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{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2015}}
{{Use Indian English|date=October 2015}}
{{Infobox church
| name = St. Mary’s Orthodox Cathedral, Puthencavu
| image = Saint Mary's Orthodox Syrian Church, Puthencavu.jpg
| caption =
| patron =
| founded date = 2 December 1793
| denomination = [[Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church]]<br />Parish
| diocese = Chengannur Diocese
| tradition = [[Malayalam]]
| website = {{url|www.puthencavucathedral.com}}
}}

'''St. Mary's [[Indian Orthodox Church|Orthodox]] Cathedral, Puthencavu''' is one of the important churches in [[South India]], located at a village named [[Puthencavu]] (near [[Chengannur]]), [[Alappuzha district]] in [[Kerala]] state of India.<ref name="alappuzhaonline.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.alappuzhaonline.com/puthencavustmaryscathedral.htm|title=Puthencavu St. Mary's Cathedral Alappuzha (Alleppey) and Kerala, India |publisher=Alappuzhaonline.com|access-date=2009-06-24}}</ref><ref name="marpfa">{{cite web|url=http://marpfa.org/church.html|title=St. Mary’s Orthodox Cathedral, Puthencavu, Chengannur|publisher=Mar Philoxenos Memorial Friends Association|access-date=2009-06-24|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100130013206/http://marpfa.org/church.html|archive-date=30 January 2010|df=dmy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.india9.com/i9show/Puthencavu-74085.htm|title=Puthencavu|publisher=india9.com|access-date=2009-06-24}}</ref> The church is one of the oldest Christian churches in [[Central Travancore]] region of [[Kerala]].

==History==
The people of Puthencavu depended on the old Suriyani Church in [[Chengannur]] or the church in [[Maramon]] before the establishment of this church. Due to the distance to the nearest church, Christians in the area decided to construct a church in Puthencavu itself. The Christians of Puthencavu decided to approach the Marthoma VI. During that time, the [[Kingdom of Travancore|Travancore Maharaja]] had penalised the Marthoma VI per the request of the [[Netherlands|Dutch]] for the delayed payments of expenses in bringing the bishops: Mar Baselious Malprina, Mar Gregorios and Yohananon Ramban from ''Sheema'' during the times of [[Mar Thoma V]]. The Travancore government confiscated the metropolitan bishop's items and the goods and movable properties of the [[Niranam]] Church. It is believed that this church bell from Niranam Church is that which hangs even today on the [[East Fort]] gate of [[Padmanabhaswamy temple]] in [[Thiruvananthapuram]]. It is legendarily believed that the Tharakans and the Christians in Puthencavu saved the arrest of the metropolitan bishop by giving the money which was gathered for the construction of the church. The excess money after settling this was believed to be source of ''Vattipanam'' later. Soon after becoming the Metropolitan Mar Thoma VII continued to discuss with [[Colin Macaulay|Col. Macaulay]], the British resident, and the church decided to deposit as loan in perpetuity a sum of 3000 Poovarahan (A poovarahan, known as Star Pagoda had a market value Rs. 10300). The deposit was handed over to Col. Maccaulay on 1 December 1808 and he issued the receipt.<ref name="indianchristianity.org" /> The agreement stipulated that interest should be paid to the Malankara Metropolitan. This deposit is now known as ''Vattipanam''. Later when there were more than one Metropolitans in Malankara Church, it became necessary to decide the rightful authority to receive the interest. So the government convened meetings with the church leaders and according to their decision issued proclamations authorizing that person to be the Metropolitan to receive the interest. This resulted in several court cases for several years till 1958.

The Church was [[consecrated]] in the name of [[St. Mary]] in 1793 (''[[Malayalam calendar|malayalam year]] 969 [[Vrishchikam]] 19'') by [[Mar Thoma VI]]. The Church still preserves, even today, the room, bed and chapel of first Holy Qurbana conducted by Marthoma VI.<ref name="marpfa" /> Mar Thoma VI stayed in Puthencavu from 1794 to 1808 due to which the place become the centre of Suriyani Christians of Puthenkoor of the [[Malankara Church]]. The remains of [[Mar Thoma VI]],<ref name="indianchristianity.org">{{cite web|url=http://indianchristianity.org/orthodox/forefathers.html|title=The Fathers who led the Sabha|publisher=indianchristianity.org|access-date=2009-06-24}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.syrianchurch.org/bio/MorDionysiusI.htm|title=MOR DIONYSIUS I : The sixth Metropolitan of the Malankara Syrian Church |publisher=syrianchurch.org |access-date=2009-06-24}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.marthomasyrianchurch.org/metropolitan_pg2.htm|title=The Heirs to the Throne of St. Thomas (Mar Thoma) |publisher=marthomasyrianchurch.org|access-date=2009-06-24}}</ref> [[Mar Thoma VIII]] and [[Geevarghese Mar Philoxenos]], (the famous ''Puthencavil Kochu Thirumeni'')<ref>{{cite web|url=http://marpfa.org/thirumeni.html|title=History of H.G.Geevarghese Mar Philoxenos Metropolitan|publisher=marpfa.org|access-date=2009-06-24}}</ref> who led the [[Malankara Sabha]] are interred in this Church.<ref name="marpfa" />

