The Mother of God Cathedral: Beauty & History

-

This church also called locally – Valiya Palli is the oldest in Kozhikode & it’s believed to have been built around the early 16th century. The Portuguese are credited for building the church when they signed a treaty with the Zamorins to build a factory & church. The church built was dedicated to the Virgin Mary of Immaculate Conception. The façade has the words “Matri Dei '' which in Latin means ‘Mother of God’ & it celebrates Virgin Mary in its spirit.

The inscription at the entrance of the cathedral remembers Madre De Deos who was a Portuguese trader who came to Calicut in the 18th Century. By the 18th Century the church was in a state of dilapidation & so the Portuguese again made a treaty with Zamorins to rebuild the church with stone & mortar, a parochial house & belfry with bell. This church was built in 1725 & then over the years 2 schools were also started in the same compound – in 1793 the Boys School which & is now the St Joseph's Boys School; this is the Oldest school in Calicut, then later in 1862 a girls school was opened which is now the St Joseph's Anglo Indian Girls school.

The old church was too small for the growing community & so was reconstructed in 1924 to the current model which has its influence from Neo – Architectural elegance. Italian architects were brought to Kozhikode for the sole purpose of designing this Gothic-style cathedral. The curved arches above the doors and windows, the colonnade on the spires and many other such architectural feats stand as a testimony to the aesthetic sense of the Italian architects as well as the artistic skill of the Indian workers. The church is also the headquarters of the Roman Catholic congregation in Malabar.

Take a walk inside the church to understand the beauty of Portuguese church architecture. Inside you will find the 200 year old portrait of St Mary on the wall. The interior of the church is a stunning combination of white and brown. There is a stone cross struck in bas relief on granite with a Portuguese inscription and is worshipped even today. You should also visit the well maintained cemetery adjoining the church which has the tombstone of Pedro de Covilhany, the first Catholic Missionary to visit Kozhikode.
Location: Kozhikode, Kerala, India

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Trichambaram Temple: Stories, Myths & Legends of Lord Krishna

-
Image
  Lord Krishna is considered to be the avatar of Lord Vishnu having temples around the country where the idol is placed in the shaanth shyamala posture which is based on the belief of Him being in his most serene form at all times. In the town of Taliparamba stands the Trichambaram temple in all its majesty where Lord Krishna is worshipped in the most ferocious form. The temple is a beautiful complex & has the distinction of the same degree  to that of Guruvayur temple in regards to the reverence to Lord Krishna & so is referred as North Guruvayur. The origin of the temple is not clear but most believe it to be present well before the 10th century.  The temple has many stories associated with its existence & its rituals are unique as compared to most other temples. As one enters the temple, one striking presence is the temple with a small pond around it dedicated to Goddess Jaladurga. The temple is considered to have been consecrated by Parasurama on the requ...
Read more

Malayattoor Church: The divinity of St Thomas

-
Image
  Kerala has been a place where St Thomas the apostle came & preached the Jesus way of life. His travel blessed every place that he went & one such is the land of Malayatoor where he came after establishing the famous set of Seven & a half churches. The Malayatoor church is revered not for the structure but for the beliefs of divine presence of the apostle himself. The church is associated with the most important trek performed by Christian devotees when they walk uphill to the mountain where they pray at the church called Kurisumudy. The church is also one among the eight International shrines in the world & the only one in Asia. The church is also the largest pilgrim centre in the name of St Thomas among all places in India. The church is also a beautiful site for many who come here as the Periyar flows along the mountains. The church is said to have been constructed around the 10 th century but the origin of the belief goes back further to the 1 st century. St ...
Read more

The Life of Velu Thampi Dalawa

-
Image
In the sweet town of Mannady in Pathanamthitta is a museum that glorifies one of the most feared & respected warriors of the Travancore dynasty. The life size statue of Velu Thampi Dalawa stands proudly at the entrance to make one remember his revolt against the corrupt & later the British. The museum houses a beautiful stone statue of Buddha along with some of the most unique artefacts which belonged to Velu Thampi including his daggers, swords & other weapons. The museum also has a collection of coins & manuscripts with portraits of all Travancore kings from Marthanda Varma to Sree Chithra Thirunal. One look at the statue of Velu Thampi Dalawa makes you want to know more about him & how he influenced the masses to revolt against British Supremacy. Born in the 18 th century to a Nair family he was named Velayudhan Thampi & was part of the family which held the title of Chempakaraman for having ownership of the Kanyakumari province under the Travancore kingdom....
Read more