ST. JOSEPHS BETHLEHEM CHURCH (Estd. 1974)

The name Chullickal is derived from the Chullickal Family that donated the plot of 61 cents of land for the construction of a Church for the Christian Community, the Parishioners' of Our Lady of Life Church,Mattancherry living at the Southern boundary of Mattancherry Parish . The old name of the place, where the present church was situated, was known as Chakamparambu. The Chullickal family was then living in a place called Vaikathusserry. A thatched shrine was erected at the site already in the year 1868. In 1883 a small Chapel replaced it. As the life long ambitions of the Christians Communities of this area, 1889 a Church in Gothic Style was constructed by the Mattancherry Church with the help and co-operation of the faithful resides at Chullickal and used as the Sub-Station of the Parish . Even though the Church was dedicated to St.Joseph, "The Worker",the Church was Known as St.Josephs' Bethlehem Church, Chullickal. as it is situated in the Eastern boundary of Nazareth Parish. 1888 the old Parochial House was built. In 1889 the demolished old Church was completed and a Priest started residing in the Parochial House. The Priests who resided there from its inception in 1889 till 1974 were appointed as Vicar Co-operator of Mattancherry Church. The First Priest who resided in the Parochial House was Rev.Fr. George Malamel of Syrian Rite. During the 1913 when Rev.Fr. Stephan Panacherry was the Chaplain at Chullickal, the Church of Chullickal remained closed for 13 years in protest against the cremation ground started in Southern side of the Church Compound. In the year 1910 a "Kudipallikoodam" was start functioning at the Sacristy of the Parish under the guidance of Sri.Puthenparambil Abraham Vidhiyar (Kochasan) and it became a Primary School during the year 1925 and upgraded as High Scholl on 12th September 1983 In 1945, as Rev.Fr.Joseph Chiramel was in charge of the Church, there were reports of miraculous curing caused the intercession of St.Philomina, which lasted for about four years. On May 5th 1974 St.Joseph Bethlehem Church was raised as a Parish by His Excellency Rt.Rev.Dr.Alexander Edezhath, the First Native Bishop of Cochin dismembering it from the Mattancherry Parish. Rev.Fr. MTHEW KOTHAKATH, who was the Chaplain since 1954 was appointed as the First Parish Priest. The New Parochial House was blessed in the year 1975 The St. Antony's Chapel at Chullickal which was constructed in the year 1965 by Rev.Fr.Mathew Kothkath, was reconstructerd in 1984 by Rev.Fr. Jacob Peediackal. It is a the First Pilgrim Centre of Cochin in the name of St. Antony of Padua. It is the well known Pilgrim Centre where many people come for Novena and other Liturgical Services on every Tuesday. The new Shrine in the name of St. Antony of Padua , Constructed by Rev.Fr.Antony Anchuthickal during the year 2007 is presently used the Parish Church as the old Parish Church is demolished for the construction of new one. The decision to demolish the St.Joseph Bethlehem church was passed in the year 2011, which underwent a long process and it was demolished on February 2012.The construction for the new church began with the laying of Foundation stone by his Excellency Rt.Rev.Dr.Joseph Kariyil ,Bishop of Cochin on March 19th 2012.