St. Mary’s Syro-Malabar Catholic Forane Church, Champakulam

Champakulam Kalloorkadu St. Marys Syro-Malabar Catholic Forane Church is an ancient Christian Church in Kerala. It belongs to the Syro-Malabar Church under the archeparchy of Changanacherry. It is a Forane church, with several Parishes under it.

Champakulam Kalloorkadu St. Mary’s Forane Church (also called Champakulam Valia Palli) is one of the oldest Christian churches in India and the mother church of almost all Catholic Syrian churches in Alleppey District. Believed to be established in AD 427. Rebuilt many times and the many rock inscriptions found around the church tell us about the history of the church. The open air Rock Cross at Champakulam church is one of the most ancient ones with clear documentation of its antiquity up to AD 1151. There are many archaeological artifacts found around the church about its history. Champakulam church was once under Niranam Church, which was founded by the Apostle Saint Thomas himself.. Champakulam Church had very friendly relations with the Jacobite Syrian group and had a pivotal role in many ecumenical efforts in the Eighteenth century.

Annual Feasts

Apart from general Christian Holy celebrations like Christmas, Good Friday & Easter (Holy week) etc., there are two main yearly feasts

Feast of Mother Mary / Marian apparition

The Feast of the Apparition lasts for 11 days of pious celebrations and concludes on the Sunday following 15 October.

Commemoration of the Death of St. Joseph

This is a ‘shradham- Chatham’ conducted in commemoration of the death of St. Joseph is held on 19 March every year. It attracts thousands of devotees to Kalloorkadu Church from far of places.