Feast of Holy Cross Shrine

The festival is renowned for the lighting of large candles by thousands of devotees and a procession carrying a relic of the True Cross.The festival kicks off with the flag hoisting ceremony on September 5th, marking the official start of the celebrations. The period from September 12th to 15th is particularly important, with the highlight being the Thirithelyikkal on September 13th, where devotees light massive candles made of beeswax. These candles, ranging from 1 to 300 kg, are lit by around 500 worshippers as an offering for blessings received from the Holy Cross. This unique custom, which began in 928 A.D., draws about 300,000 worshippers annually.