St. Peter's and St. Paul's Orthodox Syrian Church or 'Kolenchery Church' (Malayalam: കോലഞ്ചേരി പള്ളി) is aMalankara Orthodox Syrian Church church situated inKolenchery, in Ernakulam, Kerala, India. It was built by Thankan Mappila of the Kolenchery House in 9th century CE (7th century inMalayalam Calendar).[1]
Due to thedispute between theMalankara Orthodox Syrian Church andJacobite Syrian Christian Church, the church was non-functional for few years and functioned as shared church from 1995. In 2006 a Jacobite member of the Kolenchery Church filed a suit over the administration of the church. The case proceeded from the lower courts and reached theSupreme Court of India. On 3 July 2017 the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church, and the church has since been governed by the constitution of 1934.[2]
Currently the parish serves 1,620 families making up 6,530 members in Kolenchery. This church's filial parish of Saint George Orthodox Church in Kottoor has 300 families and over 1,200 members.[3]
In 345 AD, a family known as 'those who came from Syria' came along withThomas of Cana and settled in the merchant centre ofKozhenchery. A branch of this family settled in Kandanad and later on in Elamkulam for business purposes. As this family came from Kozhenchery they came to be known as the 'Kolenchery family' and since this family established it, the church came to be known as 'Kolenchery church'.
While visiting the parishes, theMar Thoma VII died at Kandanad Church; his body was taken toSt. George's Church, Kadamattom and on the way they entered to Kolenchery Church to pay homage. As Kolenchery Church[4] was also his quarters for some time, the parishioners demanded that the body be buried there. It was agreed and Mar Thoma VII was buried at Kolenchery church on 22nd Mithunam (5 July), 1809.[5]
