Church History
Thumpoly church - (St.Thomas church, Thumpoly) AD|From the 6th century AD, a few Christians settled in Thumpoly and thus the Christian traditioThumpoly A small that church named Thomaa Pally Church was established here. In AD-820 the bishops of Syria, Mar Sapor and Mar Proth, on their way from Manakodam to Kollam, visited Thumpoli, where the cross established and later the said cross came to be known as Muthappan Kurish. Thumpoly church was established with stone & Wood in the AD 1600s. It was initially a small church. The first church was a small church with ola pastures.
Between 1500 and 1700, there were many attempts to build a large church, but all of them were destroyed in the wars, violence, and fires of that time. So in 1600, it was decided to build a new large church, and with the permission of the King of Cochin, the construction of the church began in Thumpoli. During the construction of the church, the King of Cochin veera kerala varma 2nd came here and understood how far the work of the church construction had progressed, and he helped in it like a kind of signature. He also dedicated valuable gold ornaments to the Mother of Thumpoli and returned. Later, for some reason, the pace of the church construction slowed down. So, in 1624, the construction of the church started again. In the meantime, during the construction of the church, two thieves tried to steal the statue of the Mother and the ornaments at midnight. So, taking the statue of the Mother with them, they reached the front of the church as far as the elephant gate, but the statue of the Mother became heavy and so they got tired and placed the statue on the ground below. But later, they were unable to lift or move the Mother's figure even a single step. So one of the thieves, feeling angry, pinched the Mother's right cheek, and the church bells rang out on their own,Realizing that they would be in trouble if they stayed there any longer, they tried to run away, but as if they were in a delusion, they kept running around the church several times. Thus, the locals ran away, and finally the thieves left. However, the wound that was caused by the knife can still be seen on the mother's cheek, which is still a legend. In 1680, the Thumpoli Church was last hit by fire. A lamp that was lit in the church fell over and the church caught fire and was destroyed. However, the people saw that the statue of the Thumpoli Mother was safe and secure without being exposed to the flames. This is believed to be a great miracle. However, many historical records related to the church and the mother were burned. Thus, later in 1700, the construction of the church accelerated. Finally, in 1730, the construction of the church that we see today was completed. During the construction of the church, it was made of a surkhi mixture of lime and varal paste. The Thumpoli church and its interior are very beautifully built with attractive carvings and architecture. Especially the main altar (Madbha) has a unique pattern of leaf and fruit juices, 5 colors are used here. Not only that, the altar carved with bare hands was made of a single piece of wood centuries ago. Apart from the main altar, there are 6 small sub-altars. The crucifixion of the crucified Jesus Christ is very large and beautiful. Similarly, the round stone in front of the church is larger than the round stones in other churches, but today it is very rare for us to see such round stones. The facade of the church is very beautiful and attractive. During the renovation, the interior of the church, including the facade, was re-plastered. The church is also under the protection of the Archaeological Department. Once, some large stones were required for the construction of the meda in Thumbolipalli. At that time, the construction of the Alappuzha lighthouse was going on. Then, knowing this, some people of Thumboli presented the matter to the architect of the lighthouse, Mr. Hucrafords, to help by giving some stones. But he said that he could not give the stones, or even if he did, how would you take it from here? Those huge stones They are pulled by elephants. He said that they will not let the elephants here carry the stones for you. Then how will you carry this from here? How can your mother, your mother, carry this, and not only that, but does your mother have tusks and trunks to pull it with? He mocked them by saying. Thus, the people who were disappointed returned from there. But that night, while Hukraford was sleeping, he dreamed many times that an elephant was coming to kill him and that the elephant's tusks and trunk were seen. He woke up startled and could not sleep peacefully. When he asked what was the matter, his wife prayed to Mother Thumpoli and asked her for her well-being and asked him to deliver the stones to be given there as soon as possible in the next few days. Realizing his mistake, he prayed to Mother. Thus, in the very next few days, Hukraford also released the elephants there to transport those big stones there. In order to prevent the nightmare from recurring again and to atone for it, he offered a small statue of a tusked elephant to the Mother. Even today, believers pray to the Mother by touching the image of the tusked elephant to get rid of nightmares. This small elephant image can only be seen on feast days. The statue of the Mother is kept near the bottom of the cage. We can also see objects like ropes and canoes, which are said to have different meanings. Between 1550 and 1600, a sailing ship was sailing from Paris/Italy across the Arabian Sea when the wind and waves caused the ship to lose control and the captain prayed to the statue of the Mother of God kept in a special compartment of the ship. As a result, the sea and the weather calmed down and the ship came to rest on the shore of Thumpoli. Then the captain, inspired by the vision, gave the statue of the Mother of God that was on the ship to be venerated in the Thumpoli church. Thus, for the first time in India, the statue of the Mother of God was venerated with religious rituals in Thumpoli. This can be said based on historical facts, Thumpoli Mother is called the 'Kappalottakkari Amma' and the 'Mother of Sailors' because Thumpoli Mother came here on a ship. And this is the fame of this pilgrimage center. When compared to other statues of the Mother of God, the miraculous statue of Thumpoli Mother is set apart from other statues in a way that makes us feel a unique beauty, eternal vitality, and radiance. If we look closely at the statue of the Mother, we can see that there are many changes in her face. Similarly, the statue of the Mother of God on the cross near the coastal road behind the church (that statue is another large statue of the image of the Mother of Thumboli). As mentioned above, if you listen carefully, you will see that there are some apparitions and changes in appearance. In 1585, Fr. Jacomo Finicio first established the Confraternity - Visionary Community or the Confraternity of the Visionary in Thumboli. He also provided other assistance to Thumboli. Many churches here come forward to request a bylo copy of the Confraternity of the Visionary (in the past or now). Not only that, the King of Moothedath issued a peace treaty/peace declaration praying to the Mother to end the war, which was accepted by the King of Cochin and the King of Iladathu, and as a result, in 1607, he dedicated the 'Salve Rup' of the Mother made from a single elephant's tusk to the Mother of Thumpoli. Even today, on festive days, the 'Salve Litany/Ladinjunum' and the festive procession are performed along with the Holy statue of the Mother. The church was last renovated in 2009. That too was renovated without losing its uniqueness and heritage through re-plastering.
