Mar Thoma Sleeha Syro-Malabar Church, Thulappally
| Mar Thoma Sleeha Syro-Malabar Church | |
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| Mar Thoma Sleeha Syro-Malabar Church, Nilackal-Thulappally | |
Mar Thoma Sleeha Syro-Malabar Church
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| 9°25′14.4″N 76°57′59.2″E / 9.420667°N 76.966444°ECoordinates: 9°25′14.4″N 76°57′59.2″E / 9.420667°N 76.966444°E | |
| Location | Thulappally, Pathanamthitta, Kerala |
| Country | India |
| Denomination | Syro-Malabar Catholic Church |
| Website | http://www.smcim.org/church/nilackal |
| History | |
| Founded | 1956 |
| Dedication | Thomas the Apostle (Apostle of Jesus) from 2007. St.George (1956-2007) |
| Dedicated | 3 july |
| Consecrated | 17 January 1956 |
| Associated people | 1700 |
| Architecture | |
| Status | Parish |
| Functional status | Active |
| Administration | |
| Archdiocese | Syro-Malabar Catholic Archeparchy of Changanassery |
| Diocese | Syro-Malabar Catholic Eparchy of Kanjirappally |
| District | Pathanamthitta |
| Clergy | |
| Bishop(s) | Mar Mathew Arackal |
| Auxiliary Bishop(s) | Mar Jose Pulickal |
| Vicar(s) | Rev.Fr. Mesthiriparampil Peter B.A, B.Ph, B.Th |
Mar Thoma Sleeha Syro-Malabar Church is a pilgrimage church located in Thulappally, Syro-Malabar Catholic Eparchy of Kanjirappally in the Indian state of Kerala. The St. Thomas's feast festivities held there every July attract a number of devotees from in and around Kerala.
This ancient church of St. Thomas Christians in India is located in the Eastern Bank of the River Pampa, holy River to Hindu Mythology. The parish is surrounded by state forests. It is very close to the famous Hindu pilgrimage centers of the Sabarimala Sri Ayyappa Temple and the Nilackal Temple. The parish Web site says that it is historically proved that St. Thomas, one of the apostles of Jesus Christ, came here and erected the church. So the parish is named after the Apostle Thomas. St. Thomas is the patron saint of the parish.
There are 325 Christian families and about 1850 members in the parish. Around 250 children attend the Sunday catechesis. it has four shrines.
The parish of Angelvalley was once the part of the parish. At the time of its formation, Angelvalley had around 250 families from the Nilackal, Thulapally parish.
The parish is divided into seventeen small groups called Koottayma, each known after a Biblical place such as Jerusalem, Jordan, Emmaus, Hermon, Kapharnaum, Saini, Corinthose, Thesalonica, Nazareth, Alphonsa, Chavara, Galathia, Carmel and Calvary. Nazareth and Carmel have A and B sections. Each of these groups meet weekly for prayer and study classes.
Parish social works are arranged under the 'Malanadu Development Society' which is the social service organization of the Diocese of Kanjirappally. Fifty S.H.G.s (Self Help Groups) get help from the M.D.S. Unit. It has a rural electrification system called 'Malanadu Mycro Hydel Power Project' Thulappally (M.H.P.P.). This power project generates electricity from water and supplies about 250 families, and shops, clinics, temples, mosques and churches. The parish helps milk-producing farmers to sell their milk under M.M.P. (Mahima Milk Producers Union). Under the leadership of M.D.S. Unit of the parish the people of Pampavalley made the longest Rubberized Road in Asia, two large bridges across the rivers Pampa and Azhuta, built many small bridges etc.
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Wikipedia