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Niranam Jerusalem Marthoma Church
Niranam Pally is one of the oldest churches in India. It is believed that the church was founded by St. Thomas, one of the twelve Apostles of Jesus Christ, in AD 54. The church was reconstructed several times since then. The stones in the church shows the reconstruction in 1259. St. Thomas, one of the twelve apostles of Jesus Christ landed at Malankara near Cranganore around A.D.52. He established seven and half churches.Niranam Jerusalem Mar Thoma Church is a prominent parish in the Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian Church which is believed to be founded by St. Thomas in A.D.52. Tradition says that St. Thomas founded seven and a half Churches during his missionary travels in Kerala. These Churches are at Kodungaloor, Kollam, Niranam, Nilakkal(Chayyal), Kokkamangalam, Kottakavu(North Parvoor), Palayoor(Chavakad) and Thiruvithamcode the Arappally (half church). Niranam Jerusalem Mar Thoma Church is one among these and the only one

church with this great tradition in the Mar Thoma Church. Local tradition is that St. Thomas arrived in Niranam through Kottachal an ancient and important water way of early days and landed at Thomathukadavu. Through the ministry of the word and miraculous deeds St. Thomas brought many high class Hindus to Christian faith. St. Thomas baptized them at Nerkadavu adjacent to the Jerusalem Mar Thoma Church. The first Christians of Niranam were from four families i.e. Pattamukku, Thayyil, Maankki and Madathilan. St. Thomas chose a place of worship near the Thrikpaleswaram Siva Temple in Niranam for the new believers and planted a wooden cross there. Jerusalem Mar Thoma Church is traditionally believed to be situated at that very site chosen by St. Thomas. Some non Christians of the locality did not like this and they desecrated the cross. They threw the cross into the river nearby and it drifted in the river southward and settled at the river bank, which is not too far from the original site. St. Thomas was engaged in preaching the gospel at Nilakkal at that time and the believers in Niranam informed the Apostle about the unhappy turn of events through a messenger. Immediately St. Thomas returned to Niranam, resolved the tension and strengthened the believers. He directed Maliyakal Thoma and other disciples to plant it at a chosen place near where the cross was found. This was properly done and members of the four families who became Christians moved to the new site and settled there. They built a church there and Christian worship has been going on there ever since. The centuries old Niranam St. Mary’s Church or the Niranam Valiyappally is located there.

Popularity of Niranam Valiyappally attracted Christians from different parts of Kerala and many migrated and settled in and around Niranam. They worshipped in the Niranam Valiyappally for years. Palakunnathu Abraham Malpan from Maramon and Kaithayil Geevarghese Malpan from Kottayam spearheaded Reformation movement in the Malankara Church in Eighteenth century. Many superstitious and unscriptural practices followed in the Malankara Church were criticized in the light of Reformation ideas. Consequently rift was formed between those who support Reformation and those who opposed it in the Niranam Valiyappally. Geevarghese Kathanar Yacob Kathanar Vicar of Niranam Valiyappally was an ardent supporter of Reformation movement. Under his leadership those who support Reformation ideas left the church and they started worship in Pulimpally Purayidam. By providence the reform supporters or the Mar Thoma believers got the land where St. Thomas first planted the cross. They constructed a church there in 1906. Geevarghese Yacob Kathanar became the founding vicar of the new church. The church was rebuilt in 1934. Platinum jubilee of the church was celebrated in 1985 and the extension of the church building was accomplished. Centenary of the church was celebrated in 2006.

The Jerusalem Mar Thoma church has given birth to some eminent personalities. Rt.Rev.Dr.Zacharias Mar Theophilus Suffragan Metropolitan and Rt. Rev. Gregorios Mar Stephanos Episcopa are the most esteemed members of this parish. Late Rev. K. J. Philip former Sabha Secretary of the Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian Church, Rev. George Alexander former General Secretary of the Mar Thoma Evangelistic Association, Mr. K. K. Kuruvilla the first Principal of the Mar Thoma Vaidika Seminary Kottayam and renowned Economist Padmasree Dr. Samuel Paul Bangalore are a few to mention. The parish has a membership of 262 families with more than 1650 members. Jerusalem Mar Thoma Church is a parish under the Niranam- Maramon Diocese. Most Rev. Dr. Joseph Mar Thoma Metropolitan is the Diocesan Bishop. Rev. Thomas Varghese is our vicar.