[3][4] It is part of the Ēḻarappaḷḷikaḷ (seven major churches) that he established in India, the others being at Cranganore, Kokkamangalam, Kottakkavu, Kollam, Niranam, and Chayal (Nilackal).

The place has since become a dry land but its historicity as a boat jetty called locally 'Bottukulam' has been preserved as a monument to St. Thomas (see picture).

[14] Historical legend records that when Thomas landed at Palayur, he witnessed the sight of Hindu Brahmins, after their ablutions in a local tank.

[15] Thereafter he baptised the converts in a nearby water tank, now known as "Thaliyakulam" which is referred to as The First Baptism Pond, "The Birthplace of Christianity in India".

It has about twenty towns, out of which three are renowned and powerful Karangol [Kodungallūr], Pallur, and Kullam [Kollam], with others that are near them.Archdeacon Giwargis of Christ was selected as the suffragan and coadjutor of Mar Abraham in the diocesan synod of Angamaly.

[20][21] In 1578 Mar Abraham wrote a letter to Pope Gregory XIII, requesting papal confirmation for the appointment of his archdeacon as the bishop of Palur and as his successor.

[21] By the letter dated 3 January 1579, Pope Gregory XIII confirmed Giwargis of Christ as the administrator of the Archdiocese of Angamaly, in case of vacancy through the death of the Metropolitan Mar Abraham.

[21] On 5 March 1580, the pope wrote a letter to the entire clergy and people of the Archdiocese of Angamaly, urging them to obey Metropolitan Mar Abraham and Giwargis of Christ, the bishop of Palur.

[21][22] We, then being solicitous for your salvation and the tranquillity of your Church, exhort and advise you and by virtue of the power committed to us by Christ, also order you not to suffer yourselves to be infected by that pest [the reference is to the activities of Metropolitan Shemon], but evade it by all means: flee from his words and sermons; fear him as the enemy and eradicator of the Catholic faith, your salvation and the glory of Christ: eject him out of your community and gathering, permit him not to dwell among you nor to remain in your places.

Be you therefore obedient to your lord Archbishop Abraham and also to George, bishop of Palur, and live steadfast in the sincerity of Faith, in the simplicity of morals and in the unity of the holy mother the Church.

Thus you attain to that eternal felicity and glory, which God has prepared and reserved for those who would live piously and holy...Rerum Indicarum (volume III) by Pierre du Jarric gives part of a letter by James Fenicio, a Jesuit missionary in the Zamorin's territory.

The stone church which I began two years ago [enclosing, apparently, within it the primitive building] had risen to the height of the windows.

At this stage no one would dare to pull down the old wooden building, fearing to be struck down by sudden death: it stood surrounded by the walls of the new erection, but after I had prayed and removed their timidity, the old structure was pulled down, and the new building stood out in such fine proportions that the Hindus, the Mahomedans, and the Jews flocked to see it.From the Jesuit annual letter of 1607, Domenico Ferroli quotes a note from Fenicio:[26] "I cannot"-so he writes "easily describe the difficulties I encountered in going to Palur...

The wooden structure must undoubtedly have been very old, and constructed no doubt of teak which grew all over the country even in comparatively recent times: at that early age the supply must have been very plentiful.

[24] Antonio de Gouvea, a Portuguese missionary and chronicler of Dom Alexis de Menezes, records in his book "Jornada Dom Alexis de Menezes" about the church of Palur and other churches present nearby in the Kingdom of Zamorin: On his way he was given letters from the Cassanars and Vicars whom from the Synod he had sent to the church of Pallur (Palayur), dedicated to the glorious Saint Cyriac Martyr, the last of this Christian community on the Northern side, in the lands of the king Samorin five leagues from Panane (Ponnani), a place well-known to the Portuguese and to our fleets, which meant to them a big disturbance with which the devil had deceived all those people, and the people of Anamaque (Enammavu) and Mutem (Mattam) and Chatacolangaree (Chattukulangara or Arthat Kunnamkulam), all in the lands of the king Samorin, and close to each other...

[27] In 1602, Francis Roz, the Bishop of Cranganore and the first Latin prelate of Saint Thomas Christians, made a pastoral visit to the church of Palur.

[28] In 1632, Saint Thomas Christians under the leadership of Archdeacon Givargis of the Cross met at Edapally Church on 25 December 1632 and drew a resolution against the Latin Jesuit Archbishop Stephen Britto.

The approach or entrance is like a Hindu style mandapa–in Indian architecture a pillared outdoor hall or pavilion for public rituals.