Anuj tripathi 111: Stub

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{{More citations needed|date=November 2025}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2019}}
{{Use Indian English|date=August 2019}}
{{Infobox church
| name = St. Mary's Forane Church Edoor
| image = St. Mary'sForane Church Edoor.jpg
| caption = St. Mary's Forane Church Edoor
| location = [[Edoor]], [[Iritty]], [[Kerala]]
| country = [[India]]
| pushpin map = India Kerala
| coordinates ={{coord|11.998038|75.726163|region:IN_type:landmark|display=inline,title}}
| denomination = [[Syro-Malabar Catholic Church]]
| tradition = [[East Syriac Rite]]
| website = {{URL| https://stmarysshrineedoor.com}}
| architectural type = Modern
| style =
| parish = St. Mary's Forane Church, Edoor
| membership =
| dedication = [[Saint Mary]]
| archdiocese = [[Syro-Malabar Catholic Archeparchy of Tellicherry|Thalassery]]
| founded date = 1946
| diocese =
| district = Kannur
| archbishop = [[Joseph Pamplany]]
| vicar =Thomas Vadakkemuriyil
| asstpriest = Thomas Pookamala
}}

'''St. Mary's Archi Episcopal Marian Pilgrim Forane Church Edoor''' is one of the oldest churches and a notable [[Blessed Virgin Mary|Marian]] pilgrim centre in [[Kannur district]] of [[Kerala]]. It is near [[Iritty]], the eastern town of [[Kannur]] district. This church is the first church in the name of St. Mary under the archdiocese of [[Thalassery]]. It is also the largest parish in the [[archdiocese]]. It is situated about 6.5 kilometres from the town of [[Iritty]], which is also known as 'The Coorg valley in the God's own country'.

==Basic Information==
[[Edoor]] town is a small marketplace for the farmer communities of the surrounding regions. This place is well-connected to any part of [[Kannur]] and other parts of [[Kerala]] by road.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.stmarysshrineedoor.com/ |title=Edoor St. Mary's Forane Church website}}</ref>

==History==

This [[parish]] was established in 1946. In its initial times, it was under the [[Latin Catholic]] Diocese of [[Kozhikode]]. Later, it came under the [[Syro-Malabar Catholic]] Archdiocese of [[Thalassery]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.stmarysshrineedoor.com/ |title=History of Edoor Church}}</ref> In those times, the members of the parish were the Christian people who had migrated from [[Travancore]]. In 1970, the new church was built.

==Architectural Features==

[[File:St. Mary's Forane Church Edoor Interior.jpg|thumb|270px|The interior of 'St. Mary's Forane Church Edoor' with a far view of the altar.]]
The church is in a circular shape and it has a [[dome]] in the centre. As it is circular, it has a large area and a wide angle of viewing the [[altar]]. It is also one of the largest churches in Malabar. The [[altar]] of this church was renovated in 2012, which creates a heavenly feeling in our mind. The [[altarpieces]] include the sculptures of various [[saints]]. The church has entrances from three directions; viz. West, South and North. Above the main entrance which is from the south, we can see a Latin text: "VENITE ADOREMUS", meaning '''Come, Let us worship'''. Above the entrance from the south, we can see the text: "AVE MARIA", and above the northern entrance we can see the text: "MY LORD, MY GOD", which is a declaration by [[Thomas the Apostle|St. Thomas]], who is the [[apostle]] of [[India]] and the father of the [[Syro-Malabar Church]].

==Special Features==

*The major attraction here is the presence of [[Mother Mary]], The Immaculate. Here is a statue of Mother Mary which may not be seen anywhere else. The people here call it as 'Edooramma (എടൂരമ്മ)', meaning 'The Mother of Edoor'.
*Another feature of this church is the wooden statue of crucified [[Jesus]]. Unlike other statues, here we can see '''Jesus crucified on 'four' nails.'''
*Unlike most of the churches in [[Syro-Malabar Church]], this does not have a veil (curtain) in between the 'Madbaha' ([[altar]]) and 'Haikala' (the place in the church where people stand).
*The feast of [[St. Mary]] is held in the first week of January always. Thus it is also considered as the thanksgiving feast for the New Year. People from various parts of the district including those who belong to other religions come here to celebrate this festival.
[[File:St. Mary's Forane Church Edoor Feast.jpg|thumb|270px|Night View of 'St. Mary's Forane Church Edoor' on the feast day in 2012.]]

