Pazhanji Church, officially known as St. Mary's Orthodox Cathedral, Pazhanji or Pazhanji Cathedral, is a

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 Autocephaly, autocephalous Oriental Orthodox Churches, Oriental Orthodox church headquartered in #Catholicate ...

situated at

Pazhanji Pazhanji is a village with near Kunnamkulam in Thrissur district in the state of Kerala, India. The name "Pazhanji" is derived from the Malayalam word for "old". Demographics India census, Pazhanji had a population of 13,339 with 6,352 males ...

near

Kunnamkulam Kunnamkulam is a municipal town located in the Thrissur District of Kerala, India, with historical origins tracing back to the Paleolithic age. Renowned for its deep-rooted cultural heritage, vibrant printing industry, and religious diversity, ...

in Thrissur District of Kerala, India. The Church is locally called " Pazhanji Palli " (In Malayalam : പഴഞ്ഞി പള്ളി ) "Palli" imilar to the Malayalam word for "Church" Four

frescoes Fresco ( or frescoes) is a technique of mural painting executed upon freshly laid ("wet") lime plaster. Water is used as the vehicle for the dry-powder pigment to merge with the plaster, and with the setting of the plaster, the painting become ...

which had long been hidden by whitewash, believed to be 250 years old, were discovered in 2018. They were being restored in 2018.

History

The church is said to have been constructed by believers who fled from Arthat and later settled and constructed the church. It is how the name ''Pazhanji'' (Malayalam meaning ''Old boat'') came into being for the place. According to the church's website, the ancestors of today's members of the Pazhanji Church earlier belonged to the Kunnamkulam Arthat Church. The first chapel founded in Pazhanji was situated in the northern side of the present church, whereas the chapel founded in the southern side. Both chapels are dedicated to St. Mary. There is a cemetery near the church. On 13 September 2015, the Pazhanji Cathedral was declared as the second cathedral of the Kunnamkulam diocese, the first being St. Mary's Cathedral, Arthat. On 28 July 2022, seven metropolitans were concentrated in this church. There were 31 bishops as of 2022.

References

{{coord missing, India Malankara Orthodox Syrian cathedrals Churches in Thrissur district

History

See also

References