Chandanapally Valiyapally (St. George Orthodox Church, Pathanamthitta)

It is marked as one of the biggest churches in South India. A visit to St. George Orthodox Church in Chandanapally honors the knight who slew the dragon snake, St. George, the patron saint of England. This church’s main attraction and shelter is the Kalkurishu or cross carved from stone that has carvings of saints and angels. No matter what caste, creed, faith, or color someone is, they will be rewarded in this church where St. George is sheltering. As a result, many pilgrims who believe in St. George’s healing powers are non-Christians.

The famous Chandanapally festival is held every year on May 7th and 8th and attracts thousands of pilgrims. The festival requires the picking of copper vessels, a ritual known as Chembuduppu. It is located at Chandanapally in Pathanamthitta, 9 km from Pathanamthitta, and is a major pilgrimage center as well as a sacred Orthodox church.

Chandanapally is literally known as the home of sandalwood trees as a village. There used to be snakes of all shapes and sizes crawling all over this area. In the darkness, not just snakes but ghosts, demons, and other dangers lurked. The village residents looked up to the saint for protection. And the rest was history. The year 1810 marked the construction of the first church in Chandanapally. Reconstruction was carried out in 2000 with the huge size of the structure being one of its most notable features. Gothic towers, sculptures in Christian, Muslim, and Hindu styles, and a Persian roof complete the church’s features. As with the Roman Basilica, the new church structure has a similar design.

Mass Timings:
05.45 PM Daily
07.15 AM – 08.15 AM on Sunday
10 AM on Friday