St. Mary's Church Bharananganam (St. Alphonsa Shrine)

St. Mary's Church in Bharananganam, established around 1004 AD, became one of Kerala's most visited Christian pilgrimage sites after St. Alphonsa was canonised by Pope Benedict XVI in 2008, making her the first woman of Indian origin to receive that honour. Her tomb sits in a chapel beside the main church, and an adjoining museum displays her personal belongings and traces her life from a nearby birthplace to her years at the convent here. The annual nine day feast in July draws thousands of devotees and bishops from across India.