St Ignatius Orthodox Maha Edavaka, Kaipattoor

St Ignatius Orthodox Maha Edavaka
St Ignatius Orthodox Maha Edavaka
9°13′48.2″N76°45′05″E / 9.230056°N 76.75139°E / 9.230056; 76.75139
Address	St Ignatius Orthodox Maha Edavaka, Kaipattoor, Pathanamthitta, Kerala, 689648
Country	India
Denomination	Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church
History
Former name(s)	St Ignatius Orthodox Church, Kaipattoor
Status	Maha Edavaka
Founded	1860
Dedication	St Ignatius of Antioch
Consecrated	1890
Relics held	St Gregorios of Parumala
Administration
District	Pathanamthitta
Diocese	Thumpamon
Clergy
Bishop	H.G Abraham Mar Seraphim
Priest	Rev. Fr. George Prasad
Assistant priest	Rev. Fr. Abimon V. Roy

St. Ignatius Orthodox Maha Edavaka is a parish church of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church, located in Kaipattoor, Pathanamthitta district, ^[1] Kerala, India. The parish is under the Thumpamon Diocese of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church. It is dedicated to St Ignatius of Antioch (Mor Ignatius Noorono), an early Christian bishop and martyr.

History of the Parish

The Orthodox Christian community in Kaipattoor developed during the nineteenth century and the parish was established in 1860.

The present church building was built in 1890 and was consecrated by Pulikottil Joseph Mar Dionysius with the co-consecrators being Geevarghese Mar Gregorios (Parumala Thirumeni) and Murimattom Mar Ivanios ^[2] . The church later underwent renovations and had some structural in 1988 and currently has more than 700 families. In 2009, the parish was declared a "Maha Edavaka" (Major church). ^[3] Also the church was briefly mentioned in the travelogue "Oorsalem Yathra Vivaranam" as one of the parishes Parumala Thirumeni visited on his pilgrimage to Jerusalem in 1895. ^[4]

Relics of St Gregorios of Parumala

The parish also holds a portion of the sacred relics of Parumala Thirumeni which was installed and consecrated by His Holiness Moran Mar Baselios Marthoma Paulose II (then Catholicate-Designate His Beatitude Paulose Mar Milithios of Kunnamkulam Diocese), in the presence of the Very Rev. Christophoros Ramban and the Very Rev. Elias Koshy Ramban on the 9th December 2007 during the parish feast day which is celebrated on December 9 annually. ^{[5] [6]} During the feast of Parumala Thirumeni, the parish hosts an annual pilgrimage to St. Peter and St. Paul's Church, Parumala ^[7] which is where the tomb of Gregorios of Parumala lies ^[8]

St Gregorios English Medium School

In June 1994, the parish general body approved the establishment of an institution under the church's auspices. This led to the founding of St. Gregorios English Medium School in 1995 which later expanded into a senior seconday school affiliated with the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) ^{[9] [10]}

References

1. "St. Ignatius Maha Edavaka : Malankara Orthodox Directory". directory.mosc.in. Retrieved 2026-01-10.
2. "About Us".
3. Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church, Website. "St Ignatius Orthodox Maha Edavaka, Kaipattoor". Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church Directory. Retrieved 10 January 2026.
4. Parumala, Geevarghese Mar Gregorios. Oorsalem Yathra Vivaranam (in Malayalam). Sophia Books.
5. "വനിതാ സംഗമം ഉദ്ഘാടനം ചെയ്തു". keralakaumudi.com. Retrieved 2026-01-14.
6. "Relics of St Gregorios of Parumala at Kaipattoor.png - Wikimedia Commons". commons.wikimedia.org. Retrieved 2026-01-11.
7. "പരുമല പദയാത്ര ഓഫീസ്". keralakaumudi.com. Retrieved 2026-01-14.
8. "ഭദ്രാസന പരുമല പദയാത്ര നാളെ കൈപ്പട്ടൂരിൽ നിന്ന്". keralakaumudi.com. Retrieved 2026-01-14.
9. ""The General body of the church at its meeting in June 1994 took an epoch-making decision to …" The school became a reality in 1995". St Gregorios School. 10 January 2026. Retrieved 10 January 2026.
10. "- SARAS". saras.cbse.gov.in. Retrieved 2026-01-10.