St.
Francis Xavier, who landed at Socotra on his way to India about
AD 1545, declared that the natives of these islands render special
honours to the apostle St. Thomas, claiming they to be the descendents
of Christians begotten to Jesus Christ through that Apostle in
these countries.
It
is the hoary and unquestioned tradition in Malabar, which is corroborated
by the customs of the place and by the ethnological research,
that the Apostle was signally successful in the conversion of
the high cast 'Nambuthiri Brahmins'. Four of the leading Brahmin
families are believed to been raised to the privilege of the priesthood.
They are:
a) Palamattam (Pakalomattam)
b) Sankarapuri
c) Kalli &
d) Kalliankavu.
Some of them still exist in 'Koravilangad' a place near Kottayam
in Kerala. The head of the Malabar Church - the Archdeacon - had
to be selected from Pakalomattam. This practice was continued
among the Jacobite seceders, till a hundred years ago. There is
a strong belief throughout Malabar that St. Thomas founded 7 Churches
or group of Christians in the following places and the imprints
and tradtion proves it true.
Early
Migration of Christians from Palayur to Travencore
In the history of Kerala, having put a stamp that will
not fade, Brahmin families like Kalli, Kalikavu, Pagalomattom,
and Shankarapuri where among the families who received Baptism
in Palayoor. The families of Shankarapuri and Pagalomattom were
given Priestly Status by St. Thomas.
In the 2nd
Century AD all the four Family migrated from Palayoor via Angamali,
Kadathuruthi to Ettmanoor. The Devasom of Ettmanoor did not allow
them to stay there and sent them to a place 5 Km. away which was
the Forest of the Goddess Kali. In those days the Forest of goddess
Kali was believed to be full of Witches and Devils and people,
were scared to stay in such places. The people who came from Palayoor
stayed there without any fear not knowing about these facts. To
prove this there are documents. The entire house names, house
numbers, survey numbers are there in the Government Records. Survey
460/5, 460/6, 519/8 belonged to these Families. During those days
there was no place for worship or Burial and the families worshipped
at home and used their own property to bury the dead. Where these
4 families stayed they established a Chapel. There still exists
5 Graves near the famous Forest of Kali (Kalikavu) Grotto. It
is believed that these are the graves of 5 important members of
these families. This cemetery was just next to the Shakutirikal
Family. Right now it is in the procession of Claratu Bhavan Seminary.
The
Koravelangattu Church: It is believed that the above said
4 families and the Kadapoor family, which came from Palayoor,
joined together and established the Koravelangattu Church. The
Kalli and the Pagalomattom Families stayed on the Northern side
of the church and the Shankarapuri, Kalikavu and the Kadapoor
families stayed on the Southern side of the Church. So it came
to be that Shankarapuri Family got the house name Thekkedethu
meaning Southern Side, and Pagalomattom Family got the house name
Vadakaedethu meaning Northern Side. There were a lot of priests
in these families for many generations.
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