Photograph of the facade of Kaduthuruty Valiapalli

Photograph of the facade of Kaduthuruty Valiapalli, St. Mary's Syrian Christian Church, Kerala.

Tradition has it that the original church on this site was erected in about 400 CE, by Christian spice traders from Syria who settled in the interior regions of South India to engage in spice cultivation and spice trade. Several features of the present structure (constructed in 1456) refers to the origins of the community. The facade with mermen carrying small middle eastern style sailing vessels and a Persian cross design embedded on the side of the church allude to the foreign origins of this community settling in India in the first millennium.