Niranam Pally, popularly known as Niranam Valiya Pally or St. Mary's Orthodox Syrian Church, Kadapra, is a church under the

Niranam Diocese Niranam Diocese is a diocese of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church located at Niranam, Kerala. History Niranam diocese is created in 1876 with 22 parishes. First Metropolitan of the diocese was Parumala Mar Gregorios who was later declared by ...

of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church. It is believed that this church was one of the Church along with Jerusalem Marthoma Church, Niranam founded by

Thomas the Apostle Thomas the Apostle ( arc, 𐡀𐡌𐡅𐡕𐡌, hbo, תוֹמא הקדוש or תוֹמָא שליחא (''Toma HaKadosh'' "Thomas the Holy" or ''Toma Shlikha'' "Thomas the Messenger/Apostle" in Hebrew-Aramaic), syc, ܬܐܘܡܐ, , meaning "twi ...

, one of the twelve Apostles of Jesus Christ, in AD 54.

History

Niranam Pally is one of the oldest churches in India. It is believed that the church was founded by St. Thomas, one of the twelve Apostles of Jesus Christ, in AD 54. The church was reconstructed several times since then. The stones in the church shows the reconstruction in 1259. St. Thomas, one of the twelve apostles of

Jesus Jesus, likely from he, יֵשׁוּעַ, translit=Yēšūaʿ, label=Hebrew/Aramaic ( AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ or Jesus of Nazareth (among other names and titles), was a first-century Jewish preacher and religious ...

Christ landed at Malankara near

Cranganore Kodungallur (; also Cranganore, Portuguese: Cranganor; formerly known as Mahodayapuram, Shingly, Vanchi, Muchiri, Muyirikkode, and Muziris) is a historically significant town situated on the banks of river Periyar on the Malabar Coast in Thr ...

around A.D.52. He established seven and half churches. Those are, Kodugallore,

Palayoor Palayūr, also called Palayoor and historically as Palur, is a town near Chavakkad, Thrissur district, India. It is famous for its ancient church, Palayur Mar Thoma Church, which is believed to be one of the seven major churches founded by Sa ...

, Kottacave, Kokamangalam,

Niranam Niranam is a village in Tiruvalla, Kerala, India. It was a port in ancient Kerala, on the confluence of the Manimala River, Manimala and Pamba River. It is almost 7 km from Tiruvalla SCS Junction in Pathanamthitta District of Kerala, lies t ...

Chayal Nilakkal (), also spelled Nilackal, or formerly Chayal, is a remote ghat region located in the Goodrical range of Ranni forest division in Pathanamthitta District in the Indian state of Kerala.Nearest Railway Station Is Thiruvalla,Located At A D ...

Kollam Kollam (), also known by its former name Quilon , is an ancient seaport and city on the Malabar Coast of India bordering the Laccadive Sea, which is a part of the Arabian Sea. It is north of the state capital Thiruvananthapuram. The city i ...

and the half church at Thiruvithamkode. On his way from Kollam in northeast direction he arrived at Niranam "Thrikpapaleswaram" by sea. It is believed to be one of the oldest churches in Kerala and thus in India as well as among the oldest ones in the world. The architecture shows striking similarities to ancient temple architecture. It is believed to have been established by St. Thomas. Pattamukkil Kudumbam

Before the headquarters of Malankara Metropolitans was permanently relocated to the

Orthodox Theological Seminary, Kottayam The Orthodox Theological Seminary also known as Old Seminary (Pazhaya Seminari) is a seminary of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church. It was founded in 1815 by Colonel John Munro with the help of the priest-monk Pulikkottil Joseph Ittoop Ramban ...

in 1815, the Niranam Church also served as the thronal cathedral and headquarters of Malankara Metropolitans during multiple periods between 1653 and 1815.

Today

The present building, supposedly the fourth, was constructed in 1912 and was renovated during the year 2000. There are five altars at Niranam church. The main altar, the central one, is in the name of

Saint Mary Mary; arc, ܡܪܝܡ, translit=Mariam; ar, مريم, translit=Maryam; grc, Μαρία, translit=María; la, Maria; cop, Ⲙⲁⲣⲓⲁ, translit=Maria was a first-century Jewish woman of Nazareth, the wife of Joseph and the mother of ...

