St. Joseph's Syro-Malabar Church, Meenkunnam

St. Joseph's Syro-Malabar Catholic Church
St. Joseph's Syro-Malabar Catholic Church
St. Joseph's Syro-Malabar Catholic Church, Meenkunnam
Location Meenkunnam, Muvattupuzha
Country India
Denomination Syro-Malabar Catholic Church
History
Founded 1921
Founder(s) Mar Varghese Payyappilly Palakkappilly[1]
Dedication Saint Joseph
Consecrated 1925
Past bishop(s) Mar George Punnakkottil
Architecture
Functional status Active
Administration
Diocese Syro-Malabar Catholic Eparchy of Kothamangalam[2]
Synod Syro-Malabar
District Ernakulam
Clergy
Archbishop Mar George Alancherry
Bishop(s) Mar George Madathikandathil

St. Joseph's Syro-Malabar Catholic Church is situated in Meenkunnam village, 6 km from Muvattupuzha, India. It was founded by Venerable Mar Varghese Payyappilly Palakkappilly in 1921.[3] The church belongs to the Syro-Malabar Catholic Diocese of Kothamangalam.

History

Founder, Mar Varghese Payyappilly Palakkappilly

Meenkunnam village has a large population of Syrian Catholics. These Nasrani Christians, who were previously under Marth Mariam Syro-Malabar Catholic Forane Church, Arakuzha, have more than 1500 years of recorded history.[4]

A main landmark of Meenkunnam is a copy of Michelangelo's Pietà, which was created by the artist Appukuttan. This sculpture at Meenkunnam is roughly 4 times the size of the original Pietà, located at the St. Peter's Basilica, Vatican City. Owing to its size, the artist could make a compromise on intricate details and created a sculpture lacking realism, ideal beauty, harmony and balance observed in the original sculpture which showcases a balance of Renaissance ideals of classical beauty with naturalism.

References

  1. ↑ Deepika newspaper article
  2. ↑ http://www.kothamangalamdiocese.org/home/parish/626
  3. ↑ Payyappilly Palakkappilly Varghese Kathanar Archived 2011-07-17 at the Wayback Machine.
  4. ↑ "Ancient Churches, Stone Crosses of Kerala- Saint Thomas Cross, Nazraney Sthambams and other Persian Crosses | NSC NETWORK". nasrani.net. Retrieved 2014-06-06.

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