St.Thomas Syro Malabar Catholic Church,
Santhom Nagar, S.V. Talkies Jn.
Kollam-691008 , Kerala
For more information please contact: http://stthomassyromalabarkollam.org
St.Thomas Syro Malabar Catholic Church, Kollam
Thirukalyana Matha Church, Thoothukudi
Thirukalyana Matha is one of the names attributed to Mother Mary, mother of Jesus Christ. On this name there is a church at Pothakalan Vilai in the district of Tuticorin, Tamilnadu. The management of the church is under the Diocese of Tuticorin.
Long before 1546 the people of France had a filial love to Mother Mary and were celebrating the event of betrothal of Mary to Joseph on the eve of 22nd and on 23rd January. They were requesting their Parish Priests and the Bishops to recognize and approve their devotion. After hundreds of years, the Pope Paul III considering the recommendations of the Priests and Bishop of France approved their devotion in 1546.
History:
Pothakalanvilai is the place where Thirukalayana Matha (Betrothal of Holy Mary to St. Joseph) give expression to her love for people.
After St. Thomas who planted Christianity in the Malabar area that is the Tamil speaking area, many missionaries came and strengthened the faith of the people. Due to political situation and aversion to Christianity very many good things were crushed down. But the evil can never dominate the good for ever. The French Missionaries while visiting St. Thomas Christians kept on meeting the people living in and around Pothakalan Vilai area too.
The moralities of the people were low. The missionaries were not happy about it. Hence they suggested probably in 1515 that they could have Holy Mary as their patron. They advised the people to have the annual feast of Our Lady on the 23rd January remembering her betrothal to St. Joseph, her husband.
When the Pope Paul III approved the feast of Betrothal of Our Lady in1546 that was being celebrated by devout persons in France for many years, the French Missionaries took the opportunity to instruct the people to have a meaningful celebration of the feast from 1556 onwards.
In 1623 a small hall was constructed and dedicated it to St. Aloysius and St. Ignatius of Loyola believing that these saints will help them lead a good life. Yet they were celebrating the feast day of betrothal of our Lady to St. Joseph that falls on the 23rd January.
In 1835 because of various practical difficulties they built a church behind the hall and dedicated it to our Lady of Ransom. Yet they maintained 23rd of January as the feast day of their patron. In the later period, Pothakalan Vilai had been under Kamanayakkan Patti, Anaikarai, Periyathalai and Sokkankudiyiruppu before taking shape of a individual parish in the Diocese of Tuticorin in 1935. Fr. Bangar was its first parish priest.
When Fr. Mascarenhas took over Pothakalan Vilai as its 2nd parish priest in 1949, analyzing the local customs, celebrations and practices, he declared that “The patron of the church in Pothakalan Vilai is ‘Kalyana Matha” (Our lady of Betrothal). In 1980 Fr. Novamoney suggested the people to call Kalyanamatha, Thirukalyana Matha as the later seems to be a dignified one. The above events tell us how things have evolved and how the people have kept the original habit unaltered.
Thirukalyana Matha now keeps all those who come to her for her help, free from all dangers, pains and problems and provides everything they need. You can see people coming here with families to thank Thirukalyana Matha for various miracles particularly for the gift of marriage and offspring.
The Parish Priest,
Thirukalyana Matha Church,
Pothakalan Vilai – 628702,
Tuticorin – 628 702,
Thoothukudi District,
Tamilnadu, INDIA
Tel: +91 4639 261230
For more information please visit: http://www.thirukalyanamatha.com/
Follow Us: http://www.facebook.com/kalyana.matha
Holy Cross Hospital Chapel, Kottiayam, Kollam
Holy Cross Hospital Chapel, Kottiayam, Kollam
St. Joseph’s Metropolitan Cathedral, Palayam, Trivandrum, Kerala
St.Joseph’s Metropolitan Cathedral, Palayam, Trivandrum, is the Cathedral Church of the Latin Archdiocese of Trivandrum.