==Edooramma==
[[File:Edooramma.jpg|thumb|Edooramma, The mother of Edoor.]]

The presence of [[St. Mary]] is the reason for its popularity.{{cn|date=August 2024}} The statue of Mother Mary or ''Edooramma'' which may not be seen anywhere else is the most beautiful thing in this church.{{cn|date=August 2024}}
*Edooramma wearing a blue gown means that 'the gown is the sky which covers Earth. So, the whole Earth is protected by her presence.'
*In the left hand, Edooramma holds a '[[Columbidae|white dove]]', and in her right hand there is a [[rosary]]. This means that she spreads peace on earth. It is through the way of rosaries that she spreads the peace.
*She wears a golden crown with twelve stars around it, showing that she is the queen of the [[Heaven]] and the [[Earth]].
*There is always a charming smile in her face. It really feels like she is staring at us if we kneel in front of her to pray.

This statue was made in foreign country and brought here by the European [[Missionaries]] who were working in this region. Actually it was decided to place it in a nearby church and not in St. Mary's Church. It is said that while it was transported to another church via [[Edoor]], the vehicle had a breakdown when it reached Edoor. As the defect could not be solved soon, they placed the statue in the Edoor Church. This is the story how Edooramma reached here.{{cn|date=August 2024}}

==Educational Institutions==

This church has played a role in the educational landscape of the region. St. Mary's LP School, established in 1946, holds the distinction of being the oldest school in the area. Following this, St. Mary's UP School was founded in 1949, providing primary education. Subsequently, St. Mary's High School was established in 1957, and in 1998, St. Mary's Higher Secondary School expanded opportunities for higher education in the region. Today, St. Mary's Higher Secondary School integrates primary, secondary, and higher secondary education under one roof. Additionally, the church, through its leadership at CMC Convent, facilitated the establishment of St. Treesa’s Nursery School in 1972 and Vikas Bhavan Special School for differently abled children in 1984. Vikas Bhavan Special School is among the few specialized schools in Kerala.{{cn|date=August 2024}}

==Parishes Under Edoor Forane==

1. St. Thomas Church Karikottakkari 
2. St. Sebastian's Church Velimanam 
3. St. Mary's Church Mangode 
4. St. Mary's Church Uruppumkutty 
5. St. Sebastian's Church Chedikulam 
6. Bl. Chavara Kuriakose Elias Church Keezhpally 
7. St. Sebastian's Church Vattiyara 
8. St. Joseph Church Edappuzha

==Major Institutions in the parish==

*CMC Convent
*Vikas Bhavan Special School
*St. Treesa's Nursery School
*St. Mary's LP School
*St. Mary's Higher secondary School
*St. Mary's Sunday School
*Alphonse Bhavan
*Don Bosco Convent
*Sneha Bhavan Orphanage
*Mythree Bhavan Old age Home
*Friends Credit Union (TSSS)
*Carmel Homeo Clinic

==Priests Served in the Parish==

1.Fr.Kudakkachira Kuriakose(1945–47) 
2.Fr.Kuzhikkalathil C.J.Varkey(1947–49)
<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.archdioceseoftellicherry.org/parish-view.php?pid=76|title=Thalassery Arch-Diocese Website.}}</ref> 3.Fr.Kattakkayam Joseph(1949–54) 
4.Fr.Elamthuruthiyil Sebastian(1954–59) 
5.Fr.Moongammackal Abraham(1959–65) 
6.Fr.Kollamparambil Joseph(1965–72) 
7.Fr.Koottiyani Peter(1972–77) 
8.Fr.Kadukummackal John(1977–80) 
9.Fr.Kattackal Zacharias(1980–84) 
10.Fr.Kunnapallil Varkey(1984–90) 
11.Fr.Kollakombil George(1990–93) 
12.Fr.Kavalakkattu Kuriakose(1993–99) 
13.Fr.Purayidam Antony(1999-2005) 
14.Fr.Emmanuel Poovathinkal(2005-2010) 
15. Fr. Andrews Thekkel (2010-2016) 
16. Fr. Antony Muthukunnel from 2016-

==References==
{{reflist}}

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

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mary's Forane Church, Edoor}}
[[Category:Churches in Kannur district]]
[[Category:Syro-Malabar Catholic church buildings]]
[[Category:Eastern Catholic church buildings in Kerala]]
[[Category:Churches completed in 1975]]

St. Mary's Forane Church, Edoor - Revision history

Anuj tripathi 111: Stub