Marth Mariam Church Kandanad– Ernakulam
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[edit] Marth Mariam Church
The St.Mary’s Church of Kandanad is believed to be about 600 years old. Since its inception, the church was renovated, remodeled and rebuilt on several occasions and the edifice in its present magnificent form appears to have been completed in AD 1910. Various stages of its construction are recorded at relevant portions in the mammoth structure. For instance, on the timber wall along the Madbho, it is inscribed: “the wood work completed in 1909, the gilt work in 1910 and the Holy Qurbono conducted on 9th Medam 1910”. Similarly the massive pillars erected at the outer corridor are etched with the year “1931”.
The village Kandanad lay along the border of erstwhile Travancore and Cochin. Though it belonged to Travancore, its culture is markedly Kochiite. This may be due to the village’s close proximity to Kochin royalty (Thripunithara, the former seat of Kochin kings) as also its immediate urban contact comes from the main city of Cochin state namely, Ernakulam, hardly fifteen kilometers north. The people are mostly Christian farmers, small and big. Indeed, the economic viability of agriculture has dwindled and its adverse impact has prompted the community to seek other profitable enterprises and the educated have gone after greener pastures, the Gulf-boom assisting in no mean measure and the village has prospered with modern amenities and has acquired almost semi-urban status now. The village’s day invariably begins with loud knoll of the huge bell at St.Mary’s Church and villagers are infallibly chimed into wakefulness every morning. The church is situated 1.5 km. east of Udayamperoor where the historic ‘Synod of Diamper’ was held on 10th June 1599 and 3 km. west of the renowned MarThoman Jacobite Syrian Church at Mulanthuruthy.
St.Mary’s Church has over the years attained the pride of place as the cathedral church of Kandanad diocese. It is recorded in the visitor’s dairy that Claudius Buchanan, a member of the Anglican Church who was keen to have a viable tie-up with the Syrian Church in Malabar had visited the church in 1806. The western façade of the church has striking similarity to other ancient churches such as Mulunthuruthy, Karingachira, Piravom, Angamali, Manarcad etc. Just below the cross on the face of the church can be seen the following inscription in Syriac: “Come, Enter those who are blessed by my heavenly father – our Lord’s year 1400”. So it can be safely assumed that the original church was built much earlier than the present one. Behind the altar on the wall in the sanctum sanctorum, biblical quotations are inscribed on wooden planks. The left plank carries: “My flesh the real food and my blood the real drink’ (John 6:55) and on the right plank, the third verse of chapter 9 from Hebrews, that speaks of the Holy Place of the Tabernacle, is inscribed. The ‘Koodesh Kudsheen’ is a splendid piece of Persian Architectural splendour.
Just below the Madbho are entombed on either sides of the steps, the mortal remains of Mor Thoma IV and Maphriyono Mor Baselios Shakralla Bava. The tomb at the right carries the inscription on the marble head-stone. “MorThoma Metropolitan who hails from Pakalomattom family entered eternal rest on 13th Meenam 1728 AD.” In front of this tomb is placed the sacred relics of Mor Geevarghese Sahado (St.George). The tomb at left carries the inscription on its marble plaque “Shakralla Baselios Maphriyono who was deputed by His Holiness the Patriarch of Antioch Moran Ignatius Geevarghese Bava in 1749; died at Mattancherry and entombed here on the 9th Thulam, 1764”. His hallowed memory is celebrated on 21st and 22nd October every year with great worshipful fervour.
(The article is an edited version of the parish history written by T P Kurien for 'VISION' dt. Oct-Nov 2002)
