It seemed like the chaotic highway had spilled on to the church grounds. The spacious parking space at St. George Forane Church, Edappally, was full that morning, the holy mass was on, and the church was packed. Work on the new church that began nearly 15 years ago is in its final stage with the date for its consecration fixed. Workers are seen everywhere, pandals being raised, devotees wait for their new cars to be blessed, members of the church committee are huddled in a meeting, and in between all this mayhem the soothing music of the choir wafts through.
Tucked away in one corner of the sprawling church compound is a small, cute, white washed, tiled building. The arched wooden door is locked and on the wall there are steel letters that read ‘Old Church. AD 593. Museum.’ This is the church with a history of more than 14 centuries, the oldest Syrian Catholic Church in the State. Today, it serves as a store house after plans to turn it into a museum were changed, though the signboard proclaims it so.
A member of the church development committee comes with the keys to this ancient church. He warns us that the insides may be shabby but it is still worth a look. The doors open into a musty, modest hall that is stuffed with antique artefacts along with objects used for special occasions like the decorated parasols.
In AD 593, when there was no Kochi or Kerala, this church was built by a few families who had to till then travel to the Kottakavu Forane Church, North Paravur.
This church faces the West while the other two – the present one and the newly-built church – face Eastwards.
“In those days the Arabian Sea must have flowed close to the church. That area known as Ponnekadavu, which derives from the ancient Tamil word ‘poni’ that means country boat or vallam, as is mentioned in Koka Sandesham . This clearly reveals that there was a landing place for boats quite close to the ancient church. A road must have been there leading up to the famous Edappally Angadi (market) on the eastern side. Now, the National Highway that runs on the east actually cuts through the huge angadi that once existed. Both the other churches, one that was built in AD 1080 and the new one coming up face east,” says local historian Ravi Kuttikad.
Edappally then was a small village, four miles in length and two and quarter miles in breadth, and part of the princely kingdom of Elangalloor. The Catholic congregation in Edappally was small; mostly descendants of the Hindus converted to Christianity by St. Thomas the Apostle.
“The land for building the church was given in charity by the Raja of Edappally. For the feast of St. George there used to be a ceremonial custom where the members of the parish used to visit the Raja or the senior most member of the family with a tray of homemade sweets and seek his permission for the conduct of the feast. The raja would then have an elephant carry the flag post, gifted by him, to the church. This ceremony has been discontinued. Instead, the members meet the vicar with sweets and seek his accord to hoist the flag,” says Kurian Joseph, a senior member of the parish.
Lettered on the steps of this landmark church is old Malayalam script which is, a senior parish member believes, a reminder of founders' and the families’ origins. The door and what remains inside of the altar must have been forged by the village’s only carpenter. Inside, on the walls, are boards that record in Malayalam, the history and growth of the church. Also seen are old clerical clothes, those worn during special occasions. There are also wooden figures of St. Paul and St. Patrick and a painting of St. George. In the beginning the church was built for Virgin Mary, named St. Martha Mariam Church, was later dedicated as St. George’s Church, perhaps when St. George was officially recognised as the patron saint of England.
“That painting of St. George is done in natural colours. There is also an old wooden Baptismal font, candelabra and figures of saints. We intend to sort out the artefacts and place them in a museum space in the new church building,” informs senior parish member Varghese Payapilly.
When the old church was found to be too small to accommodate the growing congregation a new church was built in the present location in A.D. 1080. The main altar and the façade were renovated sometime in the 1970s. “The altar was changed and also removed was an old pulpit and a beautiful lamp made of Belgian glass. The flooring made of imported tiles remains the same. Nothing will be removed from here to the new church,” says Kurian Joseph.
The church that comes within the Archdiocese of Ernakulam-Angamaly now attracts devotees and tourists alike. The well, the water of which is supposed to have curative powers, the mud from the churchyard that is believed to keep a new house blessed, offering of cocks are all factors that keep the flow of pilgrims to this church.
What stands out amidst all this is the tiny, ancient church where time meets eternity.
