Cherpunkal
Cherpunkal is a small town in the Kottayam district of Kerala State in India on the Kottayam-Palai Road, seven kilometers from Pala city.
Cherpunkal is famous for Mar Sleeva Forane Catholic Church, believed to have been established by Thomas the Apostle. It is also believed that St.Thomas left his sandals there while taking a bath in a nearby Meenachil River.
Mar Sleeva Forane Church, Cherpunkal
On the southern banks of the Meenachil River is the Holy Cross Forane Church of Cherpunkal is situated. Mar Sleeva is a Syriac word which means the Holy Cross. The church belongs to the Syro Malabar Catholic Church and under the diocese of Palai. The church premises sprawl along the river side and include the old and new churches, the presbytery, the old and new parish halls and the swanky buildings housing the High School, the Higher Secondary School and the Bishop Vayalil Memorial Holy Cross College with the terraced church cemetery in the background right across the Kezhuvamkulam road. The open yard in front of the church can accommodate thousands of people during festivals. The church is visited by thousands of people from far and wide during festivals and on first Fridays.Relics
The relics of St. Sebastian, St. George, St. Alphonsa, Blessed Thevarparampil Kunjachan and of the Holy Cross are kept in the church and are taken out in a procession on feast days. The Holy Cross Church has four chapels at Cherpunkal town, the western junction of the town, Kezhuvamkulam and Neyyoor in addition to a Grotto of the Blessed Virgin Mary at Chempilavu and St Thomas Monument on the bank of Meenachil riverParishes
The Mar sleeva Forane Church Cherpunkal is under the Syro-Malabar Eparchy of Palai It is a forane church and it has 7 parishes under its jurisdiction. It has become a pilgrim centre because of its association with St.Thomas.History
Tradition has it that the stone laid by St.Thomas ultimately led to the founding of the Mar sleeva Forane Church at Cherpunkal. In the course of his gospel preaching he landed at the Moonnupeedikayil ferry and interacted with the people there. As a result of this contact, members of five families were converted to Christianity and baptized. A cross was believed to have been set up at a place chosen by the apostle. The place where the cross stood, with the passage of time, came to be called Cherpunkal. It is believed that this cross was instrumental in working numerous miracles. In response to several requests sent abroad, a crucifix embossed on a single piece of wood arrived. In accordance with an order issued by the meenachil karthavu, the church built on the northern bank of the Meenachil River was shifted to the southern bank. The foundation stone for the new church was laid on 14 September 1096. The land for the construction of the church was donated by Kallampally Namboothiri, a landlord. The old church, which is still preserved, was built in the 15th century to accommodate the increasing number of believers. The routine of offering the Holy Mass on the main altar for the Kallampally family on 14 September every year still continues. The old church and the presbytery were constructed under the supervision of Rev. Philipose Vattamattathil. The new church was blessed in 1911 by the vicar general Msgr. Cyriac Kannamkary during the tenure of the Vicar Apostolic Mar Thomas Kurialacherry.Relevance of the Church
Cherpunkal Holy Cross Forane Church is one of the big churches in the Palai Diocese. The church was built in the Gothic style. The façade of the church has three arches with a tall belfry behind them; the altar is decorated with gold-coloured patterns; the chancel is decorated with unfading pictures. In 1958 during the vicariate of Fr. Thomas Plakkat the ceiling work for the roof of the church was done. The portico of the church was built during the time of office of Fr. Francis Mailadoor.Festivals
Every year there is a celebration in commemoration of the stone-laying of the church on the southern bank of the Meenachil River on 14 September, which happens to be the feast of the glorification of the Holy Cross. The most important celebration of the Holy Cross Church is in commemoration of the circumcision of Jesus. The long celebrations commence with the hoisting of the flag and the subsequent nativity celebrations on 25 December. During the eight days that follow there are devotional services, processions with due ceremonials from all the four corners of the parish, pyrotechnics and numerous artistic performances. The church and its premises are filled to capacity by devotees during the prayers that ring out the old year and ring in the New Year as well as during the ceremonial Holy Mass. A memorial was erected, though after many centuries, in commemoration of the place where the apostle marked the site of the church with a sandal. A plot of land which was in the possession of Mathew Kurian Valepeedikayil was handed over to the church in 1927 on the condition of a yearly High Holy Mass for the members of his family and on this land Rev. Dr. Augustine Kachiramattam built the memorial in 1988. It was blessed by the Bishop of Palai, Mar Joseph Pallickaparampil.Pilgrim Center
The Holy Cross Church at Cherpunkal is now a renowned pilgrim centre. The church is said to have been started by St.Thomas by erecting a cross. The devotion to Infant Jesus, the Novena associated with it and the offering of gingelly oil and gold made this church a pilgrim destination. The long tradition of offering oil at the Holy Cross Church is based on a bible-centered Jewish observance.Special services are held on the first Friday of every month, with the offering of oil for the ever burning lamp. The novena prayers, which give solace and hope to many, were prepared by the assistant vicar Fr. Jose Eanthanal in 1977. It is customary for devotees to offer gold items to Infant Jesus.
