Holy Virgin Mary Church alias Valiyapally, belongs to the Knanaya Orthodox Syrian Community, is located at Thazhathangadi , 4 km northwest of the Kottayam. Built in the year 1550 AD, it is one of the largest churches in Kottayam dedicated to St. Mary . The church is famous for its two granite 8th-century Persian crosses with Pahlavi (official language of Sassanian dynasty in Persia) inscriptions. The cross on the Southern Altar is similar to the one at St. Thomas Mount, Mylapore, Madras.