Our Lady of Immaculate Conception Church, Manjummel

2021-06-30T08:49:29Z

2409:4073:183:BBFB:0:0:2A10:A0A0: /* St. Joseph's Hospital */

{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2019}}
{{Use Indian English|date=August 2019}}
{{Infobox church
| name = Our Lady of Immaculate Conception Church
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| imagesize = 150px

| caption = Our Lady of Immaculate Conception Church
| location = Manjummel, [[Ernakulam district]], [[Kerala]]
| country = [[India]]
| coordinates = {{coord|10|03|35|N|76|18|17|E|display=inline,title}}
| denomination = [[Latin Catholic Church]]
| churchmanship = [[High church]]
| membership = 1095 families
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| website = [http://www.manjummelchurch.org www.manjummelchurch.org]
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| founder = Leonardo Mellano
| dedication = [[Mother Mary]]
| dedicated date = 4 December 1892
| consecrated date = 18 April 1893
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| status = [[Church (building)|Church]]
| functional status = Active
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| architectural type = [[Portuguese architecture|Portuguese]]
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| groundbreaking = 29 September 1876
| completed date = 4 December 1892
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| parish = Our Lady of Immaculate Conception Church
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| diocese = [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Verapoly]]
| province = St. Pius X Manjummel Province of Discalced Carmelites
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| circuit = Order of [[Discalced Carmelites]] (OCD)
| district = Ernakulam
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| archbishop = [[Joseph Kalathiparambil]]
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| vicar = [http://manjummelchurch.org/about/administration/ Rev. Fr. Titus Karikkassery OCD]
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| asstpriest = Rev. Fr. Tinu Antony Veluthedath OCD
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'''Our Lady of Immaculate Conception Church''', popularly known as '''Manjummel Palli''', is a parish church coming under the [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Verapoly]].<ref name="Catholic Churches">{{cite web | url=http://catholicchurches.in/directory/irinjalakuda-churches/our-lady-of-perpetual-help-church-chalakudy-west.htm | title=Catholic Churches | publisher=Catholic Churches | date=2015 | access-date=10 August 2015}}</ref><ref name="Church details">{{cite web | url=http://www.churchesinindia.com/searchmalabar.asp | title=Church details | publisher=Churches in India | date=2016 | access-date=12 July 2016}}</ref> It is situated along the [[Eloor]] - Muttar Road, about 8 km from [[Kalamassery]] at Manjummel, in [[Ernakulam district]] of the south Indian state of [[Kerala]]. It was blessed on 4 December 1892 and is one of the century-old churches in Kerala.<ref name="Our Lady of Immaculate Conception Church, Manjummel Parish (Latin)">{{cite web | url=http://indiancatholiconline.com/Parish/Details/11569#verticalTab1 | title=Our Lady of Immaculate Conception Church, Manjummel Parish (Latin) | publisher=Indian Catholic Online | date=2016 | access-date=11 July 2016}}</ref>

== Overview ==
[[File:Manjummel Church Altar.jpg|thumb|130px|left|Church Altar]]
St. Pius X Manjummel Province of [[Discalced Carmelites]], though started in 1857 in the coastal village of [[Koonammavu]], had a short life.<ref name="THE BEGINNINGS (1857 – 1910)">{{cite web | url=http://manjummelprovince.in/PROVINCE/History.html | title=THE BEGINNINGS (1857 – 1910) | publisher=Manjummel Province | date=2016 | access-date=11 July 2016}}</ref> After the province became extinct, an offshoot was formed at Manjummel after 17 years in the form of a monastery dedicated to [[Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception]] which was inaugurated on 16 April 1874 by Leonardo Mellano, the then [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Verapoly|Archbishop of Verapoly]]. This was the first indigenous religious congregation in the state.<ref name="THE BEGINNINGS (1857 – 1910)" /> Two years later, the foundation stone for a new church dedicated to [[Mother Mary]] was laid and the construction of the church was completed in over a decade with the blessing ceremony taking place on 4 December 1892. A few months later, the church was consecrated on 18 April 1893 and the church became a parish in 1911.<ref name="THE BEGINNINGS (1857 – 1910)" /> It is the parent parish of three other smaller nearby parishes such as Fathima Matha Church, Muttar, St. Joseph's Church, Eloor and St. Sebastian's Shrine, Eloor.<ref name="Manjummel Matha Church in Ernakulam, Kerala">{{cite web | url=http://www.indiavideo.org/kerala/travel/manjummel-matha-church-ernakulam-8958.php | title=Manjummel Matha Church in Ernakulam, Kerala | publisher=Indiavideo.org | date=2016 | access-date=12 July 2016}}</ref> The annual festival of Virgin Mary is celebrated on 8 December.<ref name="History">{{cite web | url=http://www.eloor.lsgkerala.gov.in/history | title=History | publisher=Eloor Municipality | date=2016 | access-date=12 July 2016}}</ref> There are daily morning Mass at 6:00 AM and evening mass on Tuesdays and Fridays.<ref name="Mass Timing">{{cite web | url=http://mercy-heals.blogspot.com/2016/08/manjummel-church-our-lady-of-immaculate.html#masstime | title=Manjummel church Mass timings | publisher=Manjummel church | date=2016 | access-date=27 August 2016}}</ref>

