By Matters India Reporter

Kuravilangad, Sept 8, 2020: A mosaic of the world’s first Marian apparition will be enshrined at the Church of Annunciation in Israel’s Nazareth city on September 8, the feast of Nativity.

The mosaic is done with a backdrop of Marth Mariam (St Mary’s) Major Archiepiscopal Church at Kuravilangad, a village in the Kottayam district of Kerala, southern India, that dates back to 105 AD,

The church in Nazareth, the largest city in the Northern District of Israel, has pictures of Mary from various parts of the world. The church is erected over the site where the Catholic tradition holds to be where angel Gabriel announced that she would conceive and bear the Son of God, Jesus – an event known as the Annunciation.

Its authorities have permitted the installation of the mosaic from the Indian church considering its historical significance.

The Kuravilangad church claims to be built at the spot of Mother Mary’s first apparition in the history of the Church.

According to tradition, Mother Mary appeared in 335 AD to a few children, who were tending their flock in Kuravilangad. She asked them to build a church at the place from where a perpetual spring sprouted. The children reported the events to the elders and a church was built there.

The mosaic is made with marble from Italy and was assembled under the guidance of the Franciscan priests at the mosaic art center in Jericho, another biblical place now under Palestine.

Monsignor Joseph Thadathil, vicar general of Palai diocese and former archpriest of Kuravilangad church and Monsignor Bruno Balanio, rector of the Pilgrim Centre at Nazareth, helped complete the mosaic picture.

The Kuravilangad church sports three gigantic bells, one of them the largest church bell in Asia. The bells, 1,829, 1,317 and 866 kilos, were brought from Germany in 1911. The largest is more than 6 feet high. The church also has an ancient bell with “Mother of God” engraved in Syriac language.

The church’s main attraction is “Moonu Nombu (3-day lent), to commemorate the biblical story of Jonah who spent three days inside a whale. The feast ends with “Kappalottam” or “racing ship.”

A 34 feet high open air cross was installed in 1575. It is a single block granite cross is standing in front of the church.