The historic monolithic Cross in the Kaduthuruthy Valiapally is 50 feet in height and is the highest open air cross in Asia.
Bishop Mar Abraham (1568-1597) directed the Southists to build a cross from a granite block and to place in the courtyard of the church.
Southist soldiers of Kaduthuruthy effectively protected Mar Abraham by making a formation against Portuguese army and frequently changed his seat from Kaduthuruthy to Udayamperur, Kottayam and Chungam.
Mar Abraham was the last bishop sent by East Syriac Catholicos to his Malabar church.
The sculpture and carving work of the Cross from a single stone block had completed with a total height of 50 feet in AD 1596.
It is believed that the iconic Kaduthuruthy Valiapally Cross is the highest open air cross in Asia, made out from a single block.
 As it is gigantic in structure, it was very difficult to upright the cross and to position in the courtyard of the Valiapally.
During that time when they faced difficulty to upright the cross, Virgin Mary-the patron of the Kaduthuruthy Vallyapalli revealed herself as an old woman (Muthiyamma) and helped them to upright the cross miraculously by supporting the cross by her hand.
Kaduthuruthy Vallyapalli is one the church where Mother Mary appeared in front of the devotees as an old woman.
There after the Blessed Virgin Mary residing in Kaduthuruthy Vallyapalli known as Kaduthuruthy Residing Muthiyamma (കടുത്തുരുത്തി വാഴു൦ മുത്തിയമ്മ).
Mar Abraham died in 1597 and he could not carry out the inaugural blessing of the cross.

The year of 1599 had remarked with the arrival of Arch Bishop of Goa, Dom Alexis De Menesis to Kaduthuruthy.
He believed that the Syriac rite followed by the St. Thomas Christians had the elements of Nesthorianism.
He was intending to eliminate the involvement of the East Syriac Bishops and to get the solid sovereignty over the St. Thomas Christians.
Portuguese scholar Anatonio De Gouve who was an aide to the Arch Bishop Menesis, gives a detailed description of Kaduthuruthy Valiapally in his book of Jornada of Dom Alexis De Menesis (1604).
Bishop Dom Menesis sailed out from Goa and reached to Kaduthuruthy Valiapally in AD 1599.
He stayed in kaduthuruthy to participate in the holy week celebrations of the Kaduthuruthy Vallyapalli and tried to attract the Southist Christians to Roman Catholic rite.
Bishop Menesis had carried out the inaugural blessing of the Cross situated on the courtyard of this Church, during the Holy Friday of 1599.
The famous liturgical celebration of "Purathu Namaskaram" (പുറത്തു നമസ്കാരം) is conducting on the base of this cross during the 3 Nombu Feast (3-Day Lent Feast).
The base of the cross is adorned with lots of carvings and the relics of the Holy Cross of Jesus Christ bought in the 15th century had placed in a separate chamber of the base.
The base which holds the Holy Relics of the Cross of Jesus Christ is 10 feet long, 10 feet breath and of 10 feet in height.
There are many art works performed on the base of the cross like a scene of round dance performed by Southist Christians, a hunting scene, elephant, peacock etc.
On this base there are 153 lamps (ചുറ്റു വിളക്ക്) provided for the devotees to offer coconut oil, then to lighten the lamp by praying the Rosary of Virgin Mary.
Devotes used to light the oil lamps during first Friday and 3-nombu feast either to get their wishes fulfilled or to express their sincere gratitude to the blessings they already received.
The historic monolithic Cross in the Kaduthuruthy Valiapally is 50 feet in height and is the highest open air cross in Asia. Bishop Mar Abraham (1568-1597) directed the Southists to build a cross from a granite block and to place in the courtyard of the church. Southist soldiers of Kaduthuruthy effectively protected Mar Abraham by making a formation against Portuguese army and frequently changed his seat from Kaduthuruthy to Udayamperur, Kottayam and Chungam. Mar Abraham was the last bishop sent by East Syriac Catholicos to his Malabar church. The sculpture and carving work of the Cross from a single stone block had completed with a total height of 50 feet in AD 1596. It is believed that the iconic Kaduthuruthy Valiapally Cross is the highest open air cross in Asia, made out from a single block.  As it is gigantic in structure, it was very difficult to upright the cross and to position in the courtyard of the Valiapally. During that time when they faced difficulty to upright the cross, Virgin Mary-the patron of the Kaduthuruthy Vallyapalli revealed herself as an old woman (Muthiyamma) and helped them to upright the cross miraculously by supporting the cross by her hand. Kaduthuruthy Vallyapalli is one the church where Mother Mary appeared in front of the devotees as an old woman. There after the Blessed Virgin Mary residing in Kaduthuruthy Vallyapalli known as Kaduthuruthy Residing Muthiyamma (കടുത്തുരുത്തി വാഴു൦ മുത്തിയമ്മ). Mar Abraham died in 1597 and he could not carry out the inaugural blessing of the cross.
The year of 1599 had remarked with the arrival of Arch Bishop of Goa, Dom Alexis De Menesis to Kaduthuruthy. He believed that the Syriac rite followed by the St. Thomas Christians had the elements of Nesthorianism. He was intending to eliminate the involvement of the East Syriac Bishops and to get the solid sovereignty over the St. Thomas Christians. Portuguese scholar Anatonio De Gouve who was an aide to the Arch Bishop Menesis, gives a detailed description of Kaduthuruthy Valiapally in his book of Jornada of Dom Alexis De Menesis (1604). Bishop Dom Menesis sailed out from Goa and reached to Kaduthuruthy Valiapally in AD 1599. He stayed in kaduthuruthy to participate in the holy week celebrations of the Kaduthuruthy Vallyapalli and tried to attract the Southist Christians to Roman Catholic rite. Bishop Menesis had carried out the inaugural blessing of the Cross situated on the courtyard of this Church, during the Holy Friday of 1599. The famous liturgical celebration of "Purathu Namaskaram" (പുറത്തു നമസ്കാരം) is conducting on the base of this cross during the 3 Nombu Feast (3-Day Lent Feast). The base of the cross is adorned with lots of carvings and the relics of the Holy Cross of Jesus Christ bought in the 15th century had placed in a separate chamber of the base. The base which holds the Holy Relics of the Cross of Jesus Christ is 10 feet long, 10 feet breath and of 10 feet in height. There are many art works performed on the base of the cross like a scene of round dance performed by Southist Christians, a hunting scene, elephant, peacock etc. On this base there are 153 lamps (ചുറ്റു വിളക്ക്) provided for the devotees to offer coconut oil, then to lighten the lamp by praying the Rosary of Virgin Mary. Devotes used to light the oil lamps during first Friday and 3-nombu feast either to get their wishes fulfilled or to express their sincere gratitude to the blessings they already received.
Kaduthuruthy Valiya Palli