Malayattoor
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Malayattoor is one of the most prominent Christian pilgrim centers in the Ernakulam district of Kerala, India. St. Thomas the Apostle is said to have established the church here, which has been designated by the Vatican as an International Shrine[citation needed]. The hilltop church is located 10km away from the town of Kalady, near Neeleeswaram.
St. Thomas is believed to have landed in Kerala at Kodungallur (Cranganore) in AD 52. Oral tradition says that while travelling through Malayattor, faced with hostile natives, he fled to the hilltop where he is said to have remained in prayer. According to beliefs, during prayer, he touched a rock, upon which blood poured from it.
The chief festival is on the first Sunday after Easter. It is traditionally believed that St. Thomas used to make the sign of the Cross on the rock, kiss it and pray at Kurisumudi. The story has it that a miraculous golden cross appeared at that particular spot. Pilgrims going up the hill to call out incessantly "Ponnum Kurishu Muthappo, Ponmala Kayattom", meaning "O Patriarch of the Golden Cross! Climb we shall, this golden hill!"
This Shrine was promoted to Archdiocesan status by Archbishop Mar Varkey Vithayathil on 4th September 1998. There is also a very ancient Church in the name of St Thomas (Estd. 900) at Malayattoor on the bank of Periyar River which serves as the parish Church now.
