7) OPEN-AIR GRANITE CROSS OF CHANGANASSERY ST. MARY'S METROPOLITAN CATHEDRAL OR VALIAPALLI (SYRO-MALABAR)

This is yet another granite cross with a finely carved pedestal. Like the Kaduthuruthy cross, the Changanasserry (former Changanacherry) cross also has a circular top, a middle octagonal and a lower square moulding with central projections. The round top has a beautiful floral belt usually not common with other crosses of this type. 

The East and West Sides of the CrossIn the insets are the images on the intersection points of the cross-beams, a Persian Cross on the west and a floral motif on the east sides.

The Structure of the Pedestal

Views of the Pedestal from the four sides

Views of the Pedestal from  the four corners

The Octagonal Middle Layer

The eight panels of the middle octagonal layer display the perfection of a skilled artist. The most striking is the crucifixion panel elegantly carved on the west side of the pedestal. The image has been interpreted by Devassy (1978, pp. 232-233) as Christ hanging on the dreadful Cross, His precious blood from the sacred wounds collected to a chalice by two angels flying under His arms with fluttering wings in air. The east side panel has a characteristic pedestalled cross adored by two fowls (perhaps a peacock and a peahen) on both sides, and a dove descending from the above. 

The Octagonal Panels on the West Side

The Crucifiixion PanelThe Black and White photograph on the right is from Devassy (1978)

The Octagonal Panels on the East Side

The order of the 8 panels arranged from west to north in anticlockwise directions are:

1-Crucufixion panel

2- A double headed eagle

3-A double headed peacock 

4-An Angel with trumpet

5-A cross adored by two fowls

6-An Angel with trumpet

7-A Persian cross

8-A lion

The Eight Panels Arranged anti-clockwise from West to North

The Square Bottom Layer

The rectangular panels of the bottom square layer flanking the central projections are equally impressive. Here also the west side panels remain the most detailed and conspicuous of all. They appear to be representing hunting scenes involving a lion and an elephant on the left and a beautiful peacock on the right, although there appears to be an animal, perhaps a lion in jumping posture at one end. Devassy (1978, p.233) however, sees the left panel differently, he finds the lion gently embracing the elephant's trunk with his raised hands, a warm gesture to signify the transformation of enmity to friendship under the powerful sacrifice of Calvary. Perhaps this was a symbolic motif to represent the golden age of the Messiah when wild and domestic animals would dwell peacefully together as mentioned in Isaiah 11:6. 

The order of side panels in each direction are as follows (L and R denotes the images on the Left and Right sides):

WestLion and Elephant (left); Lion (?) and Peacock (right)

EastTiger and Deer (left); Two Peacocks Crossing Heads (right)

SouthA Peacock (left); A Floral Motif (right)

NorthA Cock (left); A Peacock (right)

Central Projections and Niches

Each central projection has a small niche with a small cross inside, whereas both its sides are decorated with carved images of crosses, angels, Virgin and Child etc. The projections are also capped by an angel with spread wings. These protrusions extend out by 75 cm (James, 1979, p. 64), and the side images are arranged in the following order. 

East and WestEast: Cross (left); Virgin and Infant Jesus (right); West: Cross (left), Angel (right)

North and SouthNorth: Unidentified (left), Angel (right); South: Lion? (left),Angel (right); 

The west projection also has an extra structure in front of the niche with an image of a nicely carved pedestalled cross, but whether this was a later addition is not clear.

Central Projection and Niche on the West Side

Angels on the Central Projections

The size of the cross.

According to James (1979, p. 64), the cross has a height about 13 meters and the sides of the bottom-most tier of the base are 4 meters each, with the central portion of the  base projecting out by 75 cm. However, his estimate cannot be reliable since even Kaduthuruthy cross, the tallest in Kerala measures only about 11 meters high. Near the cross is a 30 ft or 12 m  tall (James, 1979, p. 85) impressive flag mast covered with copper foils.

How old is the cross?

There are no inscriptions or records to establish the exact date of the installation of the cross. James (1979, p. 65) finds it resembling the Muttuchira cross and attribute the same period of origin, which should be between the late 16th to the early 17th century. Hosten (quoted by Madukkakuzhi, 1995, p. 167) and Devassy (1978, p. 229) also assign the 16th century date. Devassy believes the cross was installed before the current St. Sebastian church of Changanassery (dated 16th century), whereas Hosten's assumption is based on its similarity with the Kaduthuruthy cross (dated late 16th century). Pereria (2000, p. 432), however, speculates a 17th century date for the base (pedestal).

