St. Mary's Church, Thiruvithamcode
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Thiruvithamcode Arappally ("Royal Church"; Tamil:திருவிதாங்கோடு அரப்பள்ளி; Malayalam:തിരുവിതാംകോട് അരപ്പള്ളി;), or Thomayar Kovil or St. Mary's Orthodox Church, is a church located in
It claims to be the world's oldest church that still has daily prayers and India's oldest church that hasn't been reconstructed till now.[3] The church has three main parts built in the 17th century and a 20th-century entrance hall. Its walls are built of locally quarried stone, chiseled with a multi-tipped chisel, a technique known in Kerala and possibly introduced there by foreign contact in the 16th century.
Thiruvithamcode (also spelled Thiruvithancode, Thiruvithankodu and Thiruvithangodu) is a small panchayat town located in the Kanyakumari district of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is about 20 km from Nagercoil, and 2 km from Thuckalay.
The church today is maintained by the
See also
- Ezharappallikal
References
- ISBN 978-81-8465-204-8, Page:7
- ISBN 978-81-8465-204-8, Page:7. While the Saint Thomas tradition of Indian Christianity cannot be verified as historical, it is certain that there was a tradition of Thomas travelling to India from at least the 3rd century (Acts of Thomas), and there is independent confirmation of the existence of a Christian church in India from the 6th century (Cosmas Indicopleustes).
- ^ "The First Church in Tamil Nadu, Ara Palli, Thiruvithancode".
External links
- Website of the church (in English)