10/11/2012
Memorable Events in the History of Pudukad St Antony’s Church
The middle of the 18th century. The Catholics of Pudukad and its surrounding areas still depended for their spiritual needs on St John Nepumsyan Church at Parappukkara, which was six kilometers away from Pudukad. (St John Nepumsyan is a saint who became a martyr in 783 AD). It was extremely difficult for the people to reach their parish regularly for the sacraments. The tribulations of the long and arduous journey so worried and depressed them that the 32 Catholic families of Pudukad took a strong decision to build their own church at Pudukad, however hard that might turn out to be. Acute financial shortage and the limited resources were enough to make anyone dejected. However, the small but determined Catholic community began the work on a church, depending solely on the Lord. In no time they completed the building using terracotta blocks, lime, locally available wood and palm fronds. Popular belief has it that the statue of St Antony to be placed in the church in the name of the saint had been brought all the way from Kallorkkad in Kothamangalam diocese. Pudukad got separated from its parent church and was consecrated on 12 February 1764.
7th April 1777 was a golden moment in the history of the church because it was the day the bishop of Kodungalloor, Mar Sarva Dosre, issued the order declaring Pudukad St Antony’s Church as an independent parish. That was a day when the community experienced the visit of the Lord in their midst. The limited number of members in the parish became elated at their great achievement.
Towards the end of the 18th century, there occurred the military expedition of the Mysore Tiger, Tippu Sultan. All the people became terrified and a considerable number of people fled to the eastern hills.
The boundaries of the parish were indeed very wide in the beginning of the 19th century. The parish enveloped the wide area between Kurumalippuzha and Manalippuzha on the side of the Sahya. The membership went on increasing, as the families got multiplied and as new families migrated to the area. The church was entering boldly into the period of its glory and progress. It is believed that in the beginning of the 19th century, the church was renovated in a grand scale. The roof was made of quality palm leaves available here in plenty. The floor was polished with cow dung. The worshippers sat or knelt on palm or bamboo mats spread on the clean floor. The dead were buried inside the church in those days so that they could forever be in a sacred place.
In the olden days, it was common to find the worshippers sharing their produces with others in the church premises after the service. By the beginning of the 19th century the church took the initiative to start a weekly fair on Thursdays on the western slopes of Cheenikkunnu. Agricultural produces started coming to the fair from the eastern hills, from the middle lands, and also from the western areas. In no time the fair grew much and became very popular throughout the area. Pudukad market also flourished. Pudukad was becoming the trade centre of the villages around. In course of time the fair started functioning on Mondays as well. Though a cattle fair was started it had to be stopped for want of good business.
In 1850s, talented artists drew beautiful patterns and colour paintings on the altar, madbaha, and the places where the statues were placed. Famous painter called Gama from Mangalore and his disciples executed wonderful paintings in several churches in Thrissur diocese. The painters stayed in Pudukad for months and did the marvelous paintings that have made Pudukad church known throughout the area. The artists had used only pigments made from plants. When the Madbaha and the altar were demolished in 1961 as part of the renovation work, those unique paintings were lost forever.
In 1858, the Carmelite Monastery (CMI) was built in Elthuruthu. Members of the elder generation had reported that Blessed Chavara Kuriakose Eliasachan (1805-1871) visited Pudukad church soon after the establishment of the CMI ashram and led the sacramental rites. It is a matter of pride to the Pudukad parishioners that the church had the great good fortune of getting his footprints inside it. In those days, the veneration of the Holy Sacrament was there only at the Elthuruthu ashram. Therefore, several parishioners from Pudukad used to go to the distant Elthuruthu very early in the morning on Sundays and return after taking part in the holy mass and the veneration of the Host.
During the rule of heresy under the Padruvado, some parish members deviated from the mainstream and joined the heresy. They built a small church to the south of the main church. It was known as the western church. At the end of Padruvado rule, all of them came back to Catholicism. The small western church was converted into the cemetery and was in use till 1961.
In 1870s, three new parishes got separated from Pudukad parish and established three new churches: Mount Carmel Church, Chengaloor (1870); Rosary Church, western Kalloor (1874); and Assumption Church, Varantharappally (1875). They are now under Pudukad Forane Church.
