Dear Administrator,

Please refer the following books.

1. Jordana of Dom Alexis Menezes: English Translation Edited by
Pius Malekkandathil, First Edition November 2003.
2. The Grave Tragedy of the Church of St. Thomas Christians and the Apostolic
Mission of Sebastiani: Paul Pallath, 2006 January.
3. The Archdeacon of All India: Jacob Kollaparambil, 1972
4. The St. Thomas Christians’ Revolution in 1653: Jacob Kollaparambil, 1981
5. The Thomas Christians: Placid Podipara, 1970
6. A Double Regime in the Malabar Church (1663 – 1716):
Thomas Pallipurathkunnel, 1982
7. Punaraikya Rekhakal (Malayalam), First Edition, 1979.

In 1950’s Manakkatt Thoma Kathanar (Vicar: 1951 – 60), demolished the nave and the façade and rebuilt them in the present style, without tampering the sanctuary.
The period of the construction of the church and the Portuguese styled Alter given is to be modified.

Archbishop Dom Menezes, laid the foundation stone of the present Church in 1599. [Reference No.1 , Page 436]. The old church was very dark and was in the old style [(1), p. 437]. The old style may be “that being built of bamboo like the temples of Gentiles” [ (1), p. 441].The new church might have been constructed using stone and mortar In 1657, when the Apostolic Delegate Sebastiani visited Kuravilangad, there were two churches: “a very beautiful church called St. Mary Major, from where we passed on to the nearby chapel of St. Sebastian, located on a small hilltop and enclosed after the manner of a fortress”.[ (2), p. 68]. There was also “a most beautiful granite cross nearby with full of oil lamps at its pedestals” [(2), p. 71.] When Sebastiani visited Kuravilangad in 1657, Fr. Alexander Parambil (De Campo) was the Vicar. After the Episcopal Consecration of Bishop Alexander Parambil in 1663, Bishop Sebastiani wrote about Fr. Alexander : “ With his own money he built two churches and a little before asked me permission to build another one”[(2), p.216]. We read that the new bishop was about fifty years old. [(6), p.12]. Assuming that Fr. Alexander took charge as Vicar at the age of Twenty-five, he was the Vicar of Kuravilangad Church from 1638 until 1663. So the construction of the two churches and the granite cross was during 1638 – 1657 and the construction of the third one during 1657 – 1663.

How do you get the exact dates? Is there any other reference?

Archdeacon Thomas was not from the Pakalomattom family. He was a member of the Palliveettil Parambil (De Campo) family of Kuravilangad. His mother and a brother were living at Kuravilangad. [(2), p. 71]. The mother of Archdeacon Thomas was a sister of Archdeacon George of the Cross [(4), p. 64]. Archdeacon Thomas was known as Archdeacon Thomas Parambil [(4), p. 60] or Palliveettil Thoma Kathanar [(7), p. 26].

Somewhere I read that in the case of Archdeacons, the word nephew should not be misunderstood as sister’s son and that it means only a successor. Does it mean that we can exclude a sister’s son from the right of succession? In the Pakalomattom family history, we read that the word nephew usually means a brother’s son. The first meaning in Malayalam for the word nephew is marumakan, which means either a son of a sister or a husband of a daughter. In the case of Archdeacons of Malabar, the succession was from uncle to nephew on either line; a brother’s son or a sister’s son. [(3), p. 242]. All Archdeacons of Malabar church were not direct members of Pakalomattom family. They were only belonging in some way to that family [(5), p.72].

I am from Kuravilangad and was searching the net to get some information on Kuravilangad during the Pre-Portuguese period. In the book ‘Lingerings of Light in a Dark Land’, the author Whitehouse mentions about a monastery at Kuravilangad, which disappeared after the arrival of the Portuguese. In the Milan rekhakal (old Malayalam), there is a reference to a Padippaanulla nilakura (seminary) at Kuravilangad. In the book ‘Trends in the Geography of Pilgrimages’, there is a reference to India’s oldest vision story, the discovery of a miraculous spring and an apparition of Virgin Mary at Kuravilangad. In the book ‘Saints, Goddesses and Kings’, the author Susan Bayley writes that Quilon, Cranganore and KURAVILINAT have a history of trade and commerce dating back over many centuries before the arrival of the first western travellers.

