The Holy Cross Church Mapranam Kerala

The Holy Cross Church at Mapranam is one of the oldest churches in India. Located in the Thrissur district of Kerala, this church was founded in 928 AD. One of the uniqueness of this pilgrim center is that it is among the few churches in Asia that received some items related to Jesus Christ from Vatican as a donation. The church received part of the Holy blood of Jesus Christ, the relic of the Holy Cross and the blood stained Holy Cloth used by Veronica to wipe the face of Jesus Christ by the instruction of the Pope. The northern areas of the church are shared by the Arattupuzha Temple, churches of Panamkulam and Pallissery and the gorgeous Karuvannur River. One of the great features of this pilgrim center is that it is following the spiritual, ethical and cultural values of various religions, mainly, Christianity, Hinduism, and Islam.

Candles are the main offering of this church. Thirithelikkal (Candle Lighting) is an annual event related to this pilgrim center. A candle made at this church with a weight of 1,079 kg and a height of 22 feet has been included in the Limca Book of Records as the largest candle in the country. The annual feast in the name of the Holy Cross at this shrine celebrates every year on September 14th. Many devotees from different regions of the state visit this church on this day beyond the religious barriers for offering prayers. The Mapranam Holy Cross Church is almost 18 kilometers away from the nearest Thrissur railway station. Cochin International Airport is about 41 kilometers from this Christian pilgrim center. Contact Tour My India to get an idea about our customized pilgrim travel packages that cover the popular temples and ancient churches of Kerala.