HISTORY

The area called Pavaratty There are many speculations behind the name of this locality. Some may doubt relations with "Paav – Roti", Andhra Bread. Again many others try to find out a connection between this locality and the English word – ‘poverty’. But the older generation is for another view. In old days there were many looms in and around this area. The weavers of this locality used to run the shuttle twice (Paav) twisting the time of thread – "Paav" – put twice (iratty). Anyhow this locality had a significant role in various fields. In architecture, we find "Pavaratty Finish". It is the marble (mirror) finish work done with verily coloured cement coatings that brought this term. The workers of Pavaratty are very much skilled in this art and it was done throughout Kerala by the workers from here. Again, we may find a name in the past, related to pavaratty–Kavalapara. It denotes the present ‘Pavaratty Centre’. There was a police post here and hence the name came to be used. Pavaratty has been by three Christian Religious Congregations : the CMI CMC and SABS. The CMI and CMC serve Pavaratty especially in the field of education; whereas the SABS administer the Hospital. was under the ChittattukaraChittattukara In ancient times Chittattukara was an important trade-centre and a significantly self-sufficient society had been formed here. When the Christian community developed beyond Palayoor, another church was founded at Mattom and subsequently at North Pudukad and Chittattukara. A large area including Pavaratty and Peruvallur was in Chittattukara Parish. didn't pay any heed to the request of the people from Pavaratty regarding the time of ceremonies and they decided to build a church on their own at PalayurIt is at Palayur that the first Christian church got founded by St. Thomas in AD 52. So Palayur is the cradle of Holy Christian faith in India. St Thomas was one of the twelve intimate disciples of Jesus Christ. After the Ascension of Christ, they were blessed by Holy sprit in the virtues of fortitude and courage and they set out to various parts of the world to proclaim the Christian message.Church was all in support of the venture of the Pavaratty people and allowed them to complete a church with thatched palm - splints and coconut tree-pillars. The simple structure was blessed on the 13th April 1876, on a Maundy Thursday. Without delay, they set out to construct a permanent structure and it was completed in 1880, and the miraculous statue was placed with honour on the main altar.

THE RENOVATIONS OF THE CHURCH

The church that was blessed in 1880 had only a hall and Pavaratty became a pilgrim centre, space of the hall too meagre to accommodate the faithful; consequently two extensions were effected - one in 1934 and the other in 1961. In 1934, a spacious hall got attached, facing the main altar from the southern side, in 1961 another one from the Northern side. These extensions proved themselves to be falling short of expectations and the present church (The Centenary Memento) was the wish fulfillment. Mar Joseph Kundukulam Mar Joseph Kundukulam alias "the father of the poor" had been the Asst. Vicar at Pavaratty for more than nine years. Even when he was a junior priest he had been endowed with the virtues of concern for the poor and love for the afflicted. To bring solace to the suffering he designed various projects and every one of them has been a milestone in uplifting the down-trodden. They include a number of orphanages for women and children, houses for the aged, settlements for the Lepers and Cancer patients, Special schools for the handicapped, Rehabilitation scheme for the AIDS patients etc.of Happy Memory, Bishop of Thrissur blessed the foundation stone of the new church on 15th August 1975. The consecration ceremony was mastered by Mar Joseph Kundukulam, assisted by Mar Sebastian Valloppilly, Bishop of Thalassery and Mar Joseph Irimpan of Palakkad. The main altar of the old church is kept unmoved and around it the spacious non- pillared structure of 12500 Sq.ft. has been built. The spirit and enthusiasm of V. Rev. Fr. Zacharias Pudussery and the service mindedness of the people helped for the successful completion of the church.

THE HOLY STATUE

The Holy statue of St Joseph was brought from the ever-known codar co., Cochin by a parishioner, Olakkengil Maani who is still in our happy memory, and subsequently was placed in the Main altar of the first permanent church that was completed in 1880. Although since then the statue has been blessing all with miracles by way of granting of wishes, the particular veneration began and the church came to be known as a pilgrim center in 1930s.

THE CONSECRATION CEREMONY