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2024-10-20T19:10:04Z

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{{Short description|Oriental Orthodox Cathedral in Kerala}}
{{Infobox religious building
|building_name = St. Mary's Orthodox Cathedral, Pazhanji
|image = Pazhanji old church 20 September 2022.jpg
|caption = Old church building
|image_size =
|location = [[Pazhanji]], [[Kunnamkulam]], [[India]]
|coordinates =
|religious_affiliation = [[Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church]]
|province = [[Kerala]]
|district = [[Thrissur]]
|consecration_year =
|status = Cathedral
|website = https://www.pazhanjicathedral.com/
|architecture_type = [[Church (building)|Church]]
|architecture_style = [[Architecture of Kerala|Kerala Architecture]]
|founded_by=
|facade_direction =
}}
'''Pazhanji Church''', officially known as '''St. Mary's Orthodox Cathedral, Pazhanji''' or '''Pazhanji Cathedral''', is a [[Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church]] situated at [[Pazhanji]] near [[Kunnamkulam]] in Thrissur District of Kerala, India. The Church is locally called " Pazhanji Palli " (In Malayalam : പഴഞ്ഞി പള്ളി ) "Palli" [similar to the Malayalam word for "Church"].

Four [[frescoes]] which had long been hidden by whitewash, believed to be 250 years old, were discovered in 2018. They were being restored in 2018.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.deccanchronicle.com/amp/nation/current-affairs/160918/antique-paintings-in-church-being-retrieved.html |title=Antique paintings in church being retrieved |date=16 September 2018|publisher=[[Deccan Chronicle]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url= https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/250-year-old-frescoes-at-church-getting-a-rebirth/article24988906.ece/amp/ |title=250-year-old frescoes at church getting a rebirth|date=19 September 2018 |work=[[The Hindu]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.onmanorama.com/travel/kerala/2018/03/26/pazhanji-mural-thrissur-church-cathedral.amp.html|title= Centuries-old mural discovered in Thrissur cathedral|date=26 March 2018|website=[[Onmanorama]]}}</ref>

==History==
The church is said to have been constructed by believers who fled from Arthat and later settled and constructed the church{{citation needed|date=August 2018}}. It is how the name ''Pazhanji'' (Malayalam meaning ''Old boat'') came into being for the place. According to the church's website, the ancestors of today's members of the Pazhanji Church earlier belonged to the [[St. Mary's Cathedral, Arthat|Kunnamkulam Arthat Church]]. The first chapel founded in Pazhanji was situated in the northern side of the present church{{citation needed|date=August 2018}}, whereas the chapel founded in the southern side. Both chapels are dedicated to St. Mary. There is a cemetery near the church.<ref name="Pazhanji church website">{{cite web |last1=Pazhanji church website |title=Welcome to Pazhanji Cathedral |url=http://www.pazhanjicathedral.com/index.php |access-date=1 August 2018}}</ref> On 13 September 2015, the Pazhanji Cathedral was declared as the second cathedral of the Kunnamkulam diocese{{citation needed|date=August 2018}}, the first being [[St. Mary's Cathedral, Arthat]]. On 28 July 2022, seven metropolitans were concentrated in this church. There were 31 bishops as of 2022.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2022-07-29 |title=Seven bishops consecrated in Malankara Orthodox Church |work=The Times of India |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kochi/seven-bishops-consecrated-in-malankara-orthodox-church/articleshow/93197448.cms |access-date=2023-07-13 |issn=0971-8257}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[St. Mary's Orthodox Cathedral, Arthat]]
* [[Pazhanji]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}

{{coord missing|India}}

[[Category:Malankara Orthodox Syrian cathedrals]]
[[Category:Churches in Thrissur district]]

St. Mary's Orthodox Cathedral, Pazhanji - Revision history

JerryGuerrero: New