St. George's Catholic Forane Church, Catholic pilgrimage church in Edappally, Kochi, India
St. George's Catholic Forane Church is a pilgrimage site in Edappally within the Kochi urban area with a main chapel and several connected buildings on an expansive campus. The complex includes modern construction alongside older structures preserved as museums that show visitors the evolution of the site over the centuries.
The site began in the year 593 as a shrine dedicated to the Virgin Mary and was rebuilt and expanded multiple times over the following centuries. The most recent major renovation took place in 2015 and brought new buildings to the grounds while the old structures were preserved.
The annual nine-day celebration honoring Saint George in April draws visitors from different faiths and transforms the grounds into a place of shared devotion. During this time the pathways fill with pilgrims lighting candles and speaking prayers while vendors line the streets offering religious items and flowers.
Services take place regularly on multiple days of the week and are broadcast live so people from outside can participate. The grounds are open to visitors and offer space for prayer and tours through the museum buildings.
A ceremonial well on the grounds holds water that pilgrims regard as healing and draws especially large numbers of visitors during festival days. The museum buildings preserve liturgical objects and documents from earlier centuries and offer insight into the evolution of the site.
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