The Name is sufficient to know. Malayattoor church…. One of the famous Christian pilgrim centres of Kerala, Malayattoor is located on the slopes of the Western Ghats, 52 kms from Kochi and 8 kms from Kalady besides the Periyar River. It is ‘literally the meeting place of land, mountain, and river. It is the first pilgrim centre in India to be accorded international status by the Holy See, the official seat of the Vatican and also the largest pilgrim centre in the name of St. Thomas in India. Thousands of pilgrims of all castes and creed undertake the pilgrimage to St. Thomas church, located on top of the hillock Kurishumudi (hill of the holy cross) during the annual festival -Malayattoor Perennial held in March/April, 8 days after Easter.
There are two churches in Malayattoor dedicated to St. Thomas, one of the 12 apostles of Jesus Christ - one on top of the hillock (Kurishumudi) and the other below. Malayattoor St. Thomas Parish Church or Thazathe Palli (the church below) was built in AD 900. The distance from the foot to the top of the Kurishumudi at 1269 feet, is around 2.5km-to 3 km and takes around 1 hour to 1.5 hours to climb. Pilgrims in very large numbers chanting the name of the Apostle ('Ponninkurisumala Muthappa Ponmalakayattam'), climb Kurisumudi, to visit the holy shrine especially during the Lent season. Some of the devotees carry crosses, stones, brooms etc. while some kneel and climb up the mountain. Along the way there are the 14 Stations of the Cross where devotees stop to pray. Some devotees offer gold chain, crosses, pepper, images of human parts and domestic animals in gold or silver etc. for their health and prosperity. There is a folklore that, ever since the cross placed by the Apostle was found, locals used to light an oil lamp at the spot. When ever the lamp was put off by winds, a herd of goats used to run down the hill wailing, thus alerting the locals.
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