The St. Mary's Bethlehem Simhasana church at Thrikkothamangalam near Kottayam was established by the former Metropolitan of Malankara Theological Seminary, Mor Thimotheos Yakub Parayakulath, on 26th January 1975.  The church is located in the ancestral property of the late Metropolitan.  At the time of the founding of this church the Metropolitan was serving the St. James church at Thrikothamangalam as its parish Priest (Kassisso P P Yakub).  The unpleasant events that happened in that parish following the Church schisms of 1970's made Kassisso Yakub to think about leaving the church where he was serving for 33 years.  A sizeable section of the Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Christians tried to discourage him from such drastic actions,  but the Kassisso proceeded with his earlier decision.  Thus begins the history of the Simhasana church at Thrikkothamangalam. 

The foundation stone for the new church building was laid on 2nd February 1975 by Metropolitan Mor Gregorios Geevarghese (Perumpilly Thirumeni) of Kottayam diocese.  Mor Thimotheos Yakub who was only a priest at that time, was consecrated Metropolitan four years later on 10th April 1979 and was appointed as the first principal of the Malankara Syrian Orthodox Theological Seminary at Udayagiri near Mulanthuruthy by the Malankara Episcopal Synod.  The Bethlehem church at Thrikothamangalam was reconstructed by Mor Thimotheos later.

On 10th February 1986 Metropolitan Mor Thimotheos Yakub passed away and was entombed in the Haik'lo (nave) of the church on 11th.  The sacred tomb of Mor Thimotheos made this small church grew into a pilgrim centre where people form various caste and creed visit and pray for his mediation. A library and a meditation centre is established in the church compound in memory of the late Metropolitan.

The mortal remains of Rev. Fr. Kuriakose Paraekulathu (Babu Achen, 1944-2002) who was the vicar and administrator of St. Mary's Bethlehem church, and Rev. Fr. Jesus Kadiamthuruthel who was the Vicar of the St. George Jacobite Syrian church at Puthuppally (Puthuppally Valiyapally) are interred in the cemetery of this church.

Inside view of the church, the Sacred tomb and the belongings of Metropolitan Mor Thimotheos Yakub

Mor Thimotheos Meditation centre and the church surroundings

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