About St.George Basilica Angamaly

The construction work of newly built St George church, was initiated by the then Vicar, Very Rev. Fr. Paul Kariyatty. The foundation stone was laid by Cardinal Mar Varkey Vithayathil on 16th November, 1997 and the Church was consecrated on 31st December, 2006. It stands as the biggest church in Kerala having an area of 24,000 sq.feet and can accommodate 8,000 people at a stretch. The alter covers 2000 sq.feet and is furnished with statues of Holy men in glittering crystal and in metal. At a time 50 priests can celebrate the Holy mass in Altar. A 24 feet length statue of crucified Christ along with St.Mary and St.John is affixed on the Altar. The dome of the church is about 185 ft height from the floor, which is mounted with a globe weighing 750 kg and a stainless steel 450 kg. The 16 windows surrounding the dome is decorated with the portraits of the Apostles, and the 64 windows of the church are imprinted with the Holy Men and the incidents of the New and the Old Testaments, on Belgium glass.

Pope Benedict XVI raised the Forane church into a Minor Basilica and informed through a decree to Cardinal Varkey Vithayathil, the Major Archbishop of the Syro-Malabar Church of Ernakulam-Angamaly. The decree was signed on 24th June, 2009 by the Prefect Cardinal Anonius Canizares Lovera of the Congregation for the Divine Worship and Discipline of the Sacraments. The Official declaration function was conducted in the evening of 27th August, 2009; and twenty eight bishops from all over the India were participated in the majestic historical function.

Angamaly parish with more than 2400 catholic families, today is headed by the first Rector of Angamaly Basilica, Fr. Joseph Kallarackal , assisted by Fr.Martin Sankoorikal, Fr,Juby kalathiparambil, and Fr. Francis Kurisumoottil. Angamaly parish - the origin of St Thomas Syrian Christians in Malabar (Kerala), is now spiritually progressing by convincing and retrieving its lost antiquity.