St. Lawrence Church, Edacochin

St. Lawrence Church, Edacochin, is a church in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Cochin in Kerala, India. Known for its Portuguese-influenced architecture, as well as for the tomb of Servant of God Lawrence Puliyanath, the church is a centre of Christian pilgrimage in Kochi.

Brief History
Mirrored in the waters of Lake Vembanad, Saint Lawrence Church in Edakochi is an interesting example of the integration of architecture and landscape in the large court with its coconut palms as well as the cross in front and parish house to the side. Besides the importance of the whole, the programme and architectural lines of the parish house, as well as its good state or repair, make this building a rare example of Indo-Portuguese civil architecture in southern India. The building presents an unusually classic and erudite design, perhaps due to its site placement on the outskirts of Kochi [Cochin]. A frieze marking the main floor runs the full width of the building over an arcade interrupted by pilasters prolonged in the veranda railing. In a process of adjustment to the climate, we note the formation of a second veranda behind the building, connected to its internal core comprising three large divisions.

In the case of Edakochi, the front and back verandas are joined via a third veranda space on one of the sides. This veranda has a sophisticated wooden grille similar to Portuguese shutters, and opens onto the landscape and the backwaters, benefiting from the breeze. The two floors are connected by an outside staircase, confirming the set-back formation of this model. Compared to other cases, this suggests that the typology was formed in the 16th century.

With its tower attached to the main façade, the church’s design corresponds to an early Indo-Portuguese church typology developed from the 16th century on, gradually integrating aesthetic traits from Indian culture. Its age and importance as an element marking the territory’s image and structure in the 17th century are confirmed by the fact that it was depicted in the first Dutch maps of the Kochi and Malabar Coast region. After the area was occupied by the Dutch, Saint Lawrence’s of Edakochi was subject to major renovations in 1709 during the period of Bishop Pedro Pacheco. Renovation work was again undertaken in the late 19th century and is reflected in the neo-Gothic design of the current entrance doors.

The architectural interest, however, is none the worse for those changes. The façade has five sections separated by pairs of columns and maintains the tower with its handsome original architectural lines. The galleries on the side, comprising verandas resting on ashlar pillars, constitute refined manners of ventilating the building interior and protecting it from the sun.

The cross in front of the church rests on a classical base with Tuscan columns and dome. It presents an interesting group of niches for placing lighting fixtures.

Heavenly Patron - St Lawrence
St Lawrence the Martyr

Territory and Demographics
Territory of the parish

North :

West :

East :

South :

St Lawrence is blessed with 650 families with 3500 parishnors in 21 family units.

Location
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