{{primary sources|date=September 2017}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2015}} {{Use Indian English|date=October 2015}} {{Infobox church | name = Saint Peter's and Saint Paul's Orthodox Church, Parumala | image = Parumala Church.jpg | image_size = | imagelink = | alt = | landscape = | caption = St. Peter's and St. Paul's Orthodox Seminary, Parumala | pushpin_map = India | pushpin_label_position = | pushpin_map_alt = | pushpin_mapsize = | map_caption = | coordinates = {{coord|9.3247|76.5369|display=inline,title}} | osgraw = | location = Parumala, Kerala | country = India | denomination = Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church | previous_denomination = | churchmanship = | former_name = | founded = 1895 | founder = Dionysius V, Malankara Metropolitan | dedication = | dedicated = | consecrated = 1895 | events = | status = | functional_status = | heritage_designation = | designated = | architect = Charles Correa | architectural_type = | style = | groundbreaking = | completed = | construction_cost = | closed = | demolished = | capacity = 2000 | length = | width = | height = | materials = | parish = | deanery = | archdeaconry = | archdiocese = | metropolis = | diocese = Niranam Diocese | province = | district = | division = | archbishop = | bishop = H.G Yuhanon Mar Chrysostomos | dean = | succentor = | rector = | vicar = | website = https://www.parumalachurch.org/ | priest = J. Mathukutty, Eldhos Elias | pastor = | abbot = }}
'''St. Peter's and St. Paul's Orthodox Church''' (also known as '''Parumala Pally''' or '''Parumala Seminary''') in Parumala, Thiruvalla Taluk, Pathanamthitta district, Kerala, India, is a pilgrimage centre and mausoleum of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church.
==History== The village of Parumala is a small stretch of land on the shores of the river Pamba. Before the church was built, the Malankara Metropolitan, Pulikkottil Joseph Mar Dionysius II wanted to establish a seminary in the area. In 1885 a two-acre plot of land was donated by Arikupurathu Mathen Karnavar to Mar Dionysius. With the land there was already a temporary church built by the Arikupurathu Family. Chathurithiyil Geevarghese Mar Gregorios decided to rebuild the temporary church into a more befitting and beautiful church.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2017-12-03|title="50 Stars of Christmas" :Parumala Church, Kerala - Symbol of Syrian Orthodox Traditions Religion World|url=https://www.religionworld.in/50-stars-christmas-parumala-churchkerala-symbol-syrian-orthodox-traditions/|access-date=2020-09-01|website=Religion World|language=English}}</ref>
Mar Gregorios used the personal gifts he received as well as the donations from parishes to build a church and adjoining seminary building. On the feast of the Mother of God, Gregorios temporarily consecrated the church and celebrated the divine Eucharist in the presence of Mar Dionysius V (Pulikkottil Joseph Mar Dionysius II).<ref>{{Cite web|date=2017-12-03|title="50 Stars of Christmas" :Parumala Church, Kerala - Symbol of Syrian Orthodox Traditions Religion World|url=https://www.religionworld.in/50-stars-christmas-parumala-churchkerala-symbol-syrian-orthodox-traditions/|access-date=2020-09-01|website=Religion World|language=English}}</ref>
The first building was called "Azhippura" and was used for teaching church functionaries for the Orthodox Church, including providing lessons in Syriac. Dionysius eventually passed the responsibility for the seminary to Mar Gregorios in order to carry on the Syriac teaching sessions more efficiently and also to help him in other church matters.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Parumala Church, Kerala|url=https://www.p4panorama.com/Gallery.aspx/parumala-church-orthodox-kerala-360/|access-date=2020-09-01|website=p4panorama}}</ref> The Church is dedicated to the Apostles Peter and Paul.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2017-12-03|title="50 Stars of Christmas" :Parumala Church, Kerala - Symbol of Syrian Orthodox Traditions Religion World|url=https://www.religionworld.in/50-stars-christmas-parumala-churchkerala-symbol-syrian-orthodox-traditions/|access-date=2020-09-01|website=Religion World|language=English}}</ref>
