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All the Churches, save the one at Chayal (Nilakkal), are on the coast or very near it. Chayal is situated very much in the interior on the Sabarimala Hills. The old Church is now in a dilapidated state amidst jungles.

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		There is not any historical evidence about St. Thomas’ missionary work at Nilackal but it is written in old metal plates, Marthomma charitham , Veeradiyan song and many historians’ writings about certain assumptions that St. Thomas established a church at Nilakkal.

when St. Thomas was doing missionary work that he established seven churches and among those church, Nilackal (Chayal) was contained. The Apostle returned from Niranom to Chayal or Nileckal. According to the Ramban song the Apostle worked here for one year and during this period one thousand and one hundred persons were converted to Christianity.

There is not any historical evidence about St. Thomas’ missionary work at Nilackal but it is written in old metal plates, Marthomma charitham , Veeradiyan song and many historians’ writings about certain vague assumptions that St. Thomas established a church at Nilakkal.

Many Christian families in Kanjirappally, Ayroor, and other places trace their origin to Nilakkal. There is a Mar St. Thomas Church at Ayroor which is still named Chayal (Nilakkal). Efforts were made recently to rebuild a church at Nilakkal which led to opposition from the Hindu community, even though there are evidences of a Christian Church and a Hindu temple which existed there side by side in olden days, as can be found now in many other places in Kerala. The difficulties were solved by the magnanimous approach from both Hindu friends and Christian leaders, and the help extended by the Kerala Government. Following this a new church has been built under the joint auspices of all the Christian denominations at the site agreed upon by all concerned, a little distance away from the earlier site. This church is having historical significance as the first Church built and dedicated by all the denominations together as a symbol of the heritage from St. Thomas.

The history of Kanjirappally in a Nanam Monam language (old dialect of Tamil) reveals the early settlers of Kanjirappally. One of the forefathers of Thommi Periya Veettil (A.D.1320) was a Trustee of Nilackal church. He, his family and friends moved from Nilackal (Chayal) to Kanjirappally because of the attacks from Pandi Nadu robbers given the name by many as wild animals.

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