old time religion

 

(1200 year old Mosque - Original footwashing station)

Today in our tours around south India, mostly Kottayam, we got to visit two of the oldest churches in the country.  The first was St. Mary’s Orthodox Church which was established in 1579.  We toured the main building which was filled with carvings and wood work all of which were over 400 years old.  The alter, or Holy of Holies was covered by a red curtain that when pulled aside revealed a beautiful, ornate space filled with paintings and stone work.  The art, we were told was done without chemicals, only with vegetables and natural dyes and except for the image of Mary holding the baby Jesus, all of the art has remained untouched for 430 years.

                A quick drive around the corner and we had come to St. Mary’s Knanaya Valiyapally, a church that we learned was already 29 years old when the Orthodox church was built.  This church was also filled, especially on the alter with beautiful decorations and icons dating back to its beginning in 1550 and further.  On each side of the alter was a Persian Cross both of which were used on the alter from the church began.  The cross to the right of the alter dated back to the 7^th century and the cross to the left, 4^th century.

                Both of these churches were filled with stories that spanned their 400+ year history and had wonderful things that had been preserved through that time.  The third place we visited had them both beat.  We were allowed to visit and walk through a mosque in South India that was built and established over 1200 years ago.  It was also filled with many carvings and icons that dated back to its origin including the original foot bath, a single stone carved into a basin about 6ft x 6ft.

                The histories alone of these three places of worship were enough to blow my mind.  But even more amazing was that each of these places were still active and thriving.  The two Christian churches still had regular Sunday morning services and each had a “new” wing added on about 200 years ago that fills with worshipers each week.  And that 1200 year old mosque?  Every Friday it is packed with close to 900 men for regular prayer services.  It was certainly a day full of rich religious history.