Kottayam Valiyapally and the Marthoma Cross-Stones

The Valiyapally, established in AD 1550, was the first Christian church in Kottayam town. By the tenth century, numerous Marthoma Nazrani families had already settled in Thazhathangadi — old Kottayam's trading center — and in the agricultural region of Veloor. In the fifteenth century, the Thekkumkur dynasty left Vennimala and made Kottayam its capital, building Thaliyilkotta as their administrative seat. To strengthen trade, they brought in and settled numerous Christians from other places, in addition to those already there, granting them all positions of standing in the administration.

In AD 1528, the Zamorin of Kozhikode launched a military attack on Kodungallur. The Moors (Yemenis) who led this assault set the town ablaze and massacred the Jewish community there. The Knanaya Christian community of Kodungallur, too, came under threat as a result. Fleeing for their lives, they migrated south. One group of families reached Kaduthuruthy, where, with the blessing of the Vadakkumkur king, they built a church and began worship there.

Honoring Thekkumkur's request to send some trade-skilled Knanaya families to Kottayam, the Vadakkumkur king dispatched several Knanaya families there. In AD 1543, under the leadership of Moozhiyil Cheriyan Mathu Kathanar, twelve families arrived by boat along the Meenachil river and landed at Karikkuzhikkadavu. Having presented themselves before the king, they were granted temporary accommodation outside the fort to build their homes. This gave rise to another trading center at the northern end of Thazhathangadi — Valiyangadi. This market was known for costly luxury goods and spices. Over time, the Knanaya community became a force impossible to ignore in Kottayam's trade. The Thekkumkur king was deeply attentive to fulfilling the needs of the Christian community.

At that time, Christians had no churches within Kottayam town. Most conducted their prayers at home, while some would travel by boat on Sundays to distant churches to take part in worship. Because of this, the Marthomites (traditional Nazranis) and the Knanaya community jointly petitioned the king for a place to build a church. Accordingly, King Aditya Varma of Thekkumkur granted permission to establish a church at Vettarkunnu, north of the fort. The deed for this grant reads as follows:

"In the year Kollam 725, written on a Meenam Sunday, this is the matter of the karanma deed — Adichavarmar, Kerala ruler of Vembalanad and temple authority, together with his nephew Iravi Manikandar, also temple authority, having received the full customary karanma-gold for the land — grant, for the building of a church, wall, and gopuram, on the northern part of the plot called Vettarkunnu within their Kottayakam, together with the four boundary sides of land needed for it, to Cheriyan Mathu Kathanar of Mahadevar Pattanam and to all the Nazrani Mapillas together, this deed of karanma... [boundary description follows]... In witness whereof: Mazhuvancheril Kandan Kiratan and Nandikkattu Narayanan Narayanan. Written by Mazhuvancheril Narayanan Rayiran."

The first church was a fine example of timber architecture. In time, however, it became necessary to enlarge the building. In AD 1570, on the Thekkumkur king's commission, the Portuguese architect Antony Mestri arrived from Kochi along with his team and rebuilt the church into the form seen today (numerous further renovations and modifications have taken place since). The church's consecration was conducted by Mar Abraham, a bishop sent by the Patriarch of Babylon to provide spiritual leadership to the Syrian Christians. It was Mar Abraham who brought the Persian stone crosses from Kodungallur and installed them here.

Not long after worship began, differences arose between the Knanaya community (Thekkumbhagar) and the traditional Marthomite Nazranis (Vadakkumbhagar). The Knanaya held the upper hand within the church. In protest, the traditional Marthomite Nazranis decided to build a separate church of their own. In AD 1579, under the leadership of Ousepp Kathanar, they presented themselves before King Kotha Varma with the customary offering and, having been granted a site, established Kottayam Cheriyapally.

During the era of Catholicization, a section of the Knanaya community, influenced by priests from the northern regions, came under Roman Catholic allegiance. As their numbers grew substantial, disputes arose over rights to the church. The matter was resolved through the intervention of Colonel Munro, then Dewan of Travancore, and those who had joined the Catholic faction moved and established a new church of their own. This was how Idayattu Ferona Church came to be established in AD 1819.

The historic Persian stone crosses stand on either side of the throne (thronos) within the Valiyapally. Numerous archaeologists and historians have studied these crosses closely; the research of Dr. Burnell, then head of the Archaeological Survey of India, remains the most authoritative. It is from these crosses — generally known as the Marthoma Sleebas — that the traditional cross-form structure seen across Kerala originates. Though similar ancient crosses can be found in various churches across Kerala, the ones at Valiyapally remain the most significant for their antiquity and authenticity. Some historians refer to these as "Manichaean crosses," suggesting they bear the imprint of the Manichaean faith and the Thariyai Chettys.

The smaller cross seen on the left is the older of the two. A similar cross is preserved at the church in Mylapore, believed to be the site of St. Thomas the Apostle's martyrdom, and is thought to date to the fourth century. The larger cross on the right dates to the tenth century. Both crosses bear inscriptions in Pahlavi script, the administrative language of the ancient Persian Sassanian Empire. The tenth-century cross also carries a separate inscription in Estrangela Syriac script — clear evidence of the shifting foreign influences that shaped Kerala's Christian communities over time! These crosses may have reached Kodungallur through Persian-Syriac merchants coming via Tamil Nadu. Even history students from foreign universities visit Valiyapally to view and study these crosses.

The church also preserves a stone archway from the original building, notable for its distinctly Keralite carvings. Also of note is the stone cross installed below the church's eastern entrance, carved and brought from Chengannur.

The tomb of Metropolitan Mar Severios, spiritual father of the Knanaya church, lies adjoining the church.

The church today falls under the Knanaya Jacobite Syrian Church, headquartered at Chingavanam.