed
to have visited here |
Blessed Chavara
|
Blessed
Kuriakose Elias Chavara,
one of the founding
fathers and the first
Superior General of
C.M.I. (Carmelites of
Mary Immaculate) congregation
of the Catholic Church,
died on January 3rd,
1871 in the odor of
sanctity leaving behind
him the high reputation
of a very holy monk.
He was declared blessed
on February 8, 1986
by His Holiness Pope
John Paul II.
His
mortal remains, transferred
from Koonammavu where
he died, were piously
kept in the chapel of
St. Joseph's Monastery,
Mannanam, Kerala, India.
Because of his sanctity
and his showering of
blessings upon those
who seek the intercession
of him, Mannanam has
become a pilgrim centre.
Hundreds of people come
to the tomb of Blessed
Chavara on every Saturday.
The feast of Blessed
Chavara is celebrated
with great devotion
and solemnity every
year on January 3rd. |
Blessed Thevarparampil's |
The
priest, popularly known
as Kunjachan (little
priest) because of his
short stature, worked
and died in Ramapuram
village, Kerala, where
St. Augustine Parish
of Palai Diocese is
based. He is the sixth
Indian and Kerala's
fourth to be beatified,
a step below sainthood. |
St. Mary's
Church, Manarcaud
It
is one of the important
churches of the Syrian
Jacobite Church of Kerala
and is famous for the
ettu noimbu festival,
an eight-day retreat
and fast in honour of
St. Mary, starting on
September 1. Holy Mass
is offered on the feast
days. The Perunal falls
on September 8 and 9. |
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