The raising of the Pallippuram church was officially announced at the conclusion of the silver jubilee celebrations of the diocese on 7 October.

In the biggest ever flood known in the history of Kerala, this Port was washed off in 1341 AD and a new Island known as Vypin was formed near Kochi or Cochin in the Vembanad Lake.

During the Mysorean invasion of Kerala in the 18th century, Tipu Sultan was camped near the River Chalakkudy in order to attack parts of Travancore.

There was also a high flood in the River Periyar and Tipu lost a huge part of his military and returned to Mysore.

On 27 August 2012, Pope Benedict XVI issued a decree and raised its status to that of minor basilica.

At the time of the jubilee of the Kottapuram Diocese, the papal nuncio to India, His Excellency Archbishop Salvatore Pennacchio officially declared the decree.