St. Mary's Forane Church, Chalakudy

St. Mary's Forane Church in Chalakudy heads one of the ten foranes of the Syro-Malabar Eparchy of Irinjalakuda, with 16 parishes under it. Tradition links the town's Christians to St Thomas, said to have landed at Kodungallur in AD 52, and the parish claims its first church was built in AD 600, on land in an area mainly settled by Brahmins, who gave their permission. That church stood on the Palace Road until about 1300, when it moved a few hundred metres to its present site. The parish became a forane in 1937.

The original altar, carved in wood, is called the Swayamvara Altar, and those who pray at it in full surrender are said to receive special blessings; it was kept intact when the church was rebuilt in 1987. A Holy Land replica, completed in 2006, uses buildings in ancient styles to show scenes from the life of Jesus, from his birth to the resurrection and ascension, ending with Mary crowned Queen of heaven and earth.