CHURCHES  &  MONASTERIES

Kothamangalam

ST. YELDHO MOR BASELIOS CHAPEL


This Chapel is situated on the banks of Kothamangalam river in the village of Kozhippilli where the Saintly Yeldho Mor Baselios Bava met an Hindu Gentleman (a Nair youth from Chakkala family) who guided him to the nearby Marthoma Cheriapally. It is one of the important chapels of the Kothamangalam Church.

Excerpts from the biography of Mor Baselios Yeldho Bava:

"It was towards the end of August, or early September, 1685, Maphriyono Mor Baselios Yeldho Bava and his entourage (natives of Karakosh near Mosul in Iraq) who were on a mission to India on the advise of the Holy Patriarch of Antioch reached Pallivasal near Munnar. (The name Pallivasal came after Bava offered Holy Qurbono at the place). From their the Saintly Bava, accompanied by the Episcopa Ivanios, came to Kozhippilli village near Kothamangalam. When they came to know that they had reached populated areas, Bava decided that it was unwise for both to travel together any further. He therefore asked the Episcopa to climb a tree and hide himself while the Saint proceeded on foot for reconnaissance. When the holy father reached the banks of Kothamangalam river at Chakkalakudy he saw a Nair (Hindu) Gentleman who was tending cattle there. Through symbols they communicated and the man told Bava that there was a Church nearby. 

Bava asked the fellow to accompany him to the church. The man expressed his inability to do so since he could not abandon the cattle. The Saintly Bava took his walking stick and drew a big circle on the ground. Then he asked the man to take all the cattle into that circle. He waited for some more time to see how the cattle behaved and he found that they were not leaving the boundary of the circle. He realised that Mor Baselios Yeldho was a saintly father. The man's sister was at that time in labour pains. He told the Bava about the difficult situation. When the Saint asked for some water with a view to bless it, the man thought that he was asking for water to quench thirst and he tried to climb a coconut tree nearby. The tree began to bend ! The man took two tender coconuts from the tree and gave them to the Saint. The Saint blessed one of the tender coconuts and asked the man to rush home and make his sister drink the juice. While Bava waited at the same spot, after about one hour the man returned with the good news that his sister had given birth to a boy. Greater surprise was in store for him, since the cattle had not moved out of the circle. The man gladly accompanied the Saint to the church. While they got into the river to cross it, some children who were swimming in the river tried to throw pebbles at the Saint.  Somehow instead of throwing pebbles they ended up following the Saint and his companion. The holy father finally reached the church on Kanni 11th."

Inside view of the Chapel

 

Pilgrim Centre

A cross was established in this place where Mor Baselios Yeldho Bava met the Nair Youth from 'Chakkala' family which subsequently came to be known as 'Chakkalakudy'. The site is hardly a kilometer away from the Marthoma Cheriapally. People who visits the Holy Tomb during festival days used to visit this place as well. In remembrance to the instance of guiding Mor Yeldho Bava to the church by the Nair (Hindu) Youth, one of his family members are still given the privilege to hold the traditional lamp of the church and lead the 'Rassa' (traditional Church procession) to the church on the festival day of the saint.

In the year 2003 a beautiful chapel was constructed at this place where the Cross stood. The Moroon consecration of this chapel was held on 22nd and 23rd August 2003. His Beatitude the Catholicos Aboon Mor Baselios Thomas I, assisted by Metropolitans of the Malankara Church led the divine ceremony. 

The Holy Qurbono is celebrated in this chapel on every Thursdays, the day the holy father St. Yeldho Mor Baselios Bava, arrived here in August 1685.

 
Main Entrance to the Chapel
 
The altars dedicated to St.Mary (left), St. Baselios  Yeldho (centre) and St.Ignatius Elias III (right)

 


 

This is not an official site of St. Yeldho Mor Baselios Chapel, Kothamangalam