5/5 Divya Jose T. 6 years ago on Google
Malayattoor
Kurisumudy
is
an
international
pilgrim
centre
of
St.
Thomas
the
Apostle.
Kurisumudy
is
a
mountain
at
Maiayattoor,
1269
'Ft.
above
sea
level.
Pilgrims
come
to
Malayattoor
Kurisumudy
all
through
the
year
but
they
come
in
large
numbers
during
the
Lenten
season,
especially
the
holy
week
–
largest
numbers
come
on
Maundy
Thursday
and
Good
Friday.
The
main
feast
is
on Puthunjayar (new
Sunday)
the
feast
of
the
proclamation
of
Jesus
as
Lord
and
God
by
St.
Thomas
the
Apostle.
Malayattoor
pilgrimage
(Climbing
Kurisumudy)
is
done
as
a
vow
in
reparation
of
sins.
A
lot
of
devotees
come
to
the
shrine
carrying
crosses
and
walking
hundreds
of
Kilometers.
Some
of
the
crosses
weight
more
than
75
Kilograms.
Pilgrims
climb
the
mountain
praying
the
Way
of
the
Cross
and
chanting.
When
the
pilgrims
climb
the
mountain
they
chant
"Ponnin
Kurisu
Mala
Muthappo
Ponmalakayattam".
"Muthappan"
is
the
name
by
which
the
devotes
invoke
St.
Thomas
on
the
mountain.
Some
pilgrims
carry
stones
on
their
heads
and
place
them
near
the
Fourteenth
station,
for
the
relief
of
their
chronic
headaches.
Women,
sometimes,
carry
brooms,
praying
for
the
abundance
of
physical
and
spiritual
well
being.
St.
Thomas
the
Apostle
stayed
and
prayed
at
the
hill
top.
While
travelling
through
the
famous
caravan
route
from
Kodugalioor
to
Madras,
St.
Thomas
received
a
hostile
reception
at
Malayattoor
and
was
forced
to
flee
to
the
top
of
the
mountain
and
he
spent
days
together
in
prayer.
In
deep
anguish
and
agony,
St.
Thomas
prayed
to
the
Lord
and
he
made
a
sign
of
the
cross
on
the
rock.
After
a
few
days
he
continued
his
journey
to
Mylappoor
in
Chennai
and
later
died
a
martyr's
death
in
72
AD
There
are
many
miracle
stories
about
Malayattoor.
St.
Thomas
knelt
down
on
the
rock
for
praying
and
made
a
sign
of
the
cross
with
his
finger
on
the
rock
and
a
golden
cross
sprouted
on
this
spot.
When
hunters
on
the
mountain
tried
to
remove
it
with
their
weapons,
the
glittering
cross
began
to
bleed
and
they
left.
Another
miracle
is
the
foot-print
of
St.
Thomas
on
the
rock.
Now
it
is
covered
a
glass
cover.
There
is
also
a
miraculous
well
at
the
spot
where
St.
Thomas
struck
the
rock
when
he
was
thirsty
and
water
gushed
out.
The
locals
began
a
practice
of
lighting
an
oil
lamp
on
the
mount
and
it
is
said
that
whenever
the
lamp
was
blown
out
by
the
wind,
a
herd
of
goats
would
come
down
wailing
and
people
used
to
climb
the
mountain
and
light
the
lamp
again.
Even
today
pilgrims
carry
sesame
seeds
to
feed
the
goats.
On
11th
February
2004
Vatican
declared
Kurisumudy
as
an
International
Shrine
of
St.
Thomas.
The
International
shrine
was
officially
inaugurated
by
Archbishop
Pedro
Lopez
Quintana,
Apostolic
Nuncio
in
India
on
13
February
2005.
