Our Lady Of Dolours Syro-Malabar Catholic Basilica
History
The parish and original church building were established in 1814. It was Thrissur's first Christian church inside the fort gates (Saint Antony's Syro-Malabar Church, Ollur est. AD 1718, is the first Christian church in the Thrissur Municipal Corporation). It was a center for the St. Thomas Christians in the area (now the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church) for decades. In 1874, the Chaldean Catholic bishop Elias Mellus arrived in India at the request of the Syro-Malabar Christians and convinced a large part of the Christian community to accept him as their bishop. The group that followed Mellus was based at this church and eventually separated from the Catholic hierarchy, forming what is now known as the Chaldean Syrian Church. In response the Syro-Malabar Catholics constructed a new building in 1929. The original church was renamed the Mart Mariam Big Church, and is now the cathedral of the Chaldean Syrian Church. The current building is known as Puthanpally (New Church) for this reason.
The construction of this church, the biggest church in India was done in different phases, starting from the year 1929. The two front towers are of 146 feet (45 m) height each and the central tower of 260 feet (79 m) height makes this church the 3rd tallest in Asia. Completion of the towers was an architectural challenge. A few experts from Tamil Nadu were brought over. The architect who completed the church was Ambrose Gounder.
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Rose window
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View from the balcony of the transepts.
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The main altar
Mass timings
Ordinary days : 6.00 am, 7.30 am, 5.30 pm
Friday : 6.00 am, 7.30 am, 10.00 am, 5.30 pm, 7.30 pm
Sunday : 6.00 am, 7.30 am, 9.30 am, 5.30 pm, 7.30 pm
References
- ^ Vadakkekara, Benedict (2007). Origin of Christianity in India: a Historiographical Critique, pp. 101–103. Media House Delhi.