St. Thomas Church (Palayur)

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St Thomas Church (Palayur)
Full View of St Thomas Catholic Church at Palayur
Basic information
Location	Kerala India
Geographic coordinates	(10.5825°N 76.0319°E)
Affiliation	Apostolic Era
State	Kerala
District	Thrissur
Year consecrated	52 AD (?)
Ecclesiastical or organizational status	Independent Episcopal Church
Leadership	St. Thomas the Apostle in 52 AD (?)
Architectural description
Architectural type	Mix of Hindu and Persian
Completed	Supposedly in 52 AD but substantially refurbished in the 17th century by Reverend Fenichi

St. Thomas Church (Palayur) is located at Palayur (also spelt Palayoor), in Thrissur district in Kerala on the west coast of India. According to tradition, it was established in 52 AD by St Thomas, one of the twelve close disciples of Jesus Christ.^[1] Palayoor church is the oldest (Romo-Syrian) Church in India and is called an Apostolic Church credited to the Apostolate of St. Thomas who preached and also started conversion of people to Christianity here. It was part of the seven churches that he established in India; the other six churches were established at Cranganore, Kokkamangalam, Kottakavu, (Parur), Quilon, Niranam, and Chayal. The original small Church structure has been retained at the oldest site. But substantial improvements around it were carried out during the 17th century by Reverend Fenichi, as necessary, without sacrificing the main sanctity of the place.^[1][2][3]

Contents 1 History 2 Legend 3 Structure 4 Festival 5 Visitor information 6 Bibliography 7 External links

History

Interior of the Palayur Church, the oldest Christian church in India and one of the seven founded by St. Thomas the Apostle in 52 AD.

St. Thomas traveled from Kottakavu or Crangannur, now called Kodungallur (Mussiris) and landed at Palayur by boat through the backwaters. At that time, Palayur was a stronghold of the Brahmins and also of Jews. He came to visit the Jewish merchants at Palayur at "Judankunnu" (meaning the hill of Jews) and to preach the Christian gospel. The place has since become a dry land but its historicity as a boat jetty called locally as 'Bottukulam' has been preserved as a monument to St. Thomas (see picture).^[4][5]
Of the seven churches originally established by St. Thomas, only three namely, Palayoor in the Syro-Malabar Syro-Malabar Catholic Archdiocese of Thrissur, Parur in the Syro-Malabar Archdiocese of Ernakulam, and Niranam under the Orthodox Syrian Church (Devalokam Aramana) could claim continuity, while the remaining four churches have undergone several cnanges in their locations.^[6]
It is stated that a Hindu temple that was abandoned by the Brahmins was converted into the present church. Further, as a proof of Jewish settlements exisitng when St Thomas arrived here in 52 AD, ruins of a synagogue could be seen near a Hindu temple, close to the church. Temple remnants in the form of broken idols, sculptures and relics of the old temple can also be seen near the precincts of the church, in addition to two large tanks near the west and east gates of the church.^[7]
It is also stated that the conversion of Brahmins has resulted in such an aversion among the Nambudri Brahmins that they do not even accept cold water or tender coconut water anywhere in the vicinity of the Church.^{[citation needed]} It is recorded that St. Thomas stayed in India for 17 years;4 years in Sindh (now in Pakistan), about 6 years in Malabar and 7 years at Mylapuram or Mailapore in Tamil Nadu. The Indian Postal Service of the Government of India brought out two commemorative stamps, in 1964 and 1973, in honour of the historic arrival of St. Thomas in India in 52 AD.^[8]
St. Thomas was proclaimed 'The Apostle of India' by the Holy See. His skeleton remains were brought to India in 1953 by Cardinal Tisserant.^[8] Furthermore, a document called ‘Grandavariola’ kept by a local Brahmin family (who had moved out from Palayur during the preaching ) testifies to the date of the gospel work of St. Thomas. The document states:

Kali year 3153 (52 AD) the foreigner Thomas Sanyasi came to our village (gramam) preached there and therby causing…^[9]

