Edappally St. George Forane Church Feast

About this event

Edappally Perunnal, the annual feast of St. George’s Forane Church in Edappally, Kochi, is one of the major Christian pilgrimage celebrations of central Kerala. The church, popularly known as Edappally Pally, is among the oldest Roman Catholic churches in the state, with its origins traditionally traced to the sixth century. Kerala Tourism records the construction of a small church at the site in 594 AD and a larger church beside it in 1080 AD, reflecting the growth of the Christian community in the area. The present pilgrimage centre has developed through successive renovations while retaining its long-standing association with St. George, revered locally as Geevarghese Sahada. The annual Perunnal is celebrated in late April and May, with a programme of religious observances that includes flag hoisting, Eucharistic adoration, novenas, Holy Masses and processions. The principal feast days are observed on May 3 and 4, followed by the octave celebrations on May 10 and 11, while the wider festival period extends through May 15. One of the most distinctive features is the procession of the Thiruswaroopam, or sacred image of St. George, which is placed in an intricately carved wooden Roopakoodu and carried on a manually operated teak chariot decorated with biblical scenes. The procession moves through the surrounding streets amid prayers, music and large gatherings of devotees. Traditional offerings form another notable aspect of the celebration. Fowls are offered to the church and auctioned, with the practice associated with local devotion to St. George as a protector against snakes and other reptiles. Eggs and symbolic votive offerings are also presented by devotees. The feast attracts tens of thousands of worshippers, and the church's official account notes that people from different religious and social backgrounds participate in the celebrations, reflecting the shrine's wider cultural significance. Edappally Perunnal is therefore both a major liturgical observance and an important expression of Kerala's Christian heritage, combining centuries-old religious traditions with communal participation and pilgrimage. Visitors attending the feast should remember that the church remains an active place of worship and should follow instructions issued by church authorities during services and processions.

🚆 Railway: Ernakulam Junction (South) Railway Station, approximately 7.5 km from the church. Edappally Railway Station is also nearby.

✈️ Airport: Cochin International Airport, approximately 22 km from the church.

🚌 Bus: Edappally is well connected by city and regional bus services; the church is accessible from the Edappally area via the Palarivattom–Edappally Road.

🏨 Stay: Hotels and other accommodation are widely available in Edappally, Ernakulam and central Kochi.

✅ Notes: The principal feast of St. George is observed on May 3 and 4, with the octave on May 10 and 11; the wider annual celebration begins in late April. In 2026, the principal feast fell on May 3–4. The May 1 Thiruswaroopam procession and the main feast processions attract very large crowds, so visitors should expect congestion and follow church and local-authority instructions