Draft:St Mary's Jacobite Syrian Cathedral, Pallikkara

The St Mary's Jacobite Syrian Cathedral (Malayalam: വി. മർത്തമറിയം യാക്കോബായ സുറിയാനി കത്തീഡ്രൽ) also known as Pallikkara church (Malayalam: പള്ളിക്കര പള്ളി) is one of the most ancient churches of the Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Christians in Malankara. It is situated in the Morakkala region in Kunnathunad panchayath. The 'Kol-Tamil' inscription on a granite slab found in the northern premises of the Church indicates the year of its establishment as 905 A.D. Pallikkara is situated near Ambalamugal, 20 km from Kochi. This ancient parish belongs to the Angamaly diocese of the Malankara Church.

The five altars (THRONOS) in the church are dedicated to St. Mary, St. Thomas, St. George, St. Baselios Yeldho of Kothamangalam and St. Gregorios of Parumala. Many churches branched off from the Pallikkara Church. St. Mary's Church, Vengola; St. Mary's Church, Thamarachal; St. Peter's St. Paul's Church, Kizhakkambalam; St. Thomas Church, Vadavucode; St. Mary's Church, Pazhamthottam and St. George's Church, Kutta. Also majority of the parishioners of St Georges' Church, Veloor; St George's Church, Cheruthottukunnel; St Mary's Church, Thengod; and St Thomas Church, Kakkanad; were all once members of the Pallikkara Church.

The chapel at East Morakkala consecrated on 1st February 1995 is one of the three chapels of this church. Besides there are eight kurishupalli (Shrines) under the Pallikkara church at Chanthakurissu, Angadikurissu, Chakalamukal, Chittanadu, Vempilli, Oothikkara, Perunthira and at East Morakkala. The Church celebrates its most important festival on 1-2 November. Also celebrated are the feast of St. Mary on 15 August and the commemoration of His Holiness Ignatius Ahattulla and His Holiness Moran Mor Elias III on 13 February. The Pallikkara Malekurish Palli, which has become a well-known pilgrim centre, is a chapel under the Pallikkara St Mary's Church.

History
Until the end of 9th century, the Christians residing nearby depended on the Edappally church for their spiritual necessities. Legend has it that when the body of a child was brought to the Edappally Church for burial, an altercation broke out between two groups, as the cemetery of the church was small in those times, and as a result, the body had to be taken back. The aggrieved family informed their miserable situation to Arakkal Kunjamma, a member of the Arakkal family who ruled there, and she gave permission to bury the child in an uninhabited place in her land. The site was marked off with a Cross. Later a sanction to establish a church was requested to Arrakkal Kunjamma who then allotted the required land (tax exempted) and extended needful support to build the church. Thus it was here in AD 905, February 2th day that this Church was built. With the establishment of the church, the Christians belonging to Vengola, Vadavucode, Cheruthottukunnel, Thamarachal, Kizhakkambalam, Thengodu, Kakkanad, Ramallore, Kaithakkadu, Vazhakkulam, Veloore, Kuzhikkaattu, Kaaninaadu... joined the parish. The locale, where the church was established became known as Pallikkara (literally meaning land of the church). When the church was surveyed as part of Morakkala land it is also known as Morakkala church.

The Pallikkara parish has been an active participant in all the historical developments of the Malankara Syrian Orthodox Church. A large group of its members participated in the Coonan Cross Oath of 1653 A.D. On return to Pallikkara, they took to celebrating the death anniversary of His Holiness Ignatius Ahatulla Bava with great zeal and fervour.