St. Mary's Orthodox Syrian Cathedral, Kandanad
Kandanad Valiyapally aka St. Mary's Orthodox Syrian Cathedral is a prominent church in the Kandanad village of Ernakulam District of Kerala. This Church believed to be built around AD 4th century, belongs to Kandanad West Diocese of Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church.[1]
| St Mary's Orthodox Syrian Cathedral, Kandanad | |
|---|---|
 St Mary's Orthodox Syrian Cathedral, Kandanad | |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church |
| District | Ernakulam |
| Province | Kerala |
| Ecclesiastical or organizational status | Cathedral |
| Year consecrated | 4th century AD |
| Location | |
| Location | Kandanad, Ernakulam, India |
| Architecture | |
| Type | Church |
| Style | Kerala Architecture |
| Direction of façade | West |
| Website | |
| http://www.kandanadwest.org/parish1.php?albun=24 | |
Location
Kandanad is a village in the Ernakulam Dt. of Kerala. The church is located near to Udayamperoor and Mulamthuruthy in Ernakulam, Kerala, India.
History
The church is believed to be built in circa 4th century before the arrival of Portuguese in India. It has a magnificent edifice completed in 1910. On the Madbha, we could see two wooden planks on the Altar on which it is inscribed the date of completion of building works. On the wall it is inscribed that the church was consecrated in 4th century.
Kandanad Valiyapally was one of the important churches of Syrian Orthodox church in kerala as it is the church with a tomb of few Syrian Father who travelled from mosul to the faithful's in kerala.
We could see the sacred tombs of Mar Thoma IV and Saint Baselios Shakralla and this saint was a bishop in the Jacobite syrian church, Baselios Sakralla 3rd of Aleppo was the Maphriyano (Catholicos) of the Syriac Orthodox Church (jacobite) of the East from 1748–1760, buried below the altar room. He was declared a Saint by the Patriarch of the Syriac Orthodox Church in 2008.
World famous missionary Claudius Buchanan visited this church in 1806 to understand more about Syrian Christians practices and traditions. This clearly tells us about the importance and stature of this holy church in Syrian Orthodox Church, even centuries before.
Kandanad Padiyola
Kandanad Church is also famous for the Kandanad Padiyola.
In 1843 there was another Sunahados held over here, which is known as the 'Second Kandanad Sunnahados' in church history.
References
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