Various developments
Fr.Jacob Mannalal serving as vicar during 1969-70 divided the parish into 30 wards. The representatives from these 30 wards who assemble once every month with the vicar in the chair, take decisions about the administration of the church. In order to overcome the difficulties caused by the bifurcation of the parish into two parts by the Meenachil River a bridge was built under the leadership of Fr. Francis Mailadoor with the help of contributions from the church and the parishioners. A three storied building was constructed in 1988 for the high school that started functioning with the 8th standard in 1982. In 1984 the church was elevated to the status of a Forane church. In 1991 Bishop Mar Joseph Pallickaparampil blessed the chapel built by Fr. Cyriac Kunnel in the Cherpunkal town. When the number of devotees offering oil increased the present portico was built and the statue of Infant Jesus was placed in the portico in front of the main door of the church and a new lamp was erected for devotees to pour oil. The Bishop Vayalil memorial Holy Cross College was started in 1995 with the concurrence of the government and the Mahatma Gandhi University. In 2002 the St. Sebastian church was completed at Kidangoor on a plot of one acre and eight cents of land donated by Fr. Sebastian Chempakassery who belonged to the Cherpunkal parish. A new block was built in 1998 to house the newly introduced higher secondary course. The blessing of the Mar Sleeva Parish Hall took place in 2001. As an extension of the old presbytery, a two-storied block was constructed under the leadership of Fr. Abraham Kaniyampadikal to house the vicar's office on the first floor and the Infant Jesus stall on the ground floor for the sale of religious books and other articles. Though the stall was started in 2005 the administrative block had been completed in 2002. In 2006 the nursery school which had been functioning in the old parish hall was shifted to the new school building. In 2006 a new three-storey building was constructed for the BVM Holy Cross College under the guidance of Fr. Abraham Kaniyampadikal. Its inauguration took place in April 2006. Though the feast of the purification of Our Lady on the first of January is the chief celebration, there are other celebrations also including the feast commemorating the foundation day of the church on 14 September, the feast of St. Alphonsa in July and the feast of St. Joseph in March. In addition to these celebrations the feasts of St. Sebastian, St. George and Our Lady of Sorrows are also observed.SS. Peter and Paul Church, Cherpunkal
The members of the Saints Peter and Paul Church at Cherpunkal are Knanaya Catholics belonging to the Catholic Archdiocese of Kottayam under Syro Malabar Catholic Church. The parish was established in 1914 at Kalloor property and is relocated on 14 February 1993 at Cherpunkal Junction. The parish now serves 1050 members belonging to 210 families.Feasts
The main feast of the parish is of Saint Sebastian that is celebrated on the last Sunday of the season of Denha. Other feasts that the parish celebrates are feast of Saint George on 24 April, Saint Peter and Saint Paul on 29 June, and Nativity of Mary on 8 September. The parish conducts 12-hour adoration on 21 December.Organizations
The parish has the following pious associations: Society of Saint Vincent de Paul, Cherupushpa Mission League, Legion of Mary, and Association of the Holy Childhood. Knanaya Catholic Youth League and Knanaya Catholic Women Association are the lay associations of the parish. Parish also has 7 Koodarayogams.Shrines
The old church at Kalloor property is now a shrine and cemetery church. The cemetery of the parish is close to this shrine. The entrance to this old church is reconstructed at the supervision and expense of Stany Joseph Mulavelippurath.Parish also has a shrine of St. Sebastian beside Cherpunkal-Palayam Road. The land for this shrine was donated by Ouseph Joseph Mulavelippurath and the renewed shrine was constructed at the expense of his son Stany Mulavelippurath. The Auxiliary bishop of Kottayam Mar Joseph Pandarasseril blessed this shrine on 1 February 2008.