St. Peter and St. Paul's Church, Parumala: Difference between revisions

| people = Oriental Orthodox Christians

| episcopalarea = [[Baselios Mar Thoma Paulose II]]

| bishop = Dr. Yuhanon Mar Chrisostomos

| priestincharge = Fr. M. C. Kuriakose

| priest = Very. Rev. Dr. M. S. Yuhanon Ramban, Fr. Y. Mathau Kutty

'''St. Peter's and St. Paul's Orthodox Church''' also known as '''Parumala Pally''' is a famous church in [[Kerala]], [[India]]. This church is located in [[Parumala]] in Thiruvalla Taluk In [[Pathanamthitta district]] and is a  pilgrimage center and mausoleum of the [[Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church]].

The first building was called "Azhippura" and was used for teaching church functionaries for the [[Orthodoxy|Orthodox Church]], including providing lessons in Syriac. Dionysios eventually passed the responsibility for the seminary to  Mar Gregorios in order to carry on the Syriac teaching sessions more efficiently and also to help him in other church matters.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Parumala Church, Kerala|url=https://www.p4panorama.com/Gallery.aspx/parumala-church-orthodox-kerala-360/|access-date=2020-09-01|website=p4panorama}}</ref>

 

The Church is dedicated to the Apostles [[Saint Peter|Peter]] and [[Paul the Apostle|Paul]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=World|first=Religion|date=2017-12-03|title="50 Stars of Christmas" :Parumala Church,Kerala - Symbol of Syrian Orthodox Traditions Religion World|url=https://www.religionworld.in/50-stars-christmas-parumala-churchkerala-symbol-syrian-orthodox-traditions/|access-date=2020-09-01|website=Religion World|language=English}}</ref>

This church contains the tomb of the first canonized Christian saint from India,<ref name=thehindu_03Nov>{{cite news|title=114th feast of St. Gregorios celebrated|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/114th-feast-of-St.-Gregorios-celebrated/article16091207.ece|accessdate=1 December 2020|work=The Hindu|date=3 November 2016}}</ref><ref name=dna_18Mar>{{cite news|title=1Relics of saint to be installed in Ahmedabad church|url=https://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-relics-of-saint-to-be-installed-in-ahmedabad-church-1663992|accessdate=1 December 2020|work=DNA India|date=18 March 2012}}</ref> [[Geevarghese Gregorios of Parumala|Geevarghese Mar Gregorios of Parumala]],<ref>{{Cite web|title=St. Gregorios Of Parumala – Metropolitan Geevarghese Mar Gregorios{{!}}|url=http://mosc.in/saints/st-gregorios-of-parumala-metropolitan-geevarghese-mar-gregorios|access-date=2020-09-01|website=mosc.in}}</ref> who died on 2 November 1902 at the age of 54.<ref>{{Cite news|others=Special Correspondent|date=2019-11-01|title=Hundreds pray at saint’s tomb|language=en-IN|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/hundreds-pray-at-saints-tomb/article29857468.ece|access-date=2020-09-01|issn=0971-751X}}</ref> In 1947 he was declared a saint of the Church by the [[Catholicos]] [[Baselios Geevarghese II]]. Belief in his saintly qualities caused it to become a pilgrimage center for [[Christians]] and Hindus seeking his intercession.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Verghese|first=Abraham|date=2012-05-18|title=Going on Faith|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/18/t-magazine/travel/going-on-faith-in-kerala.html|access-date=2020-09-01|issn=0362-4331}}</ref>

{{Quote|text=Mar Gregorios’s benevolent image — a cross in one hand and a scepter in the other — had stared down at me from the wall of our house in Africa when I grew up; it now hangs in my study in Palo Alto. My grandfather was a deacon in this church, and my father worshiped here every Sunday until he left Kerala. My grandparents are buried in the adjacent cemetery. During our summer holidays, we would all walk from the ancestral home to the boat jetty on the Pampa river and then be poled across on long boats to the far bank where the church stood. Now, a broad bridge spans the river and the crumbling old church has been replaced by a postmodern one built in 1989.|author=Abraham Verghese|title=Going on Faith|source=New York Times}}

 

In 2018, under the direction of Fr. Ashwin Fernandes, the main altar wall of the church was iconographically adorned with the "largest icon painting in Malankara."<ref>{{Cite web|title=മലങ്കരയിലെ ഏറ്റവും വലിയ ഐക്കണ്‍ പെയിന്റിംഗ് പരുമലയില്‍|url=https://www.kvartha.com/2018/10/biggest-icon-painting-in-malankara-is.html|access-date=2020-09-01|website=KVARTHA: MALAYALAM NEWS {{!}} KERALA NEWS {{!}} KERALA VARTHA {{!}} ENTERTAINMENT ചുറ്റുവട്ടം മലയാളം വാര്‍ത്തകൾ}}</ref> The icon behind the throne includes [[Jesus|Christ]] in the center, to the left, His Mother, Yoldath Aloho Mariam ([[Theotokos]]), to the right, the forerunner, Mor Yuhanon Mam'domo ([[John the Baptist|Saint John the Baptist]]). Surrounding the three are the assembly of the [[apostles]] and disciples of Christ. Fluttering their wings above the crowd are the host of angels and archangels who ceaselessly glorify God.

Image:ParumalaChurch_InsideView.jpg|Inside view of Parumala church

Image:Parumala-Church-Front.jpg|Front view of the church

Image:Azhippura1.jpg|''Azhippura'' - Small building where Mar Gregorios stayed in Parumala

Image:StGregorios_Tomb.jpg|Tomb of St.Gregorios at Parumala Church

Image:Parumala-Church-Parking.jpg|Parking Area