Located 52km from Kochi, the Malayatoor shrine is situated atop the 609m high Malayatoor hill. The hilltop shrine where one of the 12 apostles of Jesus Christ, St. Thomas, is believed to have spent many days in prayer, is the only shrine in India which has been given the prestigious status by the Vatican.Following the declaration, the Malayatoor shrine now occupies a place among other famous Christian shrines like the Lady of Lourdes shrine in France.
The Malayatoor shrine attracts about four million pilgrims every year especially during the lent season that falls in April during Good Friday.The Church has a life-size statue of St. Thomas and the imprint of the feet of the Apostle on a rock.At Malayatoor, the first Sunday after Easter is considered to be a very important day. Pilgrims, chanting the name of the Apostle ('Ponninkurisumala Muthappa'), climb the steep Kurisumudi hill to visit the holy shrine.
According to local folklore, when St Thomas reached Malayattoor (meaning:where ...more

Mallyatoor

Malaytoor