Palayur Church

Palayur Church, formally the St. Thomas Syro-Malabar Church, is widely regarded as the oldest church in India. According to tradition, the Apostle St. Thomas founded it in 52 AD during his mission to Kerala, and it is the first among the seven churches he established across the region. The site includes the Thaliyakulam, a pond where St. Thomas is believed to have performed India's first Christian baptism. The church's architecture blends Kerala, Portuguese, and Persian influences, and the complex houses a museum with early Christian artifacts and relics.