Manarcad Church

St. Mary's Jacobite Syrian Cathedral, Manarcad, is cathedral located about 9 km from the town of Kottayam in Kerala, India. It is a destination for people on annual pilgrimages for the uncanonical 8 Day Lent of the Virgin Mary. There are more than 5000 families in this parish. The church architecture resembles that of the Orvieto Cathedral. The church administers various spiritual organisations, schools and a hospital. It is the home to the one of the holiest relics among the Malankara churches, that is a small piece of Mother Mary's belt.