Mar Thoma Cheria Pally, Kothamangalam is a six century old Parish Church and renowned pilgrim centre, relied upon by millions of devotees for solace and fulfillment. More than three centuries ago Eldho Mar Baselios, the most sacred saint of the Jacobite Syrian Christian Church undertook an arduous journey from the Holy Land to Malankara, to give spiritual guidance to the followers of the church. This Holy Father was called to eternal abode from Kothamangalam within a few days after his arrival. The mortal relics of this Spiritual Father is entombed in the shrine inside Mar Thoma Cheria Pally. The Church is committed to the down-trodden and the toiling masses. It cares for the needy in keeping with the verse, " Come to me, all you who labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11.28). The church has been utilizing its resources for charitable activities, mainly in the fields of education, health care and housing. Devotees from all walks of life come to this Church all throughout the year. The church which has a membership of more than 1600 families is under the Angamali diocese, the largest diocese in the Malankara Syrian Church. It is governed in temporal matters by its own constitution but its spiritual matters are guided by the Metropolitan of Angamali Diocese who owes allegiance to Apostolic Sea of Antioch through the Catholicos of Malankara under the Patriarch of Antioch and All the East. The parish runs a Higher Secondary School and a major hospital, both named after the Saint Baselios Yeldho Bava and is also the major shareholder of Mar Athanasius College Association which runs the MA College of Engineering at Kothamangalam, besides one of the largest Arts and Science colleges in the State and a famous residential High School, all named after the late Malankara Metropolitan St. Athanasius Paulose of blessed memory, who passed away in 1953.