Kerala tourism Guide

St Mary’s church known for its serenity and calmness is entombed with the mortal remains of St Alphonsa who attained sainthood. Every year on the occasion of her death anniversary festal celebration is conducted which lasts for nine days. Thousands of devotees visit this shrine during this festival to pray and seek the blessing of this holy saint. The highlight of this festival is that twelve bishops from different dioceses conduct the mass on different days. The belief is that these twelve bishops represent the twelve apostles of Jesus Christ. According to the legend the celebration of the Feast of St Sebastian has some relation with Sree Krishna Temple located nearby because the Kolvilakku (lamp with long handles) used for circumambulation ceremony is similar to the ones used in the temple. Moreover the feast and the arratu of the temple take place at the same time. This small sleepy pilgrim town shot into lime light and received worldwide attention when Pope Benedict XVI canonized sister Alphonsa as a saint at a ceremony in St Peters square in Vatican on 12th October 2008. Every year during the feast thousands of devotees visit this holy shrine next to the church where the mortal remains of St Alphonsa is preserved, to pray and seek her blessings. On the last day of the feast Nercha Appam is distributed to the devotees.