Port Kollam Church

Our Lady of Purification Church also known as the Port Kollam Church is a historic Roman Catholic church near Kollam Port in Kollam district of Kerala. According to ecclesiastical tradition the church was established by Thomas the Apostle in 52 CE along with six other churches in Kerala and these churches together are called Ēḻarappaḷḷikaḷ. The church follows Latin Rite and is in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Quilon.

History

Tradition holds that in AD 52, Thomas the Apostle travelled to Kerala's coast. For people who were baptized by Thomas to worship, a church was built in Kollam between CE 52 and 78. However, Violent sea erosion destroyed this church. The believers built a second church for worship with the King of Kollam's approval, but it was also destroyed by sea erosion. The ruins of the second church are still visible in the sea during low tides. The name "Pallikallu" given to it by the local fishermen literally translates as "the stone of the great church". A group of local divers retrieved a rock from the submerged church ruins in February 2021, and it was then installed in the church as a symbol of the community's unwavering faith. The Pope John XXII designated Kollam (Quilon) as the first diocese in India in 1329 and there was a church called Kollam church before the arrival of the Portuguese in the sixteenth century. Later, the Portuguese constructed a number of additional churches in the area, leading to the renaming of Kollam Church as "Port Kollam Church". The Port Kollam parish was also blessed by the visit of Francis Xavier as part of his missionary activities along the Malabar coast. A new church, constructed in 1912 and dedicated to Our Lady of Purification, stood for more than 70 years, and at the end of the 20th century, a reconstruction plan was started to build the church present today. The foundation stone for the reconstruction was blessed by Pope John Paul II in Thiruvananthapuram on 8 February 1986 during his Apostolic Pilgrimage to India. The church was finally blessed on 23 January 1993 by the Bishop of Kollam, Joseph G. Fernandez.

Liturgy Timings + Weekly Liturgy Schedule Day Time Liturgy Sunday 6.00 am7.30 am9.00 am MassMassMass for Children Monday 6.30 am5.00 pm MassMass + Novena to Thomas the Apostle Tuesday 6.30 am Mass Wednesday 6.30 am Mass Thursday 6.30 am Mass Friday 6.30 am Mass Saturday 6.30 am Mass + Novena to Our Lady of Perpetual Help

Annual Events Along with other universal festivities of Christendom, three great feasts are revered and fervently observed in the church each year by the faithful.

Feast of Our Lady of Purification

Thousands of followers of all faiths and religions flock to the feast of Our Lady of Purification (), which is celebrated annually from January 23 to February 2. The legend behind this celebration is that, in accordance with the Old Testament, a mother would bring her son to the Temple 40 days after his birth in order to present herself for purification and to present the child to God (Leviticus 12). When Jesus was a newborn, Joseph and Mary took him to the Jerusalem Temple where they offered Him to God as an offering (Luke 2:22–40). So, every year a feast is held to remember this occasion. As a result, the Holy Mother in this occasion is also known as Kanikka Mathavu (). The Church will be illuminated and decorated with vibrant lights beginning with a ceremony to hoist the flag on January 23 to announce the start of the festival. During the festive days, religious discourses such as Bible conventions and special prayers will be held. On February 1, there will be a large procession () that will cover most of Port Kollam, and people will decorate the streets with Mother Mary statues in a lovely backdrop that has been enhanced with candles, lights, and flowers. A special ritual takes place on the feast day (February 2). Women with their newly born babies (below 2 years) come to the church and submit them before Saint Mary as an offering.

Feast of Saint Thomas Tradition holds that on July 3, AD 72, at Chennai's St. Thomas Mount, Thomas the Apostle was speared to death. Every year on July 3, the Port Kollam Church commemorates this martyrdom by celebrating Thomas the Apostle's pilgrimage feast (). On the eve of the feast day, there is a procession carrying the relic of Thomas the Apostle covering places beyond the ecclesiastical jurisdiction of the Port Kollam parish. On the feast day, a jubilant holy mass is conducted, and most commonly, the mass will be a pontifical mass led by a bishop. The rededication of the relic on the altar and the subsequent lowering of the raised flag mark the conclusion of the feast.

