About Us

About BVM

B.V.M Holy Cross College is a pioneering self-financing college affiliated to Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam. The college belongs to Roman Catholic Syrian Christian Community. It was founded in 1995 by the Holy Cross Forane Church, Cherpunkal of Diocese of Palai under the patronage of Palai Diocese. Situated in the renowned Infant Jesus pilgrimage centre alongside an idyllic ambience on the banks of Meenachil river, the college is enveloped in an aura that facilitates overall development of a student.

Ideally located at the serene and holy environment of Cherpunkal, BVM provides an extraordