This church is also known as the “Second Manjanikkara” after the entombment of the holy relics of the Bava in October1985. The history of this church is associated with the out break of an epidemic in the area during the year 1931. Consequent to this spread over of small pox _____the horrible epidemic disease_____some of the villagers of Maikad and Cheriavappalassery died . Following this unhappy
event, the believers residing in the above villages gathered together and approached H.G. Poulose Mar Athanasios The ArchBishop of Malankara, under the leadership of deacon Chandy Mangattompillil and sought the help of the Bishop . The Bishop after offering the Holy Mass in the ancient Mar Sabore Afroth Church at Akapparambu, came to cheriavappalassery in procession with a large crowd and established the consecrated holy wooden cross on first august 1931, in open space in the Name of the holy father IGNATIUS NOORONO. This wooden cross, now covered with stainless steel is still in existence in the monumental “Kurisinthotti” in front of the church.. The establishment of the wooden cross had improved the faith and devotion of the people to God. At that time, some family members about thirty three in number belonging to the above villages met the Archbishop H.G. Poulse Mor Athanasios and submitted before him the necessity of constructing a chapel for prayers and conducting worship especially during the fifty days of fasting and Lent. When matters were thus proceeding , the historic event that took place in Malankara was the sad demise of Moran Mor Ignatius Elias III, The Patriarch of Antioch on twelfth February 1932. The holy Bava was visiting the churches in Malankara disregarding his ill health to bring peace and harmony among believers by amicably settling disputes on several issues that was damaging the growth of jacobite church in Malankara . The believers in cheriavappalassery embraced Bava in their soul.The Archbishop also thought it good to name the chapel after the Name of Bava. Thus the chapel was blessed by Mar Athanasios Metropolitan on 1-8-1932 in The Name of H.H Moran Mor Ignatius Elias III, Whose body was buried in the tomb at Manjanikkara .Later this chapel was raised to the status of a parish church in the year 1967 by the late H.G. Geevargese Mor Gregorios , the then metropolitan of Angamaly Diocese.