Feast of Assumption of Mary The feast of the assumption () is fervently observed in the Port Kollam church on August 15 each year. The celebration of Assumption Day commemorates the doctrine that Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ, was believed to have had both her body and soul taken up into heavenly glory at death. Flag hoisting, special liturgies, and a prayerful procession are all part of the Assumption celebrations. It's interesting that India's independence day and the feast of assumption both fall on the same day. The Flag of India's colours will be used to usually decorate the altar with flowers.

Relics Thomas the Apostle's remains were sent to a number of locations after his death, but the majority of them were eventually interred in the Basilica di San Tommaso in Ortona, Italy. In 1958, Jerome M. Fernandez, the then Bishop of Kollam, brought the relics of Thomas the Apostle from Ortona, Italy, and placed them in the Bishops' House of Quilon Diocese. On June 30, 2006, this relic was taken from the bishop's house and, after a devout reception from various parishes along the coastal region, it was finally enshrined in the altar of the Port Kollam church.The altar of the Port Kollam church also holds a relic of Mother Teresa.

Shrines Within the church's premises, there are two shrines. The oldest shrine is dedicated to Friday devotion to 'Ecce Homo' (Kaiketty Easho, ). This shrine's statue was delivered to this parish in 1806. On Fridays, a large number of people gather to pray for all of their intentions. Devotees have shared testimonials of the miracles they have experienced through Kaiketty Easho. The new shrine dedicated to Saint Thomas was consecrated in 2006 by the then kollam bishop, Stanley Roman.

List of Parish Priests Year Name of the Priests 1879–1886 Fr. J. Alleluia B. V. Louza 1886–1894 Fr. B. Gonsalves 1894–1903 Fr. Haveriar 1903–1905 Fr. Augustin 1905–1907 Fr. Mary Ephraem Gomes 1907–1908 Fr. Dominic 1908–1909 Fr. Franciscus X Periera 1909–1910 Fr. Marcelline Mendez 1910–1917 Fr. Antony Fernadez 1917–1920 Fr. M. Koiparambil 1920– Fr. E. Dias 1920–1925 Fr. G. J. Arooja 1925–1929 Fr. Bernard Ben Fernandez 1929–1934 Fr. G. J. Arooja 1934–1939 Fr. Bernard Ben Fernandez 1939– Fr. Morris 1939–1941 Fr. B. Fernandez 1941–1946 Fr. Seraphine 1946–1952 Fr. A. J. Comeons 1952–1956 Fr. Marian Dominic 1956–1967 Fr. Valerian Fernandez 1967–1969 Fr. Christopher Morris 1969–1974 Fr. S.S. Netto 1974–1979 Fr. Abraham Joseph 1979–1983 Fr. Richard Fernandez 1983–1988 Fr. Jose Puthenveedu 1988–1990 Fr. Richard Fernandez 1990–1993 Fr. Silvie Antony 1993–2002 Fr. Lazar S. Pattakadavu 2002–2006 Fr. James Puthenpura 2006–2011 Fr. Alphonse S 2011– Fr. Prem Grehary 2011– Fr. Lawrence Abel 2011–2013 Fr. Sephrin K.B. 2013–2016 Fr. George Mathew 2016–2018 Fr. Vincent Machado 2018–2021 Fr. Xavier Lazar 2021–2022 Fr. Shani Francis 2022–2024 Fr. Jackson James 2024–2026 Fr. Franklin Francis 2026- Fr. Vincent Machado 2026- Fr. Manoj Antony