These references give some light on Kuravilangad during the Pre-Portuguese period. Is it possible to get more information on these points?

I hope you know about the 12th Century Gothic Cathedral at Chartres, near Paris. Now it is a World Heritage Site of UNESCO. This beautiful Cathedral is full of Stained Glass Windows. The name of one glass window is St. Thomas Window. This window depicts the missionary work of St. Thomas in India. Do you know anybody in Paris who can get a copy of this window?

Anybody who can help may please contact through my e-mail gnidhiry@yahoo.co.in

Prof. George John Nidhiry.

Dear Prof. George John Nidhiry,

I would like to know a few things from you about Kuravilangadu church.

You have mentioned that the granite cross was put up in the period 1638-57. NSC article says 1575 AD. Do you have any references for your dates?

Aren’t these granite crosses found in Malabar pre Portuguese?

There are some arguments that these granite crosses are introduced by Portuguese. I think the reasons for this arguments are,

1 Menesis put up the cross at Kaduthuruthy. We do not know whether he replaced an old cross or not.

2.Muttuchira inscriptions talk about setting up the granite cross in AD 1528 and 1580 and also about connections to Portugal ( Muttuchira inscriptions). T K Joseph mentions that there was an oral tradition at Muttuchira that the church was built by the Portuguese.( Kerala Society papers) Here also, we do not know whether Muttuchira inscriptions talk about replacing an old cross or not.

If the Cross at Kuravilangadu was set up only in 1638-75, it could be Portuguese influence as Kuravilangadu church claims antiquity of AD 4th century.

Gouvea comments about open air granite crosses in Malabar. He mentions that open air crosses are “much less” in Europe.( Jornada of Dom Alexis De Menesis-A Portuguese account of the Sixteenth Century Malabar, Dr Pius Malekkandathil, p188) Dr Malekkandathil also provides information about a rock cross in Quilon, mentioned in AD 1503 by Giovanni de Empoli and Muttuchira cross in AD 1528.

Joseph the Indian also mentions about big crosses associated with St Thomas Christian Churches in AD 1502. He says, “inside the churches, only crosses are seen, no statues , on the foundation of churches, seen a big cross” (A. Vallavanthara, India in 1500 AD, p167) Fr Antony Vallavanthara discusses this in p 273. Italian and Dutch texts mentions the cross on the top, but Latin text uses the word-“in crepidine” which could mean on the base or foundation. Big crosses are not seen on the top of the Keralan churches but in the courtyard. Therefore, Joseph the Indian might have been mentioning about our open air rock crosses.) (http://thomaschristians.blogspot.com/2010/05/story-of-joseph-indian-with-historical_30.html)

Champakulam Rock Cross inscriptions confirms that the Champakulam cross was in place in AD 1151 This finding is agreeing with the argument that open air crosses are pre Portuguese.(Read the NSC article about Champakulam Church)

In Niranom Cronicles, there is a mention that the Christians were initially based at Cranganore, and after about 400 plus years, they moved to Angamali and built a church and market there and thus, Angamali became the base of Arch deacons and Bishops. After more than 700 years in Angamali, the four families moved to Kuravilangadu and built a church there.( Niranom Grandhavari, about Kadamattathu kathanaars, “Niranom Grandhavari, Padhanavum samshodhanayum”, M Kurian Thomas,Sophia Books, Kottayam, 2000, p126) M Kurian Thomas argues that even though many historian say that the Kuravilangadu church was established in AD, 4th century, it could be ME 4th century – about AD 1125-1225, based on the above citation. The Niranom cronicles were written only in AD 1773 period and the information in the chronicles could be from the available oral tradition at that time or any other documents. The information found in the Niranom Cronicles can have some conflicts of interests too.

Do you know of any evidences in and around the Kuravilangadu church about its establishment in AD 4th century? Many of the Churches in Malabar claims antiquity but no evidences. Champakulam church was founded in AD 427 by oral tradition, but we can find a definite history up to AD 1151 from the available archaeology around the church. Is there any similar archaeology in Kuravilangadu?

I am quite curious to hear your opinions about these, as it seems that you have done some research about Kuravilangadu Church.