Ayrookuzhiyil Abraham Kathanar (Sr.),youngest son of Ayrookuzhiyil Idicula Tharakan (Sr) was the first vicar of this church in 1793 and was ordained by Marthoma VI.<ref name="AK">{{cite book|title=Pakalomattom Ayrookuzhiyil Kudumbacharitram|publisher=Pakalomattom Ayrookuzhiyil Kudumbayogam|year=2005|pages=372}}</ref> Thomas Kizhakethalaykkal, the father of Mar Philoxenos Thirumeni,<ref name="marpfa" /> Ayrookuzhiyil Abraham Kathanar (Jr.) etc. served long years as the vicars of this Church.<ref name="AK" /> Thomas Mar Athanasius (current Metropolitan of Chengannur Diocese) and nephew of ''Puthencavil Kochuthirumeni'', Rev. C M Philipose Cor Episcopa are members of this church.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://malankaraorthodoxchurch.in/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=82&Itemid=|title=H.G. Thomas Mar Athanasios — Chengannur Diocese|publisher=malankaraorthodoxchurch.in|access-date=2009-06-24}}</ref> The body of Ayrookuzhiyil Abraham Kathanar (Sr.) was buried inside the church.<ref name="AK" /> During the times of Abraham Kathanar (Sr.), Puthencavu church was the centre of ''Puthencoor'' section of the [[Malankara Church]]. Ayrukuzhiyil Chandy Kathanar, youngest son of Abraham Kathanar (Sr.) followed the vicarship of the church after his father. Chandy Kathanar was ordinated to priesthood by [[Mar Thoma VIII]]. Chandy Kathanar's youngest son, Abraham Kathanar (Jr.) (1818–1901), who was raised to priesthood by [[Cheppad Philipose Mar Dionysius]], become the vicar of the church later. As the vicar of the participating church, Abraham Kathanar (Jr.) co-signed the famous ''Mavelikara Padiyola'' (1836)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.saintgregorios.org/PARUMALA/mavelikara__padiyola.htm|title=Mavelikar Padiyola|year=1836|publisher=saintgregorios.org|access-date=2009-06-25}}</ref> and ''Kallumkathra Padiyola'' (1843).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.kallumkathrachurch.org/KallumkathraPadiyola.pdf|title=Kallumkathra Padiyola of 1843|year=1843|publisher=kallumkathrachurch.org|access-date=2009-06-25}}</ref> Joseph Kathanar (1863–1947),<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.kuwaitmarthoma.com/links/clergyseniority.pdf|title=Clergy list of The Mar Thoma Syrian Church of Malabar -Seniority Order|publisher=kuwaitmarthoma.com|access-date=2009-06-25}}</ref> son of Abraham Kathanar (Jr.) was the assistant vicar of the church. The body of Ayrookuzhiyil Abraham Kathanar (Jr.) was also buried inside the church even though he had moved as vicar of Puthencavu Marthoma church upon the formation of [[Marthoma Church|Marthoma Sabha]].<ref name="AK" />

On 9 December 1896, Rev. P.J. Dethos was consecrated as [[Titus II Mar Thoma]] Metropolitan at the Puthencavu Palli (then shared between both Orthodox and Mar Thoma churches).
He was consecrated by [[Titus I Mar Thoma]] with the assistance of Geevarghese Mar Koorilose (Karumamkuzhi Pulikkottil) Metropolitan of the [[Malabar Independent Syrian Church]].

Two ''perunals'' ( church festivals ) of Mar Anthrayos, the 17th century [[Syrian]] saint who was buried at Kallada, and [[Geevarghese Mar Philoxenos]] are celebrated in this church yearly.<ref name="kunnu">{{cite web|url=http://kunnumpurathu.com/|title=ST . MARY 'S CATHEDRAL |publisher=Kunnumpurathu Kudumban |access-date=2009-06-25}}</ref> The wooden horse of Mar Anthrayos is still preserved in the church. There are a lot of folktales stories around this horse on which the Anthrayos Bava used to travel at night.<ref name="kunnu" />

The Church is also the ''parent-parish'' of several parishes within and around of the same diocese which includes [[Arattupuzha]], Kurichimuttam, Piralassery, [[Mulakuzha]], Koorthamala, Nellikkal, Idanadu, and Mangalam.<ref name="marpfa" />

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{coord|9.320684|N|76.632514|E|display=title}}
* [http://wikimapia.org/3624958/St-Mary-S-Church-puthencavu St. Mary’s Orthodox Cathedral, Puthencavu on Wikimapia]

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

{{DEFAULTSORT:Saint Mary's Orthodox Cathedral Puthencavu}}
[[Category:Churches in Alappuzha district]]
[[Category:Malankara Orthodox Syrian cathedrals]]
[[Category:Cathedrals in Kerala]]
[[Category:1793 establishments in India]]
[[Category:Churches completed in 1793]]
[[Category:18th-century churches in India]]
[[Category:18th-century Oriental Orthodox church buildings]]

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

imported>Extraordinary Writ: Fixing typo[s]. You can help; see WP:TT/M