St. Peter's and St. Paul's Orthodox Syrian Church or 'Kolenchery Church' (Malayalam: കോലഞ്ചേരി പള്ളി) is a Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church church situated in Kolenchery, in Ernakulam, Kerala, India. It was built by Thankan Mappila of the Kolenchery House in 9th century CE (7th century in Malayalam Calendar).[1]
Due to the dispute between the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church and Jacobite Syrian Christian Church, the church was non-functional for few years and functioned as shared church from 1995. In 2006 a Jacobite member of the Kolenchery Church filed a suit over the administration of the church. The case proceeded from the lower courts and reached the Supreme Court of India. On 3 July 2017 the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church, and the church has since been governed by the constitution of 1934.[2]
Currently the parish (not counting Jacobites) serves 1,620 Malankara Orthodox families making up 6,530 members in Kolenchery. This church's filial parish of Saint George Orthodox Church in Kottoor has 300 families and over 1,200 members.[3]
History
Name
In 345 AD, a family known as 'those who came from Syria' came along with Thomas of Cana and settled in the merchant centre of Kozhenchery. A branch of this family settled in Kandanad and later on in Elamkulam for business purposes. As this family came from Kozhenchery they came to be known as the 'Kolenchery family' and since this family established it, the church came to be known as 'Kolenchery church'.
Tomb of Mar Thoma VII
While visiting the parishes, the Mar Thoma VII died at Kandanad Church; his body was taken to St. George's Church, Kadamattom and on the way they entered to Kolenchery Church to pay homage. As Kolenchery Church[4] was also his quarters for some time, the parishioners demanded that the body be buried there. It was agreed and Mar Thoma VII was buried at Kolenchery church on 22nd Mithunam (5 July), 1809.[5]
