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Welcome to Alappuzha St. Thomas Orthodox Church History

Located at the heart of the Alappuzha city, the parish depicts a spiritual excellence and an architectural spectacle. It carries with it an astounding history of the struggle, sacrifice and devotion of a spiritually and socially elated group of people. The most heartfelt aspiration of materializing a place of worship for a congregation by the Malankara Metropolitans, H.H. Pulikkottil Joseph Mor Dionysius and H.H. Vattasheril Geevarghese Mor Dionysius remained unaccomplished for some period. However, in 1918 when H.H. Vattasheril Geevarghese Mor Dionysius visited Chennangeri for dedicating and congregating the parish premises there, a group of dignitaries consisting of Sri.K.C.Mammen Mappilai Kandathil, Sri.Joseph Cherian Pooppallil, Sri.E.John Kuruvilla Elenjikkal were able to get an audiance with His Holiness and submitted an appeal for establishing a Parish and constructing a Church at Alappuzha. The submission was accepted with extreme delight by His Holiness. Thus encouraged, the delegates called a meeting of the Syrian Orthodox followers who were at Alappuzha and the 7 participants, Sri.K.C.Mammen Mappilai, Kandathil, Sri.E.John Kuruvilla Elenjikkal, Sri.Joseph Cherian,Pooppallil, Sri.K.M.Varghese Variamkattil Kandathil, Sri.George Manamel, Sri.Chacko Chacko Mattackal Puthukkeril and Sri.K.I Pothen Puthenkandathil, are believed to be the founders of the Church and the Church was officially established in February 1920.

The prayerful enterprise, flawless vision and dedicated efforts of this committed community along with the devoted leadership of Rev.Fr. Scaria Navallil of Chennangeri facilitated in the successful completion of constructing a church building at the north part of the present premise on 5th March, 1922, where Rev Fr. C.V. Geevarghese, Eraviperoor Peedikayil, offered the first Holy Qurbana.

In 1932 when Rev. Fr. K.G.Thomas, Kottathuvilla was installed as the vicar, the prime setback the congregation had to face was the dearth of a cemetery. This fundamental need of the congregation for a burial ground was realized in 1932 after a short-termed litigation procedure. The confirmation of a cemetery as an attachment with the parish enhanced the pace of its further growth and development.

The presence of a small local Syrian Christian community in the heart of this industrial city of Alappuzha attracted many migrants and temporary civilians who came here for a variety of purposes such as trade, industry, commerce, medical treatment, higher education, and so on. This actually initiated another problem of a need for reaching out to the spiritual and sacramental requirement of all those who are mentioned above. It was then that the thought for constructing a new, spacious and attractive parish premise sprout out as nonnegotiable necessity, which by the grace of God was accomplished on 14th April, 1944 (1119 Medam 4th), when the foundation stone was laid by The Catholicos of the East H.H. Baselios Geevarghese II. The farsighted leadership of Rev. Fr. K.G. Thomas, Kottathuvilla along with the committed hard-work of the congregation helped in the realization of this splendid architectural excellence- as we see it today. The dream, toil and prayers of a devoted community were transfigured into a place of worship and temple of God when the premise was dedicated and congregated on 15th of August 1967, the day of Ascension of the Mother of God, St. Mary.

We revere and honour the eminent leadership of all the great respected vicars, managing committee members, and all the congregation members who worked for the holistic development and prosperity of this place of worship and the spiritually motivated community around it. Let their infallible loyalty and love towards the church and their flawless obligation to the Almighty prompt every one of us today.

  FOUNDED February 1920
  First Holy Qurbana 5th March 1922
  Foundation Stone laid for the present church By. H.H Basalious Geevarghese ΙΙ Catholicos of the east 16th April 1944
  Consecration & Dedication 15th Auguest 1967
  Church Feast Assumption of St. Mary (15th Auguest)
     

Fondly Remembered

Malankara Methropolitans

H.G Pulikkottil Joseph
Mor Dionysius

Vicar

Eminent effort in materializing
the parish

Saint. Geevarghese
Mor Dionysius

Vicar

Great condribution in buying
land for constructing the parish

H.H Baselius Geevarghese II
Catholica Bava

Vicar

Foundation stone laid for
the present Parish

Rendering longterm Service for the Parish

Vicar

Vicar

Late Rev. Fr. K.G Thomas
Kottathuvilla

Sexton

Vicar

Late Sri. N.T Thomas
Naduvileparambil

Sundayschool H.M

Vicar

Late Sri. C.Kuruvilla
Karunalel

Sundayschool H.M

Vicar

Late Sri. Mathai
Puthukeri