Chandanappally Valiyapally

The St:George Orthodox Valiyapally at Chandanappally was declared as a Global Pilgrim center on 26-2-2010.
The church is situated in Chandanappally a small town in Pathanmthitta District,Kerala,India.
The christian believers migrated to Chandanappally early during 1700.The famous cross seen in the premises of the church is believed to be made from the soil taken from the Kurissadi of Puthuppally in Kottayam District.A church was first constructed at chandanappally during 1750.The Perunal(Festival)
is celebrated from that period itself.The church was renovated in 1875.The foundation stone was laid by HE:Mar Gregorios Methropolita who arrived in the church along with Pathrose III Patriarch I.The church was again reconstructed in 1987.The foundation stone was laid by HE.Baselios Marthoma Mathews I Metropolita.The Koodasa/inauguration of the newly constructed church was in the year 2000.The architecture style of the new church is in Gothic.The domes of the church are similar to the domes of St.Peters Basilica,Rome.It is worthwhile to mention that the total architectural style of the Church is a combination of the styles of Xian-Muslim-Hindu.The newly constructed church can accommodate 3000 believers at a time for the regular mass and is one of the biggest churches in Kerala and South India.
The "Chempeduppu" mahotsava celebrated every year in the church attracts thousands of believers from Kerala,India and even from abroad.The holy remains of Gheevarghese Sahada is laid in the Church on 8-5-2004.The believers from the105 churches under the Thumpamon Diocese march to this Church during the perunal of Gheevarghese Sahada every year.The "Chempeduppu" and the "Raza"being held at that period are well received by the Hindu families in the premises of the Church with "Pindippally" and lighted"Choottu".The Mekkattil family, a Hindu family at chandnappaly has the sole right to put rice first in the "Chempu" during the "Chempeduppu"festival.This event is unique among the history of Christian Churches in Kerala and India and a good model of strong bond of love and respect between the Christians and Hindus in Kerala...