This 137-year old grand monumental Goethic structure has a moderate beginning. The initial Church was constructed in 1873 as a Parish Church to look after the spiritual needs of a few Catholic military men and a few Catholic families who mainly migrated from the coastal region of earstwhile Travancore state, comprising of the present Kanyakumari and Trivandrum Districts. The very name Palayam has its ethymological meaning a ‘Contonment’ ie, the Military’s residence. On May 4th, 1873 the first Church was blessed by the then Bishop of Quilon Most Rev.Eldaphonese OCD and Rev.Fr.Emygdius OCD, the Parish Priest.
The Second phase of extention work in the manner of the Cross was done in 1912 during the tenure of Rev,Fr.Pamcratius OCD. And the final stage of extention, including the Goethic style imposing front and the bell-tower was completed in1927 during the time of Rev.Fr.Ildaphonse OCD. The three ‘Do-Re-Me’ syncronising bells were brought from Belgium and were installed. These bells were named Joseph, Xavier, and Aloysius to denote St.Joseph the Patron of the Church, St.Francis Xavier, the Apostole of India and Bishop Aloysius Maria Benziger the pioneer Missionary-Bishop of Quilon respectively.
When the Quilon Diocese was bifurcated and the new diocese of Trivandrum was formed on 1st July 1937, St.Joseph’s Church became the Cathedral Church of the newly formed Trivandrum Diocese. And when His Excellency Rt. Rev. Dr. M. Soosapakiam was made the Archbishop and the Diocese of Trivandrum became the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Trivandrum in 2000, St.Joseph’s Cathedral was also raised to the status of the Metropolitan Cathedral.
This Cathedral Parish has 1780 families grouped into 45 Family Units. The total Population of the Parish is 7890.
We have three Holy Masses on week-days and 6 Holy Masses on Sundays. Besides the Holy Masses, there are Novenas to St.Antony, St.Joseph, St.Jude, and Perpetual Succor on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday respectively. There is regular Sunday Catechism Classes on Sundays from 8.45 am to 10.00am. Confessions are heard in the Cathedral Church on every day from 5.00pm to 7.00pm. Sacrament of Baptism is administered on all Sundays at 12.00 Noon. Weddings are solemnised on all days except on Sundays in consultation with the Parish Priest. Funerals are conducted at the Parish Cemetery at Pattoor. Memorial services are conducted at the Pattoor Cemetery Chapel and intentions for the deceased are included in the Holy Mass, offered at the Cathedral.
The Parish Office is open from 8.30 am to 12.00 Noon and from 4.00 pm to 5.30 pm on all days except Sundays and Days of Obligations. Cathedral Priests can be met at anytime from 9.00 am to 12.00 Noon and 4.00 pm to 8.00 pm on all days except on Sundays and Feast days.
The major renovation and restoration of St.Joseph’s Metropolitan Cathedral was begun on 31st August, 2008. This 137 year-old gigantic heritage building badly needed a thorough renovation. And this work was initially agreed upon to be carried out by the Archeological Department of Government of Kerala. It was at their own initiative that this work was assigned to Ravi Gundu Rao and Associates, Mysore, an internationally reputed firm for conservation and preservation of archeological monuments. Though, later on, the Government backed out from the scene, the parish decided to proceed with the available resources. And from that time onwards, we had experienced the providence of God and His blessing, showering on us and on this project of renovation. The Cathedral renovation work was completed as schedule by April 2010 and the cathedral was blessed and re dedicated by his grace Most Rev. Dr. Soosa Pakaim.M, Archbishop of the Latin Archdiocese of Thiruvananthapuram on the 1st of May 2010; the feast of St. Joseph the worker. Very Rev. Dr. C. Joseph, parish priest, was the pioneer to accomplish the task of renovation of the Cathedral Church.
HOLY MASS TIMINGS:
Sunday: 5.45am (English), 7.00am, 9.00am, 10.30am (English), 3.00pm (Hindi), 5.00pm
Weekdays: 5.45am, 6.30am, 5.30pm
St.Joseph’s Metropolitan Cathedral,
Palayam, Trivandrum, Kerala.