The church is associated with a number of Catholic missionaries such as Pedro Landetta Azcueta (Aurelian), Eliswa and Zacharias Salterain Viscarra, whose names are in different stages of [[canonization]] by the [[Roman Catholic church|Roman Catholic Church]].<ref name="Servant Of God">{{cite web | url=http://www.mangalapuzha.org/servant.php | title=Servant Of God | publisher=Mangalapuzha Seminary | date=2016 | access-date=12 July 2016}}</ref><ref name="Servant of God Mother Eliswa">{{cite web | url=https://www.academia.edu/7975768 | title=Servant of God Mother Eliswa | publisher=Academia | date=2016 | access-date=12 July 2016}}</ref> The Church has declared Eliswa as a [[Servant of God]], Aurelian as [[Beatification|Blessed]] and Zacharias as [[Venerable]].<ref name="Venerable Aurelian of the Blessed Sacrament">{{cite web | url=http://www.mangalapuzha.org/servant_details.php?id=2 | title=Venerable Aurelian of the Blessed Sacrament | publisher=Mangalapuzha Seminary | date=2016 | access-date=12 July 2016}}</ref><ref name="Venerable Zacharias OCD">{{cite web | url=http://www.mangalapuzha.org/servant_details.php?id=3 | title=Venerable Zacharias OCD | publisher=Mangalapuzha Seminary | date=2016 | access-date=12 July 2016}}</ref> Though originally buried at St. Joseph Pontifical Seminary, Mangalapuzha, the mortal remains of Aurelian and Zacharias were later transferred to this church and the church hall houses their tombs.

The church has an additional chapel, ''Karunya Koodaram'', built in December 2015 which is a modern building of smaller dimensions. Adjoining the chapel is the ''Grotto of Mother Mary'', originally built and blessed on 11 February 1959 by [[Valerian Gracias]], the first Indian to become a [[Cardinal (Catholicism)|cardinal]] of the Roman Catholic Church.<ref name="A Cardinal for India">{{cite web | url=http://content.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,817615,00.html | title=A Cardinal for India | publisher=Time Magazine | date=5 January 1953 | access-date=12 July 2016}}</ref> It was subsequently renovated in 2016. The church also operates a printing press, ''Little Flower Press'', established in 1927,<ref name="Little Flower Press (Archdiocese of Verapoly)">{{cite web | url=http://indiancatholiconline.com/Institution/Details/42323?it=cm&iti=42&dn=Verapoly&pn=Manjummel | title=Little Flower Press (Archdiocese of Verapoly) | publisher=Catholic Directory of India | date=2016 | access-date=12 July 2016}}</ref> which publishes ''Cherupushpam'', a cultural magazine, among other publications.<ref name="Cherupushpam">{{cite web | url=http://www.churchesinindia.com/publication.html#Kerala | title=Cherupushpam | publisher=Churches in India | date=2016 | access-date=12 July 2016}}</ref>

== Carmelite Educational Trust ==
Carmelite Educational Trust is the division which manages the educational activities of the church. The trust manages three institutions, Lisieux Elementary School, Guardian Angels Upper Primary School and Guardian Angels Higher Secondary Public School.<ref name="About Us">{{cite web | url=http://www.guardianangelsps.com/ | title=About Us | publisher=Guardian Angels Higher Secondary Public School | date=2016 | access-date=12 July 2016}}</ref> The educational activities started as a primary school but grew to become a higher secondary school in 2002 and is a CBSE accredited institution since 2012.<ref name="School history">{{cite web | url=http://www.guardianangelsps.com/about-us.html | title=School history | publisher=Guardian Angels Higher Secondary Public School | date=2016 | access-date=12 July 2016}}</ref> The elementary school has a theme park named ''Lisieux Wonderla'', attached to it.