On 20 May 1887, Thrissur Vicariate came into being as per the order of H.H. Pope Leo XIII. The importance of the Thrissur vicariate was that it was a Syrian vicariate formed exclusively for the Syrian Catholics of the place, liberating them from the administrative mechanism of the Latin hierarchy.
The opening of the Shoranur—Ernakulam railway line in 1902 was an important event in the history of the region. It enabled the people to have easy and smooth contact with the outside world. At around that time the first tea plantation was established at Palappilly. That provided ample job opportunities to the local people. The foreign officials of the tea estate used to come to the Pudukad church on Sunday to take part in the services. Members of the older generation say that they have heard stories of how those foreigners loved to spend time hunting birds in the Keleepadam after the Sunday mass.
Three beautiful bells brought from Paris were placed in the church in 1908. The bells were donated by a parish priest who was very generous, produced sweet and different sounds. The sound of the bells could be heard even at the borders of the parish, at Cheruval in the western border, and beyond Kannampathoor in the east.
Towards the end of the 19th century, tile business started flourishing at Manali. By that time the area had progressed significantly but the church got its tiled roof only after 1910.
The first educational institution under the church had been St Antony’s Anglo Vernacular School which started on 5 June 1917. The school was upgraded into a high school in June 1938 and the first SSLC batch came out in 1941. For five years after the academic year 1953-54, TTC classes were held in the school. In 1971, Thrissur corporate educational agency was formed. The platinum jubilee of the school was celebrated grandly in January 1992. Higher secondary classes started on 24.08.1998. It is now one of the biggest higher secondary schools in the whole state with twenty batches in Plus Two. The newly constructed four-storey building of the school was inaugurated on 11.01.2000. This school, which has been spreading the light of knowledge for about ninety years, has been acknowledged as one of the best and most efficient schools in Thrissur Archdiocese.
Various important events in the history of the church remain fresh in the memory of the people. One such incident was the consecration of the chapel in the name of St Antony built in the western part of the church compound. In 1927 Vengor was separated from the parish and it became an independent parish. It was in 1928-29 that special tiles with beautiful pictures on them were brought from Feroke and laid on the floor of the church.
In 1928, St John of the Cross Convent (belonging to the Carmelite Congregation) was started at Pudukad. The convent has had a significant role to play in the spiritual growth of the parish. The convent started St Xavier’s Lower Primary School in 1929. After a few years it was upgraded into a UP school. Ever since 1981, a parallel college has been run successfully by the convent.
On 18 September 1935 (1111 in the Malayalam era) when the Kochi Maharaja was visiting Thrissur, the parish gave him a warm welcome in front of the church. It was very meaningful because the Maharaja had by then become famous as the Maharaja of Morality.
1938 was an important year in the history of the church. The Alagappa Textile Mill which got inaugurated that year threw up a large number of jib opportunities and people started flooding into Pudukad from various parts of the district. The population showed a tremendous increase and naturally, the membership in the parish also shot up.
It was in 1948, soon after the Independence Day that Pudukad started enjoying the convenience of electric supply. The church was electrified soon afterwards. Telephone connection also came soon.
On 4 May 1958, Catholic Labour Convention was held at Pudukad. In connection with that there was a Eucharist procession from the church to the southern region through the bazaar road. The participants took part in it in the heat of devotion even amidst the heavy downpour. In 1989, the church bought the piece of land where the Eucharist was publicly exhibited and worshipped. It was later developed as St Joseph ground.
In 1961 the madbaha was demolished and the altar was reconstructed. Wing Halls were built on western and northern sides. The new altar is beautiful as well as artistically perfect. The altar which combines Portuguese and Kerala architectural patterns and the 19th century pulpit attract all the visitors even now. During reconstruction the western church had to be destroyed.
Another parish got separated from Pudukad parish in 1965—Chittisserry. In 1976 it became an independent parish.
3 July 1973 was an unforgettable day in the history of Pudukad parish. On that day the parish became a Forane Church. Now the Forane has 18 churches under it and four other churches. Pudukad has undoubtedly become one of the most important churches under the Thrissur diocese.
