All you need to know about Arthunkal Church in Alleppey

A seaside church, yet another pilgrim site in southern India, comes under the heritage site as well. An ultimate site for pilgrims and history enthusiastic. This church has numerous historical marvels one can unveil after visiting this place, engulfed with traditions, tales, serenity, beauty and divinity. Arthunkal St. Andrew Basilica is considered to be one of the largest shrines of St. Sebastian’s around the world.

Arthunkal Veluthachan is the one who established this shrine, firstly it was just a wooden structure back then in 1541, since then it was renovated several times, and now it is one of the exemplary architecture.

Located near 21 km from the main city of Alappuzha, it is believed that Portuguese missionaries have rebuilt this piece of a structure into the architectural marvel by the 16th century. For the tourist, the ritual of having Annual Feast namely “Arthunkal Perunnal” is popular among the devotees from every part of the world.

January is the important month for the father of the church as well as the devotees and visitors, who so ever be the part of Arthunkal Perunnal as this feast fall in the same month, it’s a ten-day annual feast and as a prime practice the statue of St. Sebastian is taken for the procession to beach and brings back to the church. And on the last day of the event devotees crawl on their knees all the way from the beach to the church. For the travellers who experience and who are about to experience this feast is going to be a lifetime memory!