== Monastery of the Immaculate Conception ==
[[File:Carmelite Monastery.jpg|thumb|left|130px|Carmelite Monastery]]
[[File:Carmel Retreat Centre.jpg|thumb|left|130px|Carmel Retreat Centre]]
The Carmelite Monastery was founded by the [[Order of Discalced Carmelites]] in 1874, aligned to the congregation of [[Carmelites]].<ref name="Immaculate Conception Monastery (Archdiocese of Verapoly)">{{cite web | url=http://indiancatholiconline.com/Institution/Details/29815?it=r&iti=23&dn=Verapoly&pn=Manjummel#verticalTab1 | title=Immaculate Conception Monastery (Archdiocese of Verapoly) | publisher=Catholic Online | date=2016 | access-date=12 July 2016}}</ref> It is situated in the church premises, adjoining the parish house. The monastery is home to 9 tertiary Carmelite priests, 9 lay brothers and several novices<ref name="Religious institutions">{{cite web | url=http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/15345a.htm | title=Religious institutions | publisher=Catholic Encyclopedia | date=2016 | access-date=12 July 2016}}</ref> while the province has a strength of 214 priests and 109 Seminarians.<ref name="Over 150 years of Mission with a Vision">{{cite web | url=http://manjummelprovince.in/PROVINCE/index.html | title=Over 150 years of Mission with a Vision | publisher=Manjummel ProvicnProvince | date=2016 | access-date=12 July 2016}}</ref> It also manages a retreat centre, ''Carmel Retreat Centre'', which is a residential [[apostolate]] in nature.<ref name="Monasteries">{{cite web | url=http://manjummelprovince.in/PROVINCE/Monasteries.html | title=Monasteries | publisher=Manjummel Province | date=2016 | access-date=12 July 2016}}</ref>

== St. Joseph's Hospital ==
The first Mission hospital in kerala and the second mission hospital in India, hospital was started in 1887 as a small dispensary by Nicholas Verhoven, a brother at the Carmelite Monastery in [[Koonammavu]].<ref name="The Catholic Churches and Luso-Indians">{{cite web | url=http://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/bitstream/10603/13205/14/14_chapter%207.pdf | title=The Catholic Churches and Luso-Indians | publisher=Shodhganga | date=2016 | access-date=11 July 2016}}</ref><ref name="St.Josephs Hospital">{{cite web | url=http://askb4u.com/listing/stjosephs-hospital.html | title=St.Josephs Hospital | publisher=AskB4u | date=2016 | access-date=11 July 2016}}</ref> The institution, over the years, grew to become the present-day [http://www.stjosephhospitals.com/ St. Joseph’s Hospital], with inpatient service having 160 beds,<ref name="Religious institutions" /> critical care units<ref name="Facilities and Services">{{cite web | url=http://www.stjosephhospital.in/facility_services.php | title=Facilities and Services | publisher=St. Joseph’s Hospital | date=2016 | access-date=11 July 2016}}</ref> and other modern facilities, including [[alternative medicine]] therapies.<ref name="Alternative healing">{{cite web | url=http://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/kochi/article145101.ece?service=print | title=Alternative healing | publisher=Indian Express | date=28 October 2009 | access-date=11 July 2016}}</ref>

== Location ==
The location of the church is in Manjummel, a satellite town of the industrial area of [[Eloor]].<ref name="Eloor Municipality">{{cite web | url=http://www.eloor.lsgkerala.gov.in/en | title=Eloor Municipality | publisher=Eloor Municipality | date=2016 | access-date=12 July 2016}}</ref> The town sits on the banks of [[Periyar (river)|River Periyar]], and the distance from the town of [[Kalamassery]] is around 8 km. Two [[National Highway (India)|National Highways]] pass near the town; [[National Highway 47]] through Kalamassery and [[National Highway 17]] towards west near Muttar. The church is situated along the Eloor-Muttar Road and is accessible through rail via [[Edappally railway station]] which is around 2 km away. The nearest airport is [[Kochi International Airport]], approximately 22 km from the church.<ref name="Manjummel Matha Church in Ernakulam, Kerala" />

==See also==
* [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Verapoly]]
* [[St.Philomena's Forane Church, Koonammavu]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* {{cite web | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LgYY0kbL-tU | title=Fireworks - Our Mother Perpetual Help Church, West Chalakudy | publisher=YouTube | date=5 March 2013 | access-date=10 August 2015}}
* {{cite web | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uzBkENBIUvs | title=Manjummel Matha Church | publisher=India Video dot org | work=[[YouTube]] video | date=6 August 2013 | access-date=12 July 2016}}

== Image gallery ==
<gallery>
Guardian Angels Public School.jpg|<center>Guardian Angels Public School</center>
Guardian Angels UP School.jpg|<center>Guardian Angels U. P. School</center>
Karunya Koodaram foundation stone.jpg|<center>''Karunya Koodaram'' foundation stone</center>
Manjummel Church foundation stone.jpg|<center>Manjummel Church foundation stone</center>
Manjummel Church grotto.jpg|<center>Grotto of Mother Mary</center>
Manjummel Church stone inscription.jpg|<center>Manjummel Church stone inscription</center>
Manjummel Theme park.jpg|<center>''Lisieux Wonderla'' theme park</center>
Little Flower Press.jpg|<center>Little Flower Press</center>
</gallery>

{{Christianity in Kerala}}
{{Churches of Kerala}}

[[Category:1892 establishments in India]]
[[Category:Churches in Ernakulam district]]
[[Category:19th-century establishments in India]]
[[Category:19th-century Roman Catholic church buildings in India]]
[[Category:Tourist attractions in Kochi]]
[[Category:Roman Catholic churches in Kerala]]
[[Category:Roman Catholic churches completed in 1892]]

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Our Lady of Immaculate Conception Church, Manjummel