St Marys Orthodox Church

St. Mary's Orthodox Syrian Church in Kottayam (celebrated worldwide as Kottayam Cheriapally / St. Mary's Forane Church and one of the oldest, most artistically preserved Malankara Orthodox shrines in India, constructed in 1579 AD by the royal Thekkumkur Rajah for his Syrian Christian subjects, world famous for its unique fusion of Kerala temple woodcraft and Portuguese Baroque architecture, rare 440 year-old biblical murals painted in organic vegetable dyes, ancient 7th century Pahlavi Persian granite cross, and intricately carved wooden altarpieces), located at Cheriapally in Kottayam in Kerala, stands as the land of letters' premier spiritual treasure.

Erected atop a scenic hillock overlooking the Meenachil River basin, this architectural landmark reflects four centuries of Saint Thomas Christian (Nasrani) ecumenical heritage, where European Gothic stone arches and Portuguese bell towers blend smoothly with indigenous Kerala laterite walls, copper gables, and wooden elephant brackets.

It's the home of the sacred Madbaha (altar) covered in colorful 16th century tempera murals depicting 44 biblical episodes, including the Annunciation, the Last Supper, the Crucifixion, and the Assumption of the Virgin Mary painted with natural plant sap, crushed seashells, and fruit extracts that retain their original luminous colors without synthetic retouching, the ancient granite Persian Cross incised with Pahlavi inscriptions dating back to early Persian Christian migrations to Malabar, the grand gold gilded timber reredos hand carved with cherubs and grapevines, the ceremonial stone baptismal font (Mamodisa Kalthoni) chiseled from a single granite boulder, and an intensely solemn, reverent spiritual atmosphere where Syrian liturgical chants (Qurbana) echo under heavy timbered ceilings.

It represents a rich Saint Thomas Nasrani heritage, 16th century Kerala Portuguese ecclesiastical architecture, and royal Thekkumkur interfaith patronage where biblical frescoes, Persian stone crosses, Syrian liturgies, and Kottayam history unite in St. Mary's Orthodox Church Cheriapally.

Located in the historic Cheriapally area, it sits just 2.5 km from Kottayam Railway Station (KTYM), 2 km from Thirunakkara Mahadeva Temple, 14 km from Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary and Vembanad Lake, and 85 km from Cochin International Airport (COK), easily accessible by auto rickshaw, town bus, or taxi from Kottayam city center.

1579 AD Thekkumkur Royal Grant & Persian Cross

Thekkumkur ruler Godavarma Rajah granted tax free land and building timbers to the Saint Thomas Christian community in 1579, honoring their loyal administrative and military service.

The sanctuary houses an ancient 7th century Persian Cross carved with Pahlavi script, testifying to pre Portuguese Syrian Christian trade ties across the Indian Ocean.

Truth is, viewing the 440 year-old vegetable dye murals inside the Madbaha while morning sunlight filters through wooden stained glass is deeply moving.

44 Biblical Vegetable Dye Murals & Timber Altarpieces

Natural Organic Murals: Covers the altar walls and ceiling with 44 biblical scenes painted in natural dyes extracted from leaves, minerals, and tree barks in the 16th century.

Baroque Woodcarvings: Features gold leaf altars, carved timber angels, and teakwood ceilings crafted by local temple wood sculptors.

Kottayam Heritage & Backwater Circuit

City Heritage Walk: Sits just 500 meters from St. Mary's Knanaya Valiapally (1550 AD), 2 km from Thirunakkara Mahadeva Temple, and 3 km from Thazhathangady Juma Masjid.

District Day Tour: Connects smoothly with Kumarakom Backwaters (14 km), Vembanad Lake (15 km), and Illikkal Kallu (50 km).

After exploring the ancient frescoes at St. Mary's Orthodox Church Cheriapally, visit Valiapally, explore Kumarakom Backwaters, or tour Kottayam.