. This is used for regular services of the church. There are two altars on the north and south of the main one. The altar on the northern side is consecrated to

Saint George Saint George (Greek: Γεώργιος (Geórgios), Latin: Georgius, Arabic: القديس جرجس; died 23 April 303), also George of Lydda, was a Christian who is venerated as a saint in Christianity. According to tradition he was a soldier ...

and the altar on the southern side is consecrated in the name of

Mar Behnam Saints Behnam, Sarah, and the Forty Martyrs were 4th-century Christians who suffered martyrdom during the reign of Shapur II. They are venerated as saints in the Oriental Orthodox Church. Biography According to their hagiography, Behnam and Sara ...

. There are two smaller altars, to the front of the main altar. The north among these is in the name of Saint Thomas. It is also the shrine of Mar Thoma II.Malankara Metropolitan of Malankara Orthodox Church The southern among the small altars is consecrated to

Saint Stephen Stephen ( grc-gre, Στέφανος ''Stéphanos'', meaning "wreath, crown" and by extension "reward, honor, renown, fame", often given as a title rather than as a name; c. 5 – c. 34 AD) is traditionally venerated as the protomartyr or first ...

. This is also the shrine of Mar Thoma V.

Granite cross

The tall granite cross at the right side of the entrance is a relic of the past, probably from 1259, the time at which the third renovation of the church building took place. The base of the cross has carvings resembling a

Hindu Temple A Hindu temple, or ''mandir'' or ''koil'' in Indian languages, is a house, seat and body of divinity for Hindus. It is a structure designed to bring human beings and gods together through worship, sacrifice, and devotion.; Quote: "The Hind ...

.Antiques in Niranam Church
/ref>

Feasts

Niranam Church celebrate the feasts of

in whose name the church is dedicated, the feast of Saint Thomas who is the founder of

Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church The Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church (MOSC) also known as the Indian Orthodox Church (IOC) or simply as the Malankara Church, is an autocephalous Oriental Orthodox church headquartered in Devalokam, near Kottayam, India. The church serve ...

and the Apostle of India and the feasts of Mar Thoma II and Mar Thoma V whose mortal remains are buried in the church. * Feast of Assumption of

(Vaangipu perunnaal in Malayalam or Shoonoyo in Syriac) - 15 August * Eight Day Lent of

Mother of Jesus - September 1-8 * Feast of Martyrdom of Saint Thomas - 21 December * Feast of Martyrdom of

- 27 December * Feasts of Mar Thoma II and Mar Thoma V - 10 May

Image gallery

Image:നിരണം പള്ളി - ആൾത്താര.jpg, Niranam Pally - Inside File:Inside Niranam Church St. Mary' Church.jpg, Inside View Image:നിരണം പള്ളി തെക്കു വശം.jpg, Niranam Pally - South Side Image:നിരണം പള്ളി വടക്കു വശം.jpg, Niranam Pally - North Side File:നിരണം പള്ളിയിൽ സൂക്ഷിച്ചിരിക്കുന്ന ഫലകം.jpg, Inscriptions inside the Church File:നിരണം പള്ളിയിൽ സൂക്ഷിച്ചിരിക്കുന്ന താളിയോല.jpg, Palm leaves preserved in the Church File:നിരണം പള്ളിയിൽ സൂക്ഷിച്ചിരിക്കുന്ന ചക്രം.jpg, Water wheel at Niranam Pally

Notes

External links

Website of Niranam Pally

Website of the St. Thomas Chapel (A congregational wing (Prayer Group) of St. Mary’s Orthodox church, Niranam)

Website of Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church

Niranam Church Facebook page
{{DEFAULTSORT:Saint Mary's Church, Niranam Shrines to the Virgin Mary Churches in Pathanamthitta district Malankara Orthodox Syrian church buildings Churches completed in 1912 20th-century churches in India 20th-century Oriental Orthodox church buildings Ēḻarappaḷḷikaḷ