Introduction
The tradition about the Christians in Kerala (India) is that it was, St. Thomas, the apostle of Christ who spread Christianity here. The church established by St. Thomas was nourished by contacts with the Middle East. As a result of these contacts running through centuries, the church followed the Syrian tradition. Thus the Christians of Kerala came to be known as St. Thomas Christians or Syrian Christians.
Establishment
The Kuruppampady cathedral is one among the older churches of the Syrian Christians in the Ernakulam district, Kerala. The church was established around 1300 AD by a group of Christian families who were members of the Kanjoor church residing at Kuruppampady. They got a church established with the help of a member of the Kulangara Avathoot Kuruppu’s family who were the prominent chieftain Hindu family of the locality. One of two surviving ladies of the Kuruppu’s family, who was childless, due to the influence of the Christians, undertook that if she bore a child she would build a church in the name of Mother Mary. When she gave birth to a child, she and her child became Christians at the Kanjoor Church. Later, they along with the local Christians and with the help, support and patronage of the Kulangara Avathoot Kuruppu, built the church in the name of Mother Mary. As the church was built at the gateway (pady means gate) of the Kuruppu with their patronage, it called the Kuruppampady church. The earlier families of the church were Puthussery, Edassery, Padayatti and Kulangara.
Kulangara Avathoot family established a market at Kuruppampady and built a road connecting their house and the church with rooms on either side. They brought more Christian families to Kuruppampady and gave them these rooms for trade. The market soon rose into prominence as the trade between Tamil Nadu and Cochin passed through this route. The growth of the market is attested by saying ‘Kuruppampadykku otha para’ testifying to the fact that the weights and measures of Kuruppampady came to be widely accepted.
Initially the church was built in the form of a temple. The jurisdiction of the church roughly covered the area up to Vengoor in the north, Kottapaddy in the east, Keezhillam in the south and up to Valampoor and Perumbavoor in the west. The administration of the church was in the hands of the Palliyogam that consisted of the priest and four trustees belonging to prominent families. If there were more than one priest, then the senior-most priest will be the Moopan Achchan or the vicar and the others would be the karmis. The church was rebuilt in 1657 AD after being hit by a cyclone. The Palliyogam was subsequently expanded adding four more members as trustees.
Post Diamper scenario
With the arrival of Portuguese and the aftermath of the Synod of Diamper, many of the churches in Kerala split vertically with some of the members embracing the Portuguese tradition (Syrian Catholic) and the others keeping their old Syrian tradition (Syrian Orthodox or Jacobite) . These factions were called as Pazhayakuru and Puthenkuru respectively by the Portuguese.
In the Kuruppampady cathedral, the feud between the two factions reached its peak by 1768 AD culminating in the partition of the church by 1770 AD. The palm leaf manuscripts written in Kolezhuthu language and maintained in the church explains in detail how the partition was effected. As a result of the partitioning, effected by the administrative machinery of the erstwhile Travancore state, the old church (St. Mary's Church) was retained by the Puthenkuru faction and a new church was built by the Syrian Catholics, which is around 1 KM from this old church.
Being one among its prominent churches in Kerala, many of the Patriarchs and Bishops of the Syrian Orthodox (Jacobite) Church visited this church during course of time. These include Patriarchs H.H Mor Pathrose IV (1876 AD), H.H. Mor Ignatius Elias III (1931 AD) and H.H. Mor Ignatius Zaka I (1982 AD) and the Syrian Bishop H G Mor Yuyakkim Kooreelose (1865, 1866, 1867 AD). Among the other prominent bishops who visited the church are Mor Gregorious Chathuruthil (Kochu Thirumeni) and Mor Athanasiosus (Valiya Thirumeni of Aluva).
Church Architecture
The elevation,size and the style of construction of the cathedral are really beautiful. The immense thickness of the walls, The emblem of a fish which projects on the outer wall of the altar, the sophisticated locker where the valuables are kept, the secret back door to the locker are actually wonderful. The room specially constructed for baptism has eight sides in octagon shape. This shape symbolizes the eight people who were saved in the ship of Noah. In the altar we can see the life like portrait of virgin marry who carries infant Jesus in her hand. There is mystery regarding it. It is believed that the artist had disappeared after drawing the picture. People thought that the unknown artist was a messenger of lord. The engraving at the top of the altar indicates royal emblem and a spiritual emblem.
The cemetery is seen in the northern side looks so vast. There stands tombs that attracts photographers from many places.
The large ground in front of the church has significance, It is said that a group of robbers came to rob the church but they fought against themselves and had fallen dead in the ground. Since their then the ground is called “padamttom”
The sacred ‘sunooro of Virgin Marry’ is placed in the beautifully decorated vassal in front of altar. Which is an asylum far many people. People come and receive streams of grace and relief.
There is small church near to the mother church which is situated at the top of a near by hill surrounded by black rocks and beautiful scenery it is known as Malecuruz church. In 1901, st. Gregorios (Parumala Thirumeni) placed the holy relic Martyr St.Kuriakose who is known as “church of miracles” This church has became a place of pilgrimage and holy mass conducted on every Friday.
Important events
1. Installation of the relic of Mor Kuriakose, the martyr, in the chapel of the church at Malecruz by Mor Greegoriose Chathuruthil (Kochu Thirumeni) on Januray 28, 1901 AD.
2. Installation of the Holy Soonoro of St. Mary, bestowed by H.H. Mor Ignatius Zaka I, by H B Mor Baselious Thomas I on December 26, 2004.
3. Installation of the relic of Mor Greegoriose Chathuruthil (Kochu Thirumeni) by H B Mor Baselious Thomas I on December 9, 2006.
4. Church raised to the status of Cathedral by H.H. Mor Ignatius Zaka I on May 17, 2007 and declared by H B Mor Baselious Thomas I on June 3, 2007.