We might also get a clue from Jornada (1606) when Gouvea describes the visit of Archbishop Dom Menezes to Changanagere (Changanassery) in 1599 (Malekandathil, 2003, pp. 426-427). Gouvea first introduces Changanassery as a very shaded place, excellent for health, with a church dedicated to Virgin Mary, but the people very little instructed in faith, and thus many years they had no Mass or any use of Sacraments (Menezes appoints a Vicar for the church afterwards). The text becomes interesting when we get to know about the Hindu King of the region (Thekkumkur Raja?) meets the bishop in the porch of the church. The Raja wanted his vassals to strictly keep their laws and obligations! He was complaining to Menezes about the Christians of the Bazar that "they did not observe his law, and never went to his church, nor did they turn their eyes to the ground when they saw their Cross, and that many did not raise their hats to it, and that on Sundays they were working as other days, and were getting married without their priest". The king not only requested the bishop to take action, but he himself was willing to punish the accused rigorously. The Archbishop was so astonished to hear such words from a gentile king that he even wanted him to embrace Christianity, an offer nevertheless politely turned down by the Raja. Through this passage, we learn a few salient facts about the church of Changanassery.

1-The church existed many years before the visit of Menezes

2-The church would have been well structured as it had a porch good enough to accommodate the king and the bishop for a meeting

3-The church had priests even before Menezes appointed one for them

4-The reference "nor did they turn their eyes to the ground when they saw their Cross", is a clear indication for an open air cross. Had it been a cross inside the church, non-Christians would not have noticed the desecration easily. 

The question remains whether the cross was of wood or granite and if it was the latter, could it be the same cross standing in front of the church today. It is not possible to ascertain the precise nature of the early cross, however, given the existence of similar granite crosses in other parts of Kerala during the same period, no matter how scarce it may be, there is still a possibility that the surviving Changanassery cross is also from the 16th century. Traditionally, the first church of Changanassery (now extinct) was established in 1117 or 1177 A. D., on a site south to the modern Cathedral church. The church located behind (east) the Cathedral is the current old church of St. Sebastian (earlier St. Mary), which is said to be built around the 16th century. The modern Cathedral Church of St. Mary, in front of which the cross stands, was built in 1887 (see more details on the plaque displayed in the church compound). Devassy (1978, p. 229) somehow dates the second church precisely to 457 years old (i.e. 1521 A. D.) and the cross from the 13th century. Portuguese influence on the cross is certain from the beautiful crucifixion panel, but the remaining images are all indigenous and there is also no I.N.R.I inscription. The abundance of peacocks with feathers spread and peahens without them is another interesting observation linked to the indigenous style, however, James (1979, p. 65) attributes this feature representing Persian influence!

Churches of Changanassery and the Plaque Displaying the Dates

References

Devassy, M. K. (1978)-Keraleeya Kraisthava Devalayangalile Shilpa Chithra Kalakal

James, E. J. (1979)-The Thomas Christian Architecture of Malabar- Ancient and Medieval Periods, Ph. D. Thesis

Madukkakuzhy, Mathew (1995)-Purathana Kraistava Kendrangaliluda (IInd Part)

Malekandathil, Pius (2003)-Jornada of Dom Alexis de Menezes: A Portuguese Account of the Sixteenth Century Malabar

Pereira, Jose (2000)-Baroque India-The Neo-Roman Religious Architecture of South Asia: a Global Stylistic Survey

A Photograph of Changanassery Cathedral and Cross from 1940Photo Credit: Travancore State Manual, 1940, Volume-1. You can also see the flag mast on the extreme left and there appears to be another cross in the foreground, perhaps an older cross?

The Visual Museum of Images and Colours (VMIS) archive collection has a photograph of the cross here and three phographs of the pedestal here, here and here, all taken in 1968.

In the upcoming posts we will see three open-air granite crosses with Syriac inscriptions in the model of Latin expression I.N.R.I., a feature rarely observed in other granite crosses. Remember, we have already discussed about the North Paravur (Jacobite) cross with Syriac inscription in a previous post.