Puthuppally Church

This ancient church renowned all over the world as "PUTHUPPALLY PALLY" or "PUTHUPPALLY VALIYAPALLY" situated on the eastern bank of the rivulet Kodoorar and beside the Puthuppally - Changanacherry road about a kilometer away from Puthuppally junction was rebuilt, expanded or renovated five times during the past four and half centuries of its existence. It was originally built as a "kochu pally" (Chapel) in the name of St.Mary in AD 1557 near Vazhakulam Hindu temple on a hillock which later came to be known as Kochupallikunnu. Eight decades later in AD 1640 it was shifted and rebuilt in the name of Mar Bahanan Sahada at Elamthuruthi Kunnu, the present location. A century and a decade afterwards in AD 1750 the church was rebuilt in the name of St.George, retaining the main portions of Mar Bahanan Church. This church rose to glory and fame as a centre of solace in the succeeding 250 years by the grace of God and the blessings of St.Mary, St.Bahanan and St.George. The church was rebuilt and consecrated in AD 2003 transforming it into a composite shrine of three churches. The church of St.George was retained and the verandas on either side of it were replaced by a chapel in the name of St.Mary on the north side and a chapel in the name of St.Bahanan on the south side. It was a marvelous idea by which the St.Marys chapel of 1557 and St.Bahanans church of 1640 were revived and rebuilt on either side of St.Georges church of 1750.