St Mary’s Church, Manarcad, a very holy place for worship, is famous for 'Ettu Noyampu', i.e. 'the eight day retreat and fast' which begins on the first of September every year. It is situated 9 km east of Kottayam. Thousands of people from across the world come to this church to seek the blessings of Virgin Mary.
There are memorial stones set up at the tombs in AD 910 and AD 920, and the writing on them are in the local scripts. The Church has a sacred tank and a cross. St Mary’s Church is one of the most important churches of the Malankara Jacobite Syrian Christians.
The Church has many educational institutions, religious and social service institutions under its auspices and a most modern hospital under its sponsorship.