Legend

Palayur St.Thomas Monument

Historical legend records that when St. Thomas landed at Palayur, he witnessed the sight of Hindu Brahmins, after their ablutions in a local tank, offering prayers by chanting mantras (the Vedic tradition of India for spiritual transformation) hymns to god in the form of Argyam or (Tharpanam) (water held in the palms) of water to the Sun god, a practice also said to be followed in Harappan and Persian cultures. Amused by the sight of water being thrown up by the Brahmins, from the palms of their hands, which was falling back, he challenged the Brahmins stating that the water they were offering was not being accepted by the Sun god as it was falling back into the tank. He made a deal with them stating that his God would accept the offer of water if he threw it up in the same way as they did, but water would not fall back. If he proved this then his God was superior and the Brahmins would have to embrace Christianity. He performed this miracle (summoned the Holy Trinity, completed the sign of the Cross and threw water held in his palms up into the air, which remained still in the air at a height) and with this miracle he converted a number of Brahmins and Jews in Palayur to Christianity. Thereafter he baptised the converts in a nearby water tank. The Brahmins who did not convert to the faith gave the epithet of the ‘Shapa Kadu’ or "Cursed Place" to Palayur and migrated to Vembanad to purify themselves.^[6][10]

Structure

Following the migration of the Hindu Brahmins from Palayur, the Church was built incorporating the old Hindu temple, which was deserted. The church, as built, was thus a fusion of Hindu architectural style in respect of ornamentation with a Persian Church plan. The roof of the church raises like a tower above the nave. The approach or entrance is like a Hindu style mandapa (in Indian architecture it is a pillared outdoor hall or pavilion for public rituals).^[11]
An Italian missionary built the new church around the small old teak wood church after taking due permission from the locals who were not only superstitious but also sentimental about retaining the old Church. However, after the church was fully completed and after the priest had delivered a proper sermon, the local people agreed to demolish the old wooden structure, which resulted in the Church looking elegant. The original altar consecrated by St. Thomas is still retained. But during Tipu Sultan's invasion of Kerala in the 18th century, the church was destroyed by fire. Thereafter it was re-built.^[6]

Festival

A major festival that is held every year at the venue of the church, which lasts for two days, has a striking similarity to the Hindu festival held at Trichhur (district town 28 kilometres (17 mi) away from the church) on the same days, with lot of fan fare of pageants, orchestra and pyrotechnics.^{[citation needed]} During the lenten season, the popular festival celebrated is called the 'Palayur Mahatheerthadanam' or Great Pilgrimage conducted under the auspices of Archdiocesan, when thousands of devotees, without caste distinction, participate in the festival.^[6]

The interior of St. Thomas Church, Palayoor

Interior of the Palayoor Church	Another view inside the Church

Visitor information

The Palayoor church is well connected by road, rail and air services network. Palayoor is at a distance of 28 kilometres (17 mi) from Thrissur on the State Highway. It is on Thrissur - Chavakad route, via Pavaratty. By train, it is on the Thrissur - Guruvayur broad gauge line - at a distance of 24 kilometres (15 mi). From Guruvayur, the Hindu temple town, the church is3 kilometres (1.9 mi) by road. Nedumbasserry International Airport is only 80 kilometres (50 mi) from Palayoor.^[7]
Important places to visit near the church precincts are: the Boat Jetty (Bottukulam) where St Thomas landed at Palayoor; the Thaliyakulam -the pond where St Thomas baptized the local people; the replica of Chinna Malai (small hill of Mylapore - Chennai) where St. Thomas attainted martyrdom in 72 AD, the historical remnants of old Hindu Temple; 14 scenes from the life of St Thomas sculpted in granite; the Jubilee Door in front of the entrance of the main hall of the Church (depicts various important Biblical events, carved in Burmese teak); and the historical museum where many objects of archaeological, historical and artistic value are displayed (includes the vessels and articles used by St. Thomas during his stay here).^[1][6]

Pakalomattom family

The Pakalomattam or Pakalomattom family is an ancient Suriyani (Syrian) Christian family in Kerala, India. They are popularly known as Syrian Christians in view of the Syriac (classical form of Aramaic) liturgy used in church services since the early days of Christianity in India and not for any Syrian migration. They are also known as Nazaranis (followers of Jesus the Nazarene).^[1][2]

Histoy

Palayur St.Thomas Monument

There is a local legend that St. Thomas, the apostle visited Kerala in A.D. 52, as part of his missionary work in Persia, North India and Afghanistan.^[3]It is believed that pakalomattom family was evangelized by Thomas the Apostle.^[4] There is no direct contemporary evidence for Thomas being in the subcontinent, though it definitely would have been possible for a Roman Jew of the time to make such a trip. The earliest known source connecting the apostle to India is the Acts of Thomas, written in Edessa likely in the 2nd century.^[4][5] The text describes Thomas' adventures in bringing Christianity to India, a tradition later expanded upon in early Indian sources such as the "Thomma Parvam" ("Song of Thomas").^[6][7] According to a Malabar tradition that he ordained Bishops and priests from the Pakalomattom family. ^{[8][9][10][11][12]}

