St. Thomas Dayara, Vettikkal

St. Thomas Dayara, at Vettikkal, is a Malankara Orthodox Syrian monastery around five kilometres from Mulanthuruthy. In 1125 a cross from St. Thomas Church, Mulanthuruthy, was set up here, on what was then the border of the Kochi and Travancore kingdoms; that cross is still kept on the east wall of the building. The site became a chapel in 1200.

Kattumangattu Geevarghese Coorilose, second bishop of Thozhiyoor, who died in 1809, is buried here and venerated locally; his feast on 28 and 29 May draws thousands of people of all faiths. In 1877 Parumala Thirumeni consecrated the renovated Dayara after 40 days of fasting and prayer, and the first Holy Synod of the Malankara Church met here and divided the church into seven dioceses. His relics were brought here in 1976, and an upper-floor chapel was consecrated the following year.