St. Antony’s Church, Kannamaly has a rich and enduring history spanning over 281 years. The first Church was established in 1745, about 3 km west of the present Church site, under the patronage of Our Lady of Immaculate Conception. This Church was destroyed by a sea erosion in 1795, following which a second Church was constructed in 1796. In 1873, Kannamaly Church was separated from the Mundamvely parish and declared as an independent parish. A severe sea erosion in 1905 caused partial damage to the Church, and the destructive sea erosion of 1908 led to its complete ruin. On June 13, 1909, the foundation stone for the third Church was laid by Very Rev.Fr.Antony Padua,Vicar Forane and Parish Priest of St.Lawrence Church ,Edacochin , at the present location. A temporary palm-leaf shed was erected over the completed foundation, where liturgical services were conducted. On July 2, 1912, a Cemetery Chapel was built, and the services were shifted there. The present Church,which was built following the model of St.Paul’s Basilica of Rome,was solemnly blessed on November 22, 1942 by His Excellency Dr.Jose Vieira Alvernaz. While the Church was originally dedicated to Our Lady of Immaculate Conception, it is now known and revered under the patronage of St. Antony.
The Nercha Sadya Feast of St. Joseph at Kannamaly is a sacred tradition with a history of over 121 years. Its origin dates back to 1905, a time when Kannamaly faced a devastating sea erosion followed by a severe outbreak of cholera. The disease, which spread rapidly through contaminated food and water, claimed the lives of thousands, leaving the region in deep distress. In this period of suffering, Rev.Fr. Joseph Suarez, the then parish priest of Kannamaly Church, was blessed with a divine vision in which St. Joseph appeared along with the Infant Jesus and the Blessed Virgin Mary. Inspired by this heavenly revelation, the faithful observed the Feast of St. Joseph on March 19, 1905 in a special manner. Food prepared in the homes of the people was brought to the Church courtyard, blessed, and shared among the faithful. The blessed food was also distributed to those who were sick and unable to come to the church. By God’s grace and through the powerful intercession of St. Joseph, a miraculous healing followed. The cholera epidemic, which had spread through food, was brought under control, and the sick were restored to health after partaking of the blessed meal. From that day onwards, Kannamaly has been spared from cholera. Since then, every year on March 19, the Feast of St. Joseph is solemnly celebrated with the Nercha Sadya. Even today, lakhs of devotees gather at Kannamaly with deep faith to participate in this sacred offering and to receive the abundant blessings of St. Joseph.
The miraculous statue of St. Joseph venerated at Kannamaly was brought from Spain by Carmelite priests through a sea voyage. The priests were transporting three statues of St. Joseph intended for churches in the southern region of India. When the ship reached the western side of Kannamaly, the sail suddenly failed to catch the wind and the vessel came to a halt. After inspection, it was found that the ship had become firmly grounded. To reduce the weight, one statue of St. Joseph—whose right leg had already been damaged during loading in Spain—was taken ashore. Immediately, the ship floated free. However, repeated attempts to reload the statue were unsuccessful, as it could not be moved from the ground. Recognizing this as a sign of divine will, the priests entrusted the statue to the people of Kannamaly and continued their journey. The statue, wrapped in straw, was kept aside with the intention of installing it in the new Church. In time, it was forgotten. This incident took place a few months after the first Nercha Sadhya in 1905. Around the same period, a severe diarroheal illness spread among cattle in the locality, causing the death of many animals. A woman who came to the church for prayer took a piece of straw that had wrapped the statue and gave it to her sick cow. The cow recovered miraculously. Encouraged by this, the straw was given to other affected cattle, and all of them were healed. Recognizing the miraculous nature of the statue, it was brought out, the broken leg was repaired, and the statue was reverently installed in the Church. In 1946, during the tenure of Rev. Fr. Victorinus K.V as parish priest, a Chapel was built, and the statue was installed there. The same miraculous statue of St. Joseph that arrived in Kannamaly in 1905 continues to remain here today, blessing all who seek his intercession with faith and devotion.
The Chapel originally established in 1946 had borne the marks of time, and the faithful ardently longed for a new Chapel dedicated to St. Joseph. Accordingly, the foundation stone for the Miraculous Shrine of St.Joseph was laid on March 18, 2012 by the then Chief Minister of Kerala, Shri Oommen Chandy, and the foundation stone was blessed by His Excellency Rt.Rev.Dr.Joseph Kariyil, Bishop of Cochin. Incorporating Gothic, Roman, and contemporary architectural styles, the newly constructed Miraculous Shrine of St.Joseph is artistically designed in the form of a blossoming branch held in the hands of St. Joseph. Built over three floors with a total area of 5,000 square feet, the Miraculous Shrine of St.Joseph houses ten smaller Chapels containing the sacred relics of ten Saints. The Miraculous Shrine of St.Joseph was solemnly blessed on March 8, 2015 by His Excellency Rt.Rev.Dr.Joseph Kariyil, Bishop of Cochin and this Shrine is the only one in Asia that enshrines the sacred relics of ten saints under one roof.