Mother Of God Cathedral

Located close to Beach Road, this church is locally known as Valiyapally and is the headquarters of the Roman Catholic congregation in Malabar. This church has historical significance that goes back to 1513 when the Portuguese entered into a treaty with the Zamorins. In fact it is the Portuguese who built a factory here and also a church, dedicated to Virgin Mary of Immaculate Conception. The church was called Matrei Dei (‘Mater Dei’ is Latin for ‘Mother of God’) and signalled a new era for the Catholic congregation of Calicut Diocese. The church has been renovated in 1599 and 1724. It was in 1923 that the church became the Cathedral of the Diocese of Calicut. The Gothic Cathedral was designed by Italian architects and the curved arches on the doors and windows have Italian influences. The neo-Roman architectural style is evident in the façade flanked by lofty square towers. The church wall has as a 200-year-old portrait of St. Mary which is a big draw. The interiors of the church is a stunning combination of white and brown and the chapel adjoining has a stone cross struck in bas relief on granite with a Portuguese inscription and is worshipped even today. The three beautifully carved wooden doors at the entrance has intricate detailing. A school is adjacent to the church and while I was here, I even saw a beautiful church wedding so the experience was perfect.