St. Mary's Forane Church at Athirampuzha, founded in 835 CE, is one of Kerala's oldest and most respected Christian churches. Dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary, it is also an important pilgrimage destination for devotees of St. Sebastian. The church's most celebrated event is the annual Feast of St. Sebastian, a tradition that has been observed since 1647.
The festival is held every year from 19 January to 26 January and begins with the ceremonial hoisting of the festival flag. A major attraction is the grand procession in which the revered statue of St. Sebastian is carried through the streets for public veneration. Known as Adiyelpicha Roopam ("The Tortured Figure"), this distinctive statue is unique because it portrays the saint without the arrows that are commonly associated with his martyrdom.
Throughout the celebrations, the church comes alive with devotional ceremonies and vibrant cultural traditions. The procession features colourful fireworks, school band performances, ceremonial flags, and beautifully crafted crosses made of gold, silver, brass, and wood. Traditional ceremonial items such as allavattom, venchamaram, thazhakkuda, theevetti, and ornate umbrellas add to the grandeur of the occasion, creating an atmosphere of reverence and celebration.
Following the main feast, the festivities continue with the traditional Ettamidam observance, extending the celebrations for eight additional days before concluding on 1 February. Blending centuries-old customs, spiritual devotion, and cultural heritage, the annual feast at St. Mary's Forane Church remains one of Kerala's most significant Christian festivals, attracting thousands of pilgrims and visitors each year.