==Gregorios of Parumala== [[File:Raja Ravi Varma, Gheevarghese Mar Gregorios of Parumala (1905).jpg|thumb|left|150px|Gregorios of Parumala (1905 portrait)]] The church contains the tomb of the first canonized Christian saint from India,<ref name=thehindu_03Nov>{{cite news|title=114th feast of St. Gregorios celebrated|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/114th-feast-of-St.-Gregorios-celebrated/article16091207.ece|accessdate=1 December 2020|work=The Hindu|date=3 November 2016}}</ref><ref name=dna_18Mar>{{cite news|title=1Relics of saint to be installed in Ahmedabad church|url=https://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-relics-of-saint-to-be-installed-in-ahmedabad-church-1663992|accessdate=1 December 2020|work=DNA India|date=18 March 2012}}</ref> Gregorios of Parumala,<ref>{{Cite web|title=St. Gregorios Of Parumala – Metropolitan Geevarghese Mar Gregorios{{!}}|url=http://mosc.in/saints/st-gregorios-of-parumala-metropolitan-geevarghese-mar-gregorios|access-date=2020-09-01|website=mosc.in}}</ref> who died on 2 November 1902 at the age of 54.<ref>{{Cite news|date=2019-11-01|title=Hundreds pray at saint’s tomb|language=en-IN|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/hundreds-pray-at-saints-tomb/article29857468.ece|access-date=2020-09-01|issn=0971-751X}}</ref> In 1947 he was declared a saint by Baselios Geevarghese II, the then Catholicos of the East and Malankara Metropolitan, and the church became a pilgrimage centre.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Verghese|first=Abraham|date=2012-05-18|title=Going on Faith|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/18/t-magazine/travel/going-on-faith-in-kerala.html|access-date=2020-09-01|issn=0362-4331}}</ref>
==Building== The church, which can accommodate more than 2000 worshipers, was designed by Charles Correa.<ref>[http://parumalachurch.org/church-reconstruction-project-design/ Parumala Church Reconstruction]</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2015-06-18|title=Inspiration in brick and mortar: Architects talk about Charles Correa|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/art-and-culture/inspiration-in-brick-and-mortar-architects-talk-about-charles-correa/story-KoDYMa2yrhxk5aj0H7XbsL.html|access-date=2020-09-01|website=Hindustan Times|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Charles Correa, legendary Indian architect, dies at 84|url=https://archinect.com/news/article/129791024/charles-correa-legendary-indian-architect-dies-at-84|access-date=2020-09-01|website=Archinect|language=en}}</ref> It is a circle with an inner diameter of 39 meters, divided into three segments by two chords of 16 meters length.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Desk|first=India TV News|date=2014-09-21|title=Five most famous churches in India|url=https://www.indiatvnews.com/news/india/five-most-famous-churches-in-india-42270.html|access-date=2020-09-01|website=www.indiatvnews.com|language=en}}</ref>
In 2018 the main altar wall of the church was adorned with a large icon painting.<ref>{{Cite web|title=മലങ്കരയിലെ ഏറ്റവും വലിയ ഐക്കണ് പെയിന്റിംഗ് പരുമലയില്|url=https://www.kvartha.com/2018/10/biggest-icon-painting-in-malankara-is.html|access-date=2020-09-01|website=KVARTHA: MALAYALAM NEWS {{!}} KERALA NEWS {{!}} KERALA VARTHA {{!}} ENTERTAINMENT ചുറ്റുവട്ടം മലയാളം വാര്ത്തകൾ}}</ref>
==Gallery== {{commons category|Parumala Church}} <gallery> File:ParumalaChurch InsideView.jpg|Interior of Parumala church File:Parumala-Church-Front.jpg|Front view of the church File:Azhippura1.jpg|''Azhippura'' - Small building where Mar Gregorios stayed in Parumala </gallery>
==References== {{Reflist}} == External links == * {{official website|https://www.parumalachurch.org/}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Saint Peter and Saint Paul's Church, Parumala}} Category:Churches in Pathanamthitta district Category:Malankara Orthodox Syrian church buildings Category:Churches completed in 1895 Category:19th-century churches in India Category:19th-century Oriental Orthodox church buildings