St. Antony’s Church, Ollur

This church was established by a group of devotees who severed their ties with the Pazhuvil Church in 1718.  When the Pazhuvil Church was renovated under the supervision of the Portuguese, it was renamed as St. Antony’s Church. The same thing happened at Ollur too.

The church is ornated with carvings and the creations of 300 years ago have been retained as such. The organisation and protection of the sculptures reflect a remarkable sense of the value of the old. It has Fresco paintings spanning 4,000 sq. ft. The gold tinted interior of the church resembles an art gallery. The sanctum, the ceiling, the small altars, and the enclosures of the statues, are all picturesque.

The Pulpit has three decks, two of which could be used at the same time. The lowest deck has a row of statues, carved out of wood, coming out of a host of flowers. The first deck is supported on a branch coming out of the dragon’s mouth. The upper part of this is also rich in carvings.  The colour used is a blend of golden and red.

The main Feast is that of St. Raphael on October 24 every year and this is being observed since 1837. Hence this is also known as the Angel’s church. The Feast of St. Raphael is one of the biggest church festivals in Thrissur.