Between During the AD 1550-1600s a ship sailed from Paris/Italy across the Arabian Sea, losing control of the ship due to wind, rain and thunder so they are pray to virgin mary statue. Finally the climate is changed to normal. Then the captain hand over a miracle statue of Virgin Mary to be enshrined in the Thumpoly Church. Fr. Giacomo Fenicio established the confraternity - visionary community in Thumpoly in 1585 AD.[1] In the 1700s the current church was built by the Portuguese, who established 23 Churches in Kerala, and it is known and known as the first church of its kind.
Between the years 1600 and 1700, there was only a small church in Thumpoly. Between those periods efforts were made to build a large Church at Thumpoly . But all of them were attacked in war, fire and so on and due to financial difficulties it was not possible to build a big church like it is now. Later, in 1700, the grand church as seen today was built. The construction of the church was started in 1600 but due to some reasons it was stopped temporarily and then the reconstruction of the church started in 1624 and after that in 1700 the construction speeded up and the construction of the present church was completed in 1730. Once upon a time, during the construction of the Church, two thieves tried to steal the holy statue and ornaments of the Mother in the middle of the night, so they took the statue of the Mother and when they reached the front of the church, the statue of the Mother became heavy and so they tired and put the statue on the ground below. But then they couldn't raise the mother's statue form even a step or even move, so one of the angry thieves gave a pinch on the right cheek of the mother, then the bells of the church started ringing by themselves, and they realized that it was bad to stay there and tried to run and hide, but as if they were in a delusion, they kept running around the church several times. So the locals ran come. Finally the thieves left. But even today it is possible to see the mother's cheek in a light red color like the wound that was pinched that day and this is said as a legend even today. In 1680, Thumpolipally suffered another fire for the last time. The kerosene lamp that was burning in the church fell over and the church caught fire and the church was destroyed. But the people saw that the holy statue of Mother Thumpoly was more bright and safe without being exposed to fire. This is still believed to be a great miracle. But many historical documents related to the church and the mother were burnt. Once, some big stones were required for the construction of Meda at Thumpolipalli. At that time, the work of Alappuzha Lighthouse was going on. Then some people of Thumpoli came to know about this and presented the matter to Hucrafords, the architect of the lighthouse, that they should help by giving less stones. But he asked that he could not give the stones, or even if they were given, how would you take them away from here, and those huge stones were pulled by elephants. He said he will not let even the elephant here to carry the stones to you. And how do you take it from here? They taunted saying, "Would your mother Thumboli carry this, not only that, does your mother have horns and a trunk to carry it?" But that night, as he was sleeping, Hukraphod dreamed several times that an elephant was coming to kill him, and he woke up so startled that he could not sleep peacefully. So his wife, who understood what was the matter, prayed to Mother Thumpoli and asked for her welfare and asked him to deliver the stones to be given there as soon as possible in the next few days. Realizing his mistake, he prayed to the Mother. So Hukrawford released the elephants there to bring those big stones there in the next few days. In order to prevent the nightmare from happening again and to atone for it, he offered a small statue of a kompanaana(elephant) to the mother. Even today, the mother mary is prayed to by touching that oat figure to get rid of bad dreams. The appearance of this little elephant can be seen only on festive days. Mother's deity will be below near the nest. Also we can see things like rope and canoe/boat which are said to have different things. Thumpoly Church was last renovated in 2009 in such a way that Tanima and heritage were not lost.
Thumpoly church was the first church in India at that time to have a statue of the Mother of God and rituals. This Thumpoly Matha is also known by another name, Kappalottakaari Amma or "Sailors Mother".- 'the mother who came by ship in the year between AD 1550- 1600s. The Confraternity feast of Immaculate Conception at Thumpoly Church is a very historic and famous festival. The church is the largest landmark of Thumpoly. Thumpoly Our Lady Of Immaculate Conception feast celebrated every year from November 27 to December 15. [1]
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