St. Thomas Church, Kokkamangalam

St. Thomas Syro-Malabar Catholic Church, Kokkamangalam, popularly known as Kokkamangalam Church, which holds a midway position among the seven churches founded by St. Thomas, is in the Syro-Malabar Catholic Archdiocese of Ernakulam-Angamaly, in the South Indian state of Kerala.^[1][2]

St. Thomas Syro-Malabar Catholic Church, Kokkamangalam
കോക്കമംഗലം പളളി
Kokkamangalam Church in 2006
St. Thomas Syro-Malabar Catholic Church, Kokkamangalam Location in Kerala
9°40′58″N 76°22′31″E / 9.682732°N 76.3752°E / 9.682732; 76.3752
Location	Kerala
Country	India
History
Founder(s)	St.Thomas
Architecture
Architectural type	Mix of Persian and Kerala
Years built	52 A.D (?)
Administration
District	Alappuzha
Archdiocese	Eranakulam - Angamaly

St. Thomas sailed to Kokkamangalam where he preached the gospel for about a year.^[3] 1600 people converted to Christianity through him according to the narration in "Rampan Pattu", an ancient form of Christian folk-song prevalent in Kerala.^[4] He formed a Christian community at Kokkamangalam and enshrined a Cross for the faithful. This cross was later cut off by saboteurs, and thrown into the Lake Vembanad, through which it floated up to Pallippuram, where it is enshrined.^[5]

The Relic of Apostle St. Thomas enshrined here was brought from Ortona in Italy by Pope John Paul II in November 1999. Special Novena prayers are held on Friday evenings to venerate the Relic. Devotees who aspire for jobs in foreign countries seek the intercession of the Apostle here.^{[citation needed]}

Picture gallery

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  Renovated Kokkamangalam Church in 2023
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  View of church from north side
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  Altar
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  Interior
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  The cross reputedly erected by the Apostle Thomas in Kokkamangalam (the original one is at Pallippuram; the replica in stone was erected in 2002).
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  The portrait of St. Thomas is venerated here was brought from the Carmelite Monastery Mannanam in 1897 by "Albhutha Mathai", pursuant to a revelation. This portrait is mounted in a decorated waft of great artistic value.^[6]

References

1. "In the footsteps of Saint Thomas".
2. First International Conference on the History of Early Christianity in India. Institute of Asian Studies. 2005.
3. Thomas Thayil (2003). The Latin Christians of Kerala: A Study on Their Origins. Kristu Jyoti Publications. ISBN 978-81-87370-18-5.
4. Journal of the Institute of Asian Studies. The Institute. 2001.
5. "Kerala tourism to tap state's Christian heritage - Times of India". The Times of India.
6. G. John Samuel; J. B. Santiago; P. Thiagarajan (2008). Early Christianity in India: (with parallel developments in other parts of Asia). Institute of Asian Studies (Madras, India), International Centre for the Study of Christianity in India. ISBN 978-81-87892-40-3.

External links

 

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Kokkamangalam Church.

• http://www.stthomasdiocese.org/syromalabar-church