Champakulam Kalloorkadu Church

View from the south-west side

Kalloorkadu St. Mary's Forane Church (Valia Palli), Champakulam, Kerala
Basic information
Location	Champakulam, Alappuzha, Kerala, India
Affiliation	Roman Catholic
District	Alappuzha District
Year consecrated	AD 427
Ecclesiastical or organizational status	Forane Church
Website	[1]
Architectural description
Specifications

Champakulam Kalloorkadu St. Marys Forane Church is a Roman Catholic Church in Champakulam, Alappuzha, Kerala, India, following leadership by Syro-Malabar Catholic Church. It is a Forane church, with several Parishes under it.

Contents 1 Church At Glance 2 Worship Time 3 History 4 Parishes Under Champakulam Forane 5 Religious Houses In the Parish 6 Parish Hall 7 St. Mary's Theological Centre 8 Getting there 9 Location (Wikimapia) 10 References 11 External links

Church At Glance

• Parish  : Champakulam
• Forane  : Champakulam
• Diocese : Changanacherry
• Patron  : St. Mary
• First Church : AD 470
• Priests  : 3
• Vicar : Fr. Abraham Mupparathara
• Catholic Population  : 6500
• Catholic Families  : 1378
• Phone : 0477-2736252

Worship Time

• Sundays : 6.00AM, 7.15AM, 9.30AM, 4.00PM
• Other Days : 6.00AM, 7.00AM
• Wednesdays : 6.00AM, 4.00PM

History

Champakulam Kalloorkadu St. Mary's Forane Church (also called Champakulam Valia Palli) is one of the oldest Christian churches in India ^{[1] [2]} and the mother church of almost all Catholic Syrian churches in Alleppey District. Believed to be established in AD 427. Rebuilt many times and the many rock inscriptions found around the church tell us about the history of the church. The open air Rock Cross at Champakulam church is one of the most ancient ones with clear documentation of its antiquity up to AD 1151. There are many archaeological artefacts found around the church about its history. Champakulam church was once under Niranam Church. Champakulam Church had very friedly relations with the Jacobite Syrian group and had a pivotal role in many ecumenical efforts in the Eighteenth century.

Parishes Under Champakulam Forane

1. Champakulam (Kalloorkad) St. Mary’s Church 0477-2736252
2. Kondackal St. Joseph’s Church 0477-2736216
3. Pullangady Holy Family Church 0477-2736346
4. Thekkekara St. John's Church 0477-2707031
5. Vadakkeamichakari St. George’s Church 0477-2707075
6. Vaisyambhagam St. Antony’s Church 0477-2736501
7. Chennamkary W., St. Joseph’s Church 0477-2724237
8. Kandankary St. Joseph’s Church 0477-2736278
9. Narbonapuram St. Sebastian’s Church 0477-2762205
10. Nazareth St. Jerome's Church 0477-2762205
11. Sleevapuram (Ponga) 0477-2762188
12. Chennamkary Lourdes Matha Church 0477-
13. Padaharam St.Joseph's church

Religious Houses In the Parish

• Gagultha Ashram CMI
• SABS Convent
• Kurialasserry Bhavan (SABS)
• Clara madhom & Orphanage for young girls, Kondakkal.

Parish Hall

Intially, there was a small Parish Hall with about hundred seats. A few years back, a bigger Parish Hall was constructed. The latest, inaugurated on 1.3.2011 has 800+ seats

St. Mary's Theological Centre

Inagurated in 2011

Getting there

• Road - 15 KM away from Alleppey, 18 km from Changanassery by road. From Champakulam West bus stand, the Church is immediate next on the east side. From Champakulam East bus stand, the Church is on the west side, you need to cross the River Pampa (Ferries are available).
• Water - Linked by boat service through the back waters to Alappuzha (1 hr), Kollam(8 Hrs), Changanacherry(3 hrs), Kumarakom(3 hr), Cochin(4 hrs) etc. From Champakulam main (Karuka) boat jetty (on the west side of River Pampa, the Church is only a few steps away - towards North.
• Rail - Nearest Rail heads: Alleppey, Changanassery.
• Air - Nearest International Airports : Kochi (Nedumbassery) - 85 km. Thiruvananthapuram - 150 km.

Location (Wikimapia)

http://wikimapia.org/101750/Champakulam-Kaloorkadu-St-Mary-s-Forane-Church-AD-427

References

External links

• http://www.smcim.smonline.org/kalloorkadu/
• St. Mary's Church