Phone: Church: 0471 2320132.
For more information please visit:
http://www.stjosephmetropolitancathedraltrivandrum.org
St. Peter’s Church, Kannanthurai, Trivandram
St. Peter’s Church,
Kannanthura,
Trivandrum – Pin : 695 007
Kerala. India.
Ph: 0471/2500337.
For more information please visit: http://www.latinarchdiocesetrivandrum.org/
Manal Matha Church, Thiruchendur, Thoothukudi
“Athisaya Manalmatha Church” was built in First Century AD by St.Thomas ,one of 12 disciples of Lord Jesus. The church is located in the Sokkankudieruppu, a village 39 kms away from Tiruchendur in Tuticorin District off Tiruchendur – TamilNadu- India.
The church was built on three cents of land, donated by Pandya Ruler, Kandappa Rasa to St.Thomas, as a mark of respect for healing the diseases and sufferings of the king and his family. St.Thomas built the church with palm leaves as per the tradition in those days. This piece of 3 cents land was the first to be given in India to Christianity.
Manal Matha Church,
Thiruchendur,
Thoothukudi Dt.
Uvari Church
Uvari Church
Ariyankuppam Church, Pondy
Ariyankuppam Church, Pondy
Kandal Cross Shrine, Ooty
Ooty or Ootacamundalam is a famous hill station located in the Nilgiris Hills of a South Indian state Tamil Nadu. It’s about 9,080 feet above the sea level and often called as “Queen of Hills Stations”. Under British Raj, this part of the state was entirely owned by the private British citizens. Britishers liked the environment here and started developing the hills. Hence there are many churches here. Apart from the beauty of nature in Ooty, there are numerous other places to visit. One of the most visited places in Udhagamandalam is Kandal Cross Shrine. This Cross Shrine is in rectangular shape and is spread in five acres of land at the outskirts of Ooty which is surrounded by soil, dirt and marshy land.
The Kandal Cross Shrine is located about 3 km away from the Ooty railway station. This Shrine is considered very holy by Roman Catholics and is also referred to as “Calvary of Tamil Nadu”. The followers believe that it showers heavenly blessings on the tourists and pilgrims who visit the shrine. In this shrine, there is a life size bronze crucifix which was imported from France and installed on a boulder in 1933 to commemorate the 19th centenary of the Redemption of Mankind.
The Kandal Cross Shrine is established in the year 1933 and is an important pilgrimage center for all the Nilgiri Catholics. This Cross Shrine is also called as the Jerusalem of the East. On 3rd of May, every year the grand feast is held which attracts a lot of crowd. On this day pilgrims and tourists come in large numbers and all the roads in the hill station leads to the Shrine. A car procession always marks the occasion. On 3rd may special buses employed every year by the Tamil Nadu State Transport. The local Police take precautionary steps in the view of crowds and important people.
Ooty also have some other pilgrimage points in the form of churches like St. Stephen’s Church, St.Mary’s Church, St. Theresas Church, Holy Trinity Church, Sacred Heart Church and Thomas Church. But Kandal Cross Shrine occupies a place on eminence. Pilgrims and devotees come in large number to attend the special Novena Prayers and Holy Masses organized every Friday at the Kandal Cross.
The Kandal Cross Shrine was brought in Ooty by an Apostolic delegate and is erected here as the relic of a true cross. It is believed that this Cross has magical powers that can easily cure the sick and ailing people. If you ever come to Ooty don’t miss to Visit Kandal Cross Shrine.
St. Mary’s Church, Ooty
The first Catholic Church in Ooty. In 1837 Rev. Fr. Bigot Beauclair visited Ootacamund and within 2 years the construction of a Church was commenced which is now St. Joseph’s Primary School. As the catholic population of Ootacamund increased, the original church was found inadequate and a much larger one was constructed in 1870 which is the present church of St. Mary’s.
St. Mary’s Church,
St. Mary’s Hill,
Udhagamandalam – 643 001.
Nilgiris.
Tel: 0423 – 2442864
