File:St. George Orthodox Koonan Kurish Old Syrian Church, Kochi. (34257916805).jpg

St George Orthodox Koonan Kurish Old Syrian Church , Mattancherry , Kochi , Kerala, India

The St. George Orthodox Koonan Kurish Old Syrian Church at Mattancherry town of Kochi (Cochin ) better known as the Koonan Kurishu Pally entered the annals of history following the oath taken by St Thomas Christians of Kerala in AD 1653, protesting against the the attempt to impose the hegemony of the Roman Church by the Portuguese .

The Indian Church (Malankara Church ) was established by Apostle St Thomas ( Mar Thoma ) in AD 52. This indigenous Church of Malabar/Malankara followed the faith and traditions handed over by the Apostle St. Thomas. Saint Thomas Christians were administratively under the single native dynastic leadership of an Archdeacon a native ecclesiastical head with spiritual and temporal powers. Portughese arrived India in AD 1498 , were surprised to find the presence of St Thomas Christians in India, but Portuguese were unhappy that native Indian Christians were not under Rome . With the help of Portuguese army and Portuguese missionaries they started luring and threatening native Christians to bring them under Rome.They succeeded in their efforts in 1599 with the `Synod of Diamper'. The representatives of various parishes who attended the assembly were forced by Portuguese Authorities to accept the Papal authority.

The Koonan Kurishu Oath of AD 1653 refers to the action of thousands of native Christians assembling before this church and taking an oath to preserve the traditions and rituals followed by them since AD 52 and resist the attempts to impose the Roman rituals among the native Christians. But the gathering was so large that hundreds were unable to touch the cross directly. They drew a rope from the cross, and touching it, publicly denounced the Roman Church.The cross bent under pressure and hence the name ‘Koonan Kurisu’. The event is described as ‘Koonan Kurishu Sathyam’ or the oath before the bent cross.

Soon after the Coonan Cross Oath of 3 January 1653 the St. Thomas Christians were divided into Oriental Orthodox faction and Catholic faction . The Catholic faction joined the Portuguese, and the Orthodox faction stayed with their native Mar Thoma traditions in defiance of the Portuguese.

The Koonan Kurish Sathyam of AD 1653 took place at this Church is the first attempt to resist colonialism and western invasion in India .

Apart from the historical legacy the method adopted for the renovation of the church building assumes importance. The renovated church is built using clay to keep faith with the ancient architecture heritage. The use of cement and steel have been completely avoided and visitors from India and abroad are coming to the church to see the architecture of the building.

The church located at Mattancherry , Cochin is constructed entirely of compressed earth blocks (CSEB). The distinct style with catenary vaults, arches and a dome evokes the past in a way, never seen before. The technique of construction was developed in Egypt, today known as the Nubian Technique. There are 13 vaults and a dome to complete the structure. Today, it stands as the second largest catenary structure in South India.

The sacred alter is lit with sunlight that filters through the oculus and the space between the sinusoidal walls.

The concept of domes, vaults and arches used in the renovated building has been drawn from early symbols of eastern Christianity.