List of Presidente Year Name of Presidente Place Name of Procurador 1951 Antony Cruz Planther Pallipurayidom J. Isaac 1952 Joseph Kurusappan Kaikkara Viscri Anthomy 1953 Joseph Thambi Kaikkara Janees Zarocky 1954 Manual Francis Vadakkupuram Thomas Lewis 1955 Jusa Augustin Kaikkara Augustin Peter 1956 Anthony Cruz Marcelle Vadakkupuram Anthony Joseph 1957 Pichapetty Joseph Sangam Purayidom Joseph Sebasthy 1958 Thomas Pancruz Kaikkara Rocky Joseph 1959 Janis Sebasthy Vadakkupuram Gracian Antony 1960 Thomas Louis Kaikkara Thomas Julian 1961 Janis Philip Pallipurayidom Philip Joseph 1962 Kurishuvareeth Marian Poor Colony Marian Stephen 1963 Thomas Julian Kaikkara Joseph Sebasthy 1964 Kurishu Anthony Kaikkara Sebasthy Muthayya 1965 Kurishupilla Pawel Kaikkara Sebasthy Jacob 1966 Jusa Sebasthy Kaikkara Augustin Alexander 1967 Jusa Angel Kaikkara Angel Carlos 1968 Jusa Augustin Kaikkara Vareethkutty George 1969 Rocky Joseph Kaikkara Pancruz Isaac 1970 Dominic Isteph Sangam Purayidom George Isteph 1971 Agustin Peter Kaikkara Agustin Clement 1972 Joseph Albert Kaikkara Albert Joseph 1973 Silvester Joseph Kaikkara J. Saltreek 1974 Sebasthy Joseph Depo Purayidom Sebasthy Simon 1975 Francis Simon Vadakkupuram Francis David 1976 Anthony Joseph Pallipurayidom Vareeth Joseph 1977 Ambrose Thomas Pallipurayidom Simon Francis 1978 Sebasthy Stephen Depo Purayidom Leons Gabriel 1979 Planther Laboy Pallipurayidom Francis Stephen 1980 Francis David Fishermen Colony Sebasthy Nazareth 1981 A. Martin Kaikkara T. Jacob 1982 Gabriel Barnabas Depo Purayidom Sebasthy Antony 1983 Albert Joseph Kaikkara Pancruz Carmayas 1984 Silvester George Vadakkupuram Sebasthy Pious 1985 George Antony Vadakkupuram Antony Norbert 1986 Anthonypilla Antony Kaikkara Antony Peter 1987 S. Mathiyas Fishermen Colony S. Clement 1988 Isteph Stephen Vadakkupuram Stephen Antony 1989 Janis Isaac Pallipurayidom Jose James 1990 Nicolas George Kaikkara Nicolas Franklin 1991 Thomas Sebastian Kaikkara Sebastian Ansel 1992 T. George Depo Purayidom Elias Francis 1993 Laboy Paul Depo Purayidom Francis Hillary 1994 Antony Julian Kaikkara Peter Joseph 1995 Thomas Jacob Kaikkara M. Ansel 1996 Isteph Lawrence Vadakkupuram Lawrence Augustin 1997 Marian Alex Kaikkara Sebasthy Johnny 1998 Simon Alphonse Fishermen Colony Simon Bosco 1999 Francis Stephen Fishermen Colony Stephen Sunil 2000 Antony Francis Manual Joseph 2001 Simon Francis Francis Joseph 2002 Janiskutty Cyril Fishermen Colony Cyril Sunil 2003 Leons Gabriel Depo Purayidom Barnabas Samson 2004 Ernest David Fishermen Colony Donbosco David 2005 Francis Hillary Johnny Sajan 2006 Simon Raymond (Jerald) Vadakkupuram Johnny Samson 2007 Joseph Peter Kaikkara Stephen Julian 2008 Simon Cyril Thomas Cyril 2009 Martin Ansel Jacob David 2010 Johnny Leons Johnny Job 2011 Augustin Lawrence Augustin John 2012 Isaac John Gilbert John Gilbert Jithu 2013 Martin Ambrose 2014 Antony Manian Benchamin Clement 2015 Simon Bosco Vadakkupuram Alphonse Ashwin 2016 Ansel Joseph Peter

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