HISTORY

Knanaya Syrian Christians or Southists belonging to the Archeparchy of Kottayam are the people who are looked at with a sense of astonishment by the others in the Syro-Malabar church. It was in 1943 that the organized knanaya migration took place from Travancore to Alex Nagar Colony Madampam in Kannur district with abundant blessings of Bishop Alexander Choolaparambil. The people belonging to the diocese of Kottayam started residing near the banks of the Payyavoor River. St. Sebastian’s Church was established in 1943 and the number of immigrants started increasing with the formation of parish. The foundation stone was laid for the church at Payyavoor town on 3 July 1977. St. Anne’s Church was established at Town by the vibrant leadership of Rev. Fr. Thomas Tharayil together with the whole-hearted co-operation of the parishioners. The church was consecrated on 23 April 1982 by Mar Kuriakose Kunnacherry the erstwhile Bishop of Kottayam in the presence of Mar. Sebastian Valloppallil of the diocese of Thalassery. The jurisdiction of the parish was decided and it covered areas of Uppupadanna, Parakkadavu, Payyavoor, Chundaparamba, Vembuva, Eruvessi, Kunnathoor, Paisakkiri, Chandanakkampara, Kanjirakkolli, Padamkavala, Shanthinagar and it was declared as an independent parish on 1 January 1983 and Fr. Jacob Thadathil was appointed as the first vicar.

A unit of the Caritas Secular Institute was established shortly. Fr. Sunny Karithuruthel, Fr. Jose Cherusseri, Fr. Joseph Ezharath, Fr. Jose Chakkalaykkal, Fr. Thomas Adoppillil, Fr. James Cheruvil, Fr. Abraham Tharathattel, Fr. Stephen Vettuvelil, Fr. Jacob Mulloor, Fr. Winson Kuruttuparambil and Fr. Suni Padinjarekkara served the parish as vicars in the following years. Various pious associations were formed such as Association of Holy Childhood, Cherupushpa Mission League, Knanaya Catholic Youth League, Knanaya Catholic Congress, Knanaya Catholic Women’s Association, St. Vincent de-Paul Society, Malabar Social Service Society and Senior Citizens’ Association. St. Anne’s Sunday School was started. A nursery school was established by the parish. A vault was constructed. Chapels were established at Uppupadanna, Parakkadavu and Ponnumparamba. Jaigiri Church was erected at Chandanakkampara. A parish hall, Priests’ Residence and Shopping Complex were constructed. In 1983, there were 150 families in the parish and now it has become more than 450 in 15 wards.

Visitation Convent was started and St. Anne’s English Medium School was established which accelerated the spiritual and educational growth of the locality. When Fr. Jacob Mulloor was serving as the vicar of the parish, it was decided to reconstruct the church as the space was not proportionate to the number of parishioners. The decision was taken after a long time of prayer and discussions. The foundation stone was laid for the new church on 11 April 2007 by Archbishop Mar Mathew Moolakkattu. Fr. Jacob Mulloor got transferred in the mean time and Fr. Winson Kuruttuparambil took charge and resumed the construction. The sacrifice of the sweat of the immigrants, the beauty of the religious harmony and the joy of love and co-operation fulfilled the dream of the new church as the memorial of the Silver Jubilee of the parish. It was consecrated on 28 April 2011 by Mar Mathew Moolakkattu and Mar Joseph Pandarasseril.

The completion of the parish hall was found inevitable for the financial stability and pastoral services and it was carried out under the leadership of Fr. Suni Padinjarekkara and blessed on 5 April 2013. He got transferred in May 2014 and Fr. Thomas Kochuputhepura took charge as the new vicar.