Udayamperoor: Pazhaaya Palli
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Briefly
Sivadas Varma , TNN, Dec 24, 2023: The Times of India
This Kerala church is set to take you back in time
Udayamperoor, a small village on the banks of Vembanadu lake in Kochi, inhabited mostly by fisherfolk, came to the limelight in 1599 when a church there hosted a historic council that formally united the ancient Thomas Christians under the Roman Catholic Church and brought them under the authority of Latin Rite.
According to its website, the church was known in history by various names – Martha Mariam Church (in Malayalam documents), SS Garvasis and Protasis Church, All Saint’s Church, and Synodal Church. At present, there are two churches at Udayamperoor, the Pazhaaya Palli (old church), where the synod was held and which is believed to have been built in 510 AD by the Villarvattom Christian dynasty and renovated several times since, and the Puthan Palli (new church) of more recent origin.
It is believed that five spiritual leaders, including two members of the Villarvattom royal family, are buried in the old church, which is set to open a museum showcasing its rich history, including ancient manuscripts and relics. A pulpit believed to have been designed as part of the Synod of Diamper will be on display.
The museum will also highlight some of the littleknown facts about decisions taken at the synod, the church authorities said.
Besides the historic manuscripts related to the synod, the story of early Christianity is told through several relics,including a baptismal tank carved in granite and granite stone inscriptions. Under the Rs 2.15-crore project, the church committee has also renovated a centuryold inner sanctum, or the Madbaha, while at the same time preserving the architectural heritage of the Portuguese influence.
One of the most striking exhibits – a giant 500-year-old granite cross with carvings of an angel, a swan, and a lotus at its base – is at the entrance. The angel’s figure with open wings suggests artistic mastery, intricate narratives, and spiritual significance that defined the era. After the museum is opened to the public, it is expected to become a much sought-after resource for scholars researching the history of the Christian com munity in Kerala, the church authorities said.
The consecration of the renovated church was done as part of an annual festival held on November 9 this year. “The renovation of the church and the work on the museum began in 2021, and it has taken nearly three years for us to complete the project. The museum is expected to be ready by Christmas,” said P V George, a member of the church renovation committee.
The synod, attended by 163 local priests and 660 delegates from near and far representing the Christian community, issued nearly 200 decrees in nine sessions, he said.
The decrees, which were first formulated in Portuguese and then translated into Malayalam, affected the liturgy and also the administration. It banned many heretic books, saying they were spreading messages against the Catholic creeds.
The synod condemned many of the ancient indigenous customs and traditions and introduced many controversial decrees, besides several revolutionary social changes. The doctrines and decrees enforced at the synod imply that the main aim of the council was to wean the Saint Thomas Christians away from the Chaldean Church and into the Latin fold.
The growing Catholic ascendancy didn’t go without challenge from the Thomas Christians, and it eventually led to the Koonan Kurishu or Coonan Cross Oath in the 17th century, another landmark event for Christianity in Kerala.
In his writings, archbishop Aleixo de Menezes, who presided over the synod, has talked of the remarkable impacts caused by the decrees brought in at the council.