The Legend

Palayoor was one of the places near the port of Muziris, where St. Thomas established church. The place is referred as Palur in some old documents. At that time, according to tradition, Palayoor had a Brahmin village of 64 families. It is believed that in one of the Temple Ponds in Palayoor St. Thomas performed a miracle. Some Vaidik Brahmins were performing Vedic ritual called Tharpanam in which they devote Lord Sun by the symbolic submission of water in their palms along with vedic recitation. St. Thomas was attracted to the ritual and queried the logic of their submission since the water thrown above was not accepted and returned to earth. Thus St. Thomas got an opening to present his subject before that Brahmin community. St. Thomas threw water in the name of Jesus and it stood still in the air and glittered like diamond. By this "Experience" many Brahmins accepted Christianity while the other Brahmins cursed the place and left the place with their families saying that they would bathe their next bath at Vembanattu.^[13] Nedumpally, Madeipur, Koykkam, Muttodal, Pakalomattom, Panakkamattam, Sankarapuri, Kalli, Kallikavu, etc. were among the families who were Baptised in Palayoor.^{[14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24]}

Supporting Facts

Even today the place is known as Sapa-kadu or Chavakadu which means Cursed Forest. The unhappy Brahmins ran away to Vembanattu and settled down there. This place is still called Pudumanassery or the “Place of the new Mana( Illam ).It is stated that a Hindu temple that was abandoned by the Brahmins was converted into the present church. Temple remnants in the form of broken idols, sculptures and relics of the old temple can also be seen near the precincts of the church, in addition to two large tanks near the west and east gates of the church.^[25][26]
It is also stated that the conversion of Brahmins has resulted in such an aversion among the Nambudri Brahmins that they do not even accept cold water or tender coconut water anywhere in the vicinity of the Church. In Vembanattu there is a brahmin illam of Kalatt, which according to tradition is one of the families that ran away from Palayoor.^[27] Furthermore, a document called ‘Grandavariola’ kept by a local Brahmin family (who had moved out from Palayur during the preaching ) testifies to the date of the gospel work of St. Thomas. The document states:

"Kali year 3153 (52 AD) the foreigner Thomas Sanyasi came to our village (gramam) preached there and therby causing…"

^[28][29][30]
In Margam Kali song - one of the ancient round group dance of Kerala practiced by Saint Thomas Christians, a brief description of this tradition is portrayed. A relevant part of the song is translated below :

"He then heard about Kerala and went there, arriving at Malankara, preaching to the Brahmans of Cranganore and ordaining two of them priests. Then he went south, erecting crosses at Quilon, Niranam, Kokkamangalam, Kottukkayal, Cayal and Palayoor. The King sent for Thomas and inquired him of the completion of Castle's work. The King put him in prison when told he must wait till after his death to see the new palace, and was so mortified by the deception that he wanted to abdicate.However, his brother died at that time and saw the palace in heaven. He was resuscitated and told the King of its glory. The king, his brother, Habban and others were baptized, and the faith spread apace arousing the Brahmans’ jealousy......"

^[31]

Historicity of Brahmanical Origin

Some historians argue that the Brahmin arrival to Kerala happened much later. However, prominent Kerala historians like A. Sreedhara Menon are against this argument. Aryan religions like Jainism and Budhism had already made inroads to Kerala in the 4rth and 3rd centuries BC. The consensus of opinion among scholars is that the Aryan Brahmin immigration to South India had started as early as 1000 BC, though there are differences of opinion. Some of the poets of Sangam period were Brahmins, and there are references to the Poojas and Yajnas conducted by Brahmin priests in the court of Chera Kings. ^[32]

Medieval History of Palayoor families

Thus Christianity gained a foothold in Kerala well over 300 years before it succeeded in obtaining official recognition in Europe, or in becoming the established religion of Rome. This community, though a minor one, was aligned in the social crystalline structure with a respectable orientation. The respect and toleration shown to this faith, found expression in the fraternal treatment extended to its adherents, who were accorded and retained for themselves an honoured place, in the social and economic life of kerala. They succeeded in doing this because they were Christian in faith only, but in all else, they were Indian. They were no doubt staunch in their adherence to their faith, and proud of the apostolic origin of their church. But their primary concern was to live in harmony and requite the hospitality and toleration shown to them by the Hindu kings and princes.^[33]
Some of the Palayoor Christian families relocated as early as 2nd century AD. Pakalomattom and Sankarapury include in this list. Others stayed in Palayoor until Tippu Sultan(1749–99) attacked Kerala.