Arthunkal Feast Festival

Arthunkal Feast Festival in Kerela

The Arthunkal Feast refers to the annual grand celebrations held at the St. Andrew’s Forane Church at Arthunkal that culminates into a big feast. Also known as St. Sebastian’s Feast, this church festival of Kerala sees both Christians as well as people of other religious belies thronging to the Church.

The Arthunkal Feast is celebrated over eleven days in Kerala. The highlights of the concluding day of the festival include a special ritual in which the devotees crawl on their knees all the way from the nearby beach to the church. Afterwards there is a ceremonial procession to the beach.

Owing to the huge crowd on the ultimate day of Arthunkal Feast, in recent years, the the church authorities have instituted another minor feast on the 8th day after the principal feast. This is known as Ettamperunnal. Of late this feast also has attained as much importance as the principal feast

St. Andrew’s Forance Church at Arthunkal, one of the sacred churches in Kerala, attracts lakhs of devotees both Christains and non-Christians every year from all parts of the State. The feast of St. Sebastian is celebrated on a grand scale for eleven days in a year. Owing to the unmanageable crowding of pilgrims and the resultant confusion on January 20 the final day of the feast, the church authorities have instituted another minor feast on the 8th day after the principal feast. This is known as Ettamperunnal. Of late this feast also has attained as much importance as the principal feast.