St. Mary’s Church Manarkad, one of the most important parishes of the Malankara Jacobite Syrian Church.Manarkad is located in the Kottayam district of Kerala, India. It is located at a distance of about 9 km from Kottayam. It is also a pilgrimage center dedicated to the Virgin Mary. St. Mary’s Church, Manarcad, most prominent parishes of the Malankara Jacobite Syrian Church, has always upheld the faith and the allegiance to the Holy Apostolic Throne of Antioch and All the East. Spread over 12 Kara, the parish consists of 3000 families and it is the grace with the eminent and devoted service of nine priests; the Vicar and nine assistant vicars. St. Mary’s Cathedral is a very old church in India, and dates back to AD 950. The exact origins of the church are unknown, but there are stone inscriptions found in the church, that dates back to the 10th century. These stone inscriptions are written in the ancient scripts of Malayalam and Tamil. After the Portuguese acquisition, the church was rebuilt in their style, as was the case with all the other churches in the region.There is no place in the world where this holy temple of God and its blessed guardian, the Mother of Manarkad are not known. Year after year this holy shrine grows in glory. The multitudes who come and supplicate here with faith and devotion never fail to get its reward. By the prayers of the Holy Virgin, they receive the blessings of God and return spiritually contented. The Mother of Manarcad who needs to and blesses all who call upon giving remedy to the ailing and peace to the minds that are more. Where science and technology fail the grace of the Holy Mother comes in.The church is also known as Marthamariam Church and is an internationally acclaimed church.
Festival
The practice of the ettu nombu between September 1–8 every year and the celebration of the Feast of Virgin Mary’s birth form part of an ancient tradition that continues to attract millions of devotees. Devotees from all over the world come here to seek the blessing of Virgin Mary.
St Mary’s Church Feasts
January 15 – A feast invoking the blessings of the Virgin Mary on agricultural seeds
February 26 – Sunero Feast
May 6 – Commemoration of St. George
August 15 – Virgin Mary’s Ascension Day
September 8 – The Feast of the Virgin Mary’s birth.
The church receives a large number of devotees during the month of September. There are various hotels in Kottayam that one could choose from for a pleasant stay during the tour around Kerala.
