21/11/2018
St. George Syro-Malabar Catholic Forane Church, popularly known as Edappally Mar Geevarghese Sahada Palli or Edapally Palli is situated in Edappally, Kochi, India.This is one of the oldest churches in India, built in 594 AD. It was originally dedicated to the Virgin Mary, called Marth Mariam in the vernacular. In 1080, a new church was built adjacent to the old church.Every year, a nine-day festival is celebrated here in the month of April - May. The church is also popular among the non-Christians as a pilgrimage center.
This Church was built about 300 years after the martyrdom of Mar Geevarghese. Mar Geevarghese is known to have born in Lod, Syria Palaestina between about 275 AD and 285 AD. He served as a soldier, reaching the rank of Tribunus in the imperial guard of Emperor Diocletian at Nicomedia. He was a believer in Christ and lived his life true to the Scriptures. During the religious persecution of Emperor Diocletian, he stood up for the faith and was put to death.From that time, the soldier became St. George and thousands of churches sprang up all over Europe and parts of the East in the name of St. George. He was officially recognized as the Patron Saint of England.
In due course, the Edappally Church also came to be known as the St. George's Church. The statue of St. George placed prominently for veneration at this church shows the Saint mounted on his horseback with his spear piercing the head of the monstrous serpent lying under the hooves of his horse. It is believed to be symbolic of the faith and courage of the Saint who overpowered the devil. There is also Italian legend that the Saint was rescuing a noble damsel who was offered to the monster as his daily quota of food. St. George is considered by the devotees as a great symbol of popular faith and a dependable source of succour. The church is visited by pilgrims all through the year.
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