On 12 December 1982, Palazhy church got separated and consecrated.
In 1982-93, the tall and beautiful façade was demolished and the main hall was lengthened. Asbestos roofing was provided in the place of the tiled roofing. It was a major reconstruction and so the chapel where the Eucharist is placed was demolished. One unfortunate outcome was in fact the loss of several beautiful wall paintings inside the chapel. The reconstruction of one of the mural paintings is exhibited in the new church
When a sub depot of the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation was started at Pudukad on 14 March 1984, the church donated 30 cents of land for the purpose. It was a commendable gesture as it was a common cause and the church had the generosity to serve the public good.
New parishes kept forming out of Pudukad. On 03.07.1985, Snehapuram church was elevated as an independent parish. St Mary’s Church, Nenmanikkara was consecrated on 30.01.1988.
Thrissur Catholics had a red letter day on 7 February 1985 when H. H. Pope John Paul II, popularly known as the apostle of world peace, stepped down in Thrissur. It was a very significant event for all the Catholics in Kerala as the Pope visited the country blessed with the footprints of St Thomas. During the short visit the Holy Father inaugurated the centenary celebrations of Thrissur diocese. Some time back, on 27.08.1995, Thrissur had become an Archdiocese and its bishop was anointed as an archbishop.
It was in 1988-89 that the family units became active in Pudukad parish. Today there are as many as 28 family units in the parish. The aim of the units is to cement the families in unity and Christian fellowship and to encourage the families to lead a true Catholic life. It is hoped that when the families are reformed, the parish will automatically become one united in spiritual strength and Christian love.
In 1991-92, a shopping complex was built in the church compound, facing the railway station road. It has contributed significantly to the income of the parish over the years.
Yet another parish got separated from the Pudukad parish in 1993. On 15 August of that year St Antony’s Church Thoravu was consecrated.
The Vice President of India laid the foundation stone for the Prajyothy Niketan complex on 1 June 1994. On 15 January 1995, the President of India laid the foundation stone for the Prajyothy Niketan Holistic Hospital. The helicopter carrying the President rose into the sky from the St Joseph ground purchase and developed by the parish. In the academic year 1995-96, Prajyothy Niketan Degree College was inaugurated. It is beyond doubt that the institutions managed by the Franciscan Capuchin Order will have a decisive role to play in shaping the educational, cultural and health aspects of Pudukad in the coming years. It is also to be mentioned that in 1996, a Kanyakalayam was established by the Adoration Congregation near the Prajyothy Niketan.
The Zion Parish Hall was inaugurated on 11.12.1994. That satisfied the need for a large hall in Pudukad for weddings, services in connection with deaths, and events like drama or a concert.
It was a sad day for the Pudukad parish when, on 08.09.1996, the vicar Rev Fr George Koonan expired quite unexpectedly while in service here. We here record our genuine grief over his untimely and sad demise.
As most of the letters and figures in the original foundation stone are unintelligible to the viewers, another stone was fixed near the original stone on 10.11.1996. It explains the archaic letters and figures.
On 15 August 1997 more than 1500 teak saplings were planted in the St Joseph ground. They are expected to be of immense value to the parish in the distant future. In order to protect the saplings, a high wall built around the ground and a tall gate has been provided to get into the ground from the National Highway.
The parish bulletin started appearing in January 1997. From the beginning of 1999, the bulletin is published every month and distributed freely to all the houses. It has become a regular feature of the parish.
Right from 1997, the parish enjoys the services of three priests. All the necessary facilities have been provided to them. Now there is holy mass every evening as well.
In 1998, major modifications were effected in the cemetery. 150 new tombs were built and all the tombs were given concrete slabs on top. Fifteen tombs were built exclusively for the eternal rest of the priests from the parish. The modifications have provided the cemetery a serene atmosphere.
In May 2001, an Oottusadya was held for the first time in the history of the parish in connection with the feast of St Antony. The relic of the saint obtained from Padua was given a respectful welcome. Facilities have been provided to allow all to touch the relic and thereby to get the blessings of the saint.
