Our Lady of Expectation Church

The historical sea port of Pandiya Kings (Port of Kayal) was Pazhayakayal. It was a prominent substation of all the 16 substations of Punnaikayal. On 21.09.1920 it was bifurcated from Punnaikayal and elevated into a parish. Rev. Fr. Gaspar Roche was the first parish priest.

St. Francis Xavier put up a thatched Church at Pazhayakayal and preached there. A pregnant woman was struggling with the birth pain for 3 days. St. Francis Xavier prayed for her. And she gave birth to a male child. It seems that in memory of this miracle and as a mark of gratitude the Church at Pazhayakayal was dedicated to Our Lady of Expectation. To recall this incident a grotto was built with name ‘Saveri Navasthan’ which was blessed by Bishop Tiburtius Roche on 03.12.1938.

Pazhayakayal which was with the Goa Mission was in 1893 attached to the diocese of Tiruchirappalli. Rev. Fr. Ambrose who was the parish priest at Pazhayakayal was murdered by a man of Pazhayakayal. In the place where the priest was killed, Rev. Fr. Pouget built a chapel and dedicated to St. Sebastian.

Jesuit priests put up a Jesus grotto in the midst of the jungle, 3 kilometers away from the village. Now it is developped into a spacious Church and a pilgrim centre and it is named by people as ‘Jesu Koil’. On first Fridays people flock to this Church.

Pazhayakayal was the mother parish of Eral-Othasai Matha, Eral-St. Joseph, Gnanapragasiarpatnam, Pudukottai and Saveriarpuram M.

Pazhayakayal Church was renovated and remodelled into a beautiful Church when Rev. Fr. Mahizhan was the parish priest (2001 – 2006). Rev. Fr. John Bosco built the presbytery at Pazhayakayal which was blessed by Bishop Amalnather in November 1997.