User:Richardgeorge619/sandbox

St Mary's forane church Puthenchira is situated in the village of Puthenchira under Irinjalakuda diocese in Thrissur district. The renovation of the church began in 1909 when Dhanyan Joseph Vithayathilachan was the vicar. The portrait of the Blessed Virgin Mary on the main altar of the church is inscribed on it, presumably dated to about AD400, according to the Syriac Estonian script. Celebrating the Silver Jubilee on May 30, 1940, the church built a new clergy building in 1952. The Archdiocese of Kodungallur, where the deceased is laid to rest, has dedicated a shrine for the commemoration of the Blessed Fathers.

Puthenchira is a never-ending collection of novels about the history of India that historians refer to with great importance. Covering an area of ​​5520 acres, this place was part of Kodungallur, also known as Mahodayapuram and Kulasekharapuram. At that time, Kodungallur was a well-known commercial center and port. There is an opinion that the flood of AD1341 caused the river to overflow and overflow. Some recent excavations have confirmed this. It was during this flood that the Kodungallur port became shallow and large ships could not approach. Later, these facilities became available to Kochi.

History

The Puthenchira parish community is famous for its age and tradition dating back to the 16th century. History has it that a church was built here in AD 400. History has it that before the location of the church, there were local and foreign Catholics who relied on the churches of Kodungallur and the Ambazhakkad church for religious purposes. In 1798, Tipu's army attacked Puthenchira and Thazhekkad and destroyed the church. Many of the believers repaired the church, built roofs and performed rituals. The church was renovated in 1909 when the Servant of God Joseph Vithayathilachan was the Vicar and in 1915 the present beautiful church was consecrated in the presence of three bishops. This old church is always a sight to behold.

Wall painting above the altar of the church These murals were painted during the construction of the present day Forane Church in Puthenchira over a hundred years ago. Such beautifully designed murals have not been repaired for over a hundred years. Such images can be seen on the top of the south chapel and on the top of the altar adjacent to the church.

1600 year old Portrait

A unique portrait of the Blessed Virgin Mary is located in the center of the main altar. This is a picture of St. Peter and St. Paul standing on either side of the Blessed Virgin Mary holding Jesus in her arms. Its inscriptions are believed to date back to around AD400, according to the Syriac Estonian script, which dates back to 400 AD. The translation of the inscription is the prayer, "May the prayer of the Virgin Mary, the Mother of God our Savior, always be our fortress day and night." The historical significance and antiquity of the portrait suggests that the portrait was removed from the ancient temple.