About

St Thomas Vettickal DayaraThe ancient Vettickal Dayara is a pride possession of our Malankara Church with a history of about 800 years of existence.

In the year 1125,on a first Sunday after Easter,a Cross ceremoniously brought from Saint Thomas Church ,Mulanthuruthy was reveringly erected at Vettickal, which was the then 'border point' between the Royal Provinces of Kochi and Travancore,in the name India's Apostle and our Guardian Saint Blessed Saint Thomas.

This ancient Holy Cross is still honourably retained on the east side wall of the Dayara building.

In the year 1200 it was declared a Chapel.

In 1815,the ninth Marthoma,Metropolit an Iype (the last link in Pakalomattom family) consecrated a Church there as evident from the Church History written by Ittoop Writer.

Kgees Kattumangattu Junior Bawa Geevarghese Mar Coorilose (second Bishop of Thozhiyoor Church) who went to heavenly abode in 1809, is entombed in this Dayara.He is considered a Saint by the local faithful and seek Bawa's mediation.Bawa' s memorial feast is conducted on 28th and 29th of May. Thousands of people irrespective of religious affiliations attend the holy feast every year and receive blessings.

In the year 1877, Parumala Thirumeni along with Malankara Metropolitan and the other Bishops who had then been ordained with Parumala Thirumeni meditated and fasted for 40 days in this Dayara.On the day after 40 days of fasting prayers the Malankara Metropolitan with Parumala Thirumeni consecrated the renovated Dayara and the Holy Madbaha.This fact of history is written in Parumala Thirumeni's own handwriting and is recorded and preserved in the Dayara.

Soon after the consecration ceremony the 'first Holy Synod of Malankara Church' was conducted in this Dayara.The Malankara Church was 'demarcated into seven dioceses' in this Synod with Bishops being assigned charges of each Diocese. Kgees

During the period of Parumala Thirumeni's leadership of this Dayara there used to be at least nine Rambachens who used to live,pray,meditate and fast there following the strict canons of Church.

In the course of time Dayara remained insignificant until 1976, when HG late Joseph Mor Pachamiose further renovated the Dayara and made it HG's Aramana Dayara. In the year 1976,on December 10th, which also happened to be the centenary year of Parumala Thirumeni's ordination as Metropolitan, the holy relics of Parumala Thirumeni has been transferred and venerably preserved here.

In the year 1977 ,on December 10th, a Chapel in the upper floor of the Dayara was consecrated by His Holiness Baselious Marthoma Mathews I ,the then Catholicose.

Listen to the history of Dayara by Very Rev. Eldho Remban...

Letter written by St. Parumala Thirumeni ...click here