 It is the first church in Asia dedicated to Saint Joseph
St. Thomas the Apostle landed in lush green Kerala which is lying between the Arabian Sea and the Western Ghats on the extreme end of India in 52 A.D. St. Thomas founded a Christian community which extended throughout Kerala by baptizing many people.It is popularly believed that as the community grew up, 7 churches namely, Maliankara, Palayoor, Paravoor (Kottakayal), Kokamangalam, Niranam, Chayal (Nilackal),Kollam and a half completed church at Thiruvankodu which were called ‘ezharapallika’l, were founded.Of these, Niranam situated close to the sea was very prominent.