History of Malayattoor -Neeleswaram Grama Panchayat, Ernakulam

Historical overview

Malayattoor is a village in Ernakulam district; the hill Kurisumudi hosts a church linked to St. Thomas, making the site an important Christian pilgrimage center. [1][3]

St. Thomas is believed to have landed in Kerala at Kodungallur in AD 52, and in AD 62 returned to the Malankara coast via Malayatur, where he established the half church. [3]

Oral tradition says that while praying on Malayattoor hill, St. Thomas left footprints on a rock, and a miraculous golden cross appeared; these legends are linked to Kurisumudi and the church there. [3][4]

The main festival is the first Sunday after Easter (Malayattoor Perunal), when thousands of pilgrims visit the church on Kurisumudi. [1][3]

Timeline

AD 62

In AD 62, St. Thomas returned via Malayatur and established the ‘half church’ on the Malankara coast. [3]
4 September 1998

The Malayattoor shrine was promoted to Archdiocesan status. [3]

Sources

[1] Malayattoor — English Wikipedia contributors
[2] മലയാറ്റൂർ — Malayalam Wikipedia contributors
[3] St. Thomas Syro-Malabar Church, Malayattoor — English Wikipedia contributors
[4] സെന്റ് തോമസ് സീറോ മലബാർ കത്തോലിക്കാ പള്ളി, മലയാറ്റൂർ — Malayalam Wikipedia contributors
[5] Seven and a Half Churches of the Ezhara Pallikal established by St. Thomas| Christianity | Kerala Tourism — www.keralatourism.org

One-time source review completed 2026-09-30. This page is not automatically rewritten.