St. Yeldo Mar Baselios

Kothamangalam Muthappan

St. Yeldo Mar Baselios — affectionately known as Kothamangalam Muthappan — is the patron saint of Mar Thoma Cheriapally. His mortal remains rest in the madbaha (sanctuary), and his tomb has been a place of prayer, healing, and hope for more than three centuries.

Devotees of every background come to Cheriapally to venerate the saint, offer nercha, and seek his intercession. His life, journey, and miracles are inseparable from the identity of this church and the town of Kothamangalam itself.

Early Life & Maphrianate

Yeldo Mar Baselios was born in Mesopotamia in the late 14th century. A devoted servant of the Syrian Orthodox Church, he was consecrated Maphrian (Catholicos of the East) in AD 1678 — a position of great spiritual authority in the Church of the East.

Though advanced in years, he remained deeply concerned for the faithful of Malankara. When he heard of their suffering and spiritual distress, he resolved to leave his seat and travel to Kerala himself — a journey of extraordinary faith for a man already in his nineties.

His departure was not merely a visit. It was a shepherd’s response to the cry of his flock, undertaken at an age when most would have rested from long labours.

The Journey to Malankara

The saint’s journey from Mesopotamia to Kerala was long and arduous. He travelled by land and sea through many regions, including Thalassery, Dindigul, Munnar, and Kozhippilly, before finally reaching Kothamangalam.

Along the way he comforted the faithful, strengthened the weary, and bore witness to the Gospel. By the time he approached Cheriapally, his body was exhausted — yet his spirit remained steadfast, drawn always toward the people he had come to serve.

The route of his pilgrimage is remembered today through chapels and traditions linked to the places he passed — especially Chakkalakkudi Chapel near the Kozhippilly river, where the saint first arrived in the Kothamangalam region.

Arrival at Cheriapally (1685)

On Kanni 7, 1685, St. Yeldo Mar Baselios reached Cheriapally. When his feet touched the church courtyard, the bells of the church rang on their own — a sign witnessed by those present and remembered to this day.

A Nair youth from Kozhippilly had guided the saint on the final stage of his journey. The descendants of that family — the Chakkalakkal Nair lineage — continue to honour this memory. During the Kanni 20 Perunnal they lead the procession carrying the swinging lamp (thookkuvilakku) after a week-long fast, a tradition preserved across generations.

Among the best-known miracles of his time at Cheriapally is the blessed tender coconut. When a woman in labour was in distress, the saint blessed a tender coconut (karikku) and she was safely delivered. Devotees still offer tender coconuts at the tomb seeking safe childbirth and the saint’s protection for mothers and children.

His Passing & Burial

Before his death, the saint foretold that a light would appear on the western stone cross of Cheriapally when he entered eternal rest. On Kanni 19, 1685 at around 3:00 PM — a Saturday — the prophecy was fulfilled. The stone cross shone with light and the church bells rang once more without human hands.

He was buried the following day in the south-western part of the madbaha, within the sanctuary of the church he had reached at the end of his earthly pilgrimage. The western stone cross — erected in 1455 — and the tomb together form the sacred heart of Cheriapally.

Because he passed away on a Saturday, Holy Qurbana has been celebrated every Saturday at Cheriapally since that day — a vow observed by lakhs of faithful across generations.

The Tomb & Pilgrimage Today

The tomb of St. Yeldo Mar Baselios is the centre of worship at Cheriapally. It is the only church in the Malankara Jacobite Syrian Church where Munninmel Qurbana — Holy Qurbana celebrated before the tomb of the saint — is offered daily (except on prohibited days). Three priests celebrate at three altars, a tradition of profound devotion unique to this parish.

Pilgrims come throughout the year to pray at the tomb, light lamps, offer nercha, and seek healing and blessing. Many testify to comfort received through the saint’s intercession — and the church welcomes devotees beyond caste and religion, reflecting the universal appeal of Kothamangalam Muthappan.

Vehicle blessings, bhajanam irikkal (days of prayer and scripture reading), adimavaykkal, the 12 Priests’ Nercha, and countless other vows and offerings continue at the tomb — living expressions of faith passed down through centuries.

Canonization

On 20 October 1987, His Holiness Patriarch Ignatius Zakka I Iwas declared Yeldo Mar Baselios a Saint of the Universal Syrian Orthodox Church. The canonization confirmed what generations of devotees had already known in their hearts — that this holy man, who gave his last strength to Malankara, was a saint worthy of veneration throughout the Church.

Since then, devotion to St. Yeldo Mar Baselios has only grown. Cheriapally was recognized as a global pilgrimage center in 2019, and a commemorative postal stamp was issued in 2023 — honours that reflect the enduring spiritual significance of the saint and his tomb.

The Kanni 20 Perunnal

The great feast of St. Yeldo Mar Baselios is celebrated on October 2 and 3 each year (Kanni 19 and 20) — the Kanni 20 Perunnal, one of the largest Christian gatherings in Kerala. The festival begins with flag hoisting (kodiyettu) on September 25, processions from Chakkalakkudi Chapel, nercha sadya for lakhs of pilgrims, and foot pilgrimages from across the state.

On festival days, Sunday School children chant the beloved prayer of the saint in procession. The Chakkalakkal Nair family leads with the thookkuvilakku. The feast concludes on Kanni 21 with the lowering of the festival flag and elephant processions venerating the tomb.