Paliakkara Church, Thiruvalla

Paliakkara Church, a legendary place of worship for the Syrian Christians from all over the nation coexists with the Sri Vallabha temple of Hindus. The history of the Paliakkara church is dated back to the arrival of St Thomas to Kerala in A.D 54.

The uniqueness of its architecture and the breathtaking beauty of its sculptures, especially the murals on the eastern wall of the altar are the main attractions. Among the carved latticed walls of this church lie many tales of struggles embarked to establish and spread religion and to undertake various social movements.

Interestingly, many festivities celebrated here are parallel to that of the Sri Vallabha Temple; one can see and feel the confluence of the cultures of Hinduism and Christianity through this phenomenon. For example, the ten-day fest celebrated at the church in the month of April and May is similar to the festival celebrated at the temple.