St Mary's Orthodox Church, Kallooppara

St Mary's Orthodox Church is a place of worship in Kallooppara featuring traditional Kerala woodwork, carved stone details, and wall paintings depicting biblical stories. The interior also displays religious icons spanning multiple centuries, showing the skilled craftsmanship of local artisans.

The church was founded in 1339 when the Edappalli king witnessed a funeral procession and granted land to establish a worship site for local Christians. This moment marked the beginning of a significant religious center in the region.

The church maintains Syrian Orthodox traditions through regular services and festivals that connect worshippers to their ancient Christian roots. Visitors can experience how these practices shape the community's identity and spiritual life today.

The church is accessible to visitors and can be reached on foot from Kallooppara, with the best times to visit being outside of regular services and festival days. It is helpful to check ahead about any special ceremonies happening during your planned visit.

Before this church was built, local Christians had to travel 13 kilometers by boat across two rivers to reach another church in Niranam for worship. This difficult journey shows how crucial this new place of worship became for the community.