Holy Cross Shrine Mapranam
Encyclopedia
Holy Cross Shrine Mapranam , Thrissur
is one of the few churches in Asia
which has received the relic of the Holy Cross
, part of the Holy blood of Jesus Christ and a piece of the towel used by Veronica
to wipe the face of Jesus Christ,during the journey of the Passion, all donated from Vatican by the order of the Pope Leo XIII
. Believed to have been constructed in AD 928, it is one of the oldest churches not only in Kerala
state, India
, but also in India. North of it lies Karuvannur River, the Arattupuzha Temple and the churches of Pallissery and Panamkulam.
The Church is a part of Irinjalakuda
diocese and is a historically and archeologically renowned pilgrim centre. It was recently renovated and attracts worshippers beyond religious barriers.
The offering of candles is the main ritual here and the annual ceremony is called Thirithelikkal (Candle Lighting). A candle made at this Church has been included in the Limca Book of Records
as the largest candle in India. According to the book the candle has a weight of 1,079 kg and a height of 22 ft. On September 14 every year Christians all over the world celebrate the Exaltation of the Holy Cross and this same day Mapranam Church celebrates the main feast in the name of the Holy Cross.
Thrissur
This article is about the city in India. For the district, see Thrissur district. For the urban agglomeration area of Thrissur see Thrissur Metropolitan Area...
is one of the few churches in Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
which has received the relic of the Holy Cross
True Cross
The True Cross is the name for physical remnants which, by a Christian tradition, are believed to be from the cross upon which Jesus was crucified.According to post-Nicene historians, Socrates Scholasticus and others, the Empress Helena The True Cross is the name for physical remnants which, by a...
, part of the Holy blood of Jesus Christ and a piece of the towel used by Veronica
Saint Veronica
Saint Veronica or Berenice, according to the "Acta Sanctorum" published by the Bollandists , was a pious woman of Jerusalem who, moved with pity as Jesus carried his cross to Golgotha, gave him her veil that he might wipe his forehead...
to wipe the face of Jesus Christ,during the journey of the Passion, all donated from Vatican by the order of the Pope Leo XIII
Pope Leo XIII
Pope Leo XIII , born Vincenzo Gioacchino Raffaele Luigi Pecci to an Italian comital family, was the 256th Pope of the Roman Catholic Church, reigning from 1878 to 1903...
. Believed to have been constructed in AD 928, it is one of the oldest churches not only in Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
state, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, but also in India. North of it lies Karuvannur River, the Arattupuzha Temple and the churches of Pallissery and Panamkulam.
The Church is a part of Irinjalakuda
Irinjalakuda
Irinjalakuda is a municipal town situated in the Thrissur district of Kerala, India. It is famous for the sprawling Koodalmanikyam Temple that has Bharata as the main deity and the St Thomas Cathedral in the heart of the City...
diocese and is a historically and archeologically renowned pilgrim centre. It was recently renovated and attracts worshippers beyond religious barriers.
The offering of candles is the main ritual here and the annual ceremony is called Thirithelikkal (Candle Lighting). A candle made at this Church has been included in the Limca Book of Records
Limca Book of Records
Limca Book of Records is a record book of Indian origin. First published in 1990, when the Limca Brand was owned by Parle Group. The book continued to be published by Coca-Cola, when they bought the Limca Brand. The 20th edition of this book was released by Amitabh Bachchan in March 2009...
as the largest candle in India. According to the book the candle has a weight of 1,079 kg and a height of 22 ft. On September 14 every year Christians all over the world celebrate the Exaltation of the Holy Cross and this same day Mapranam Church celebrates the main feast in the name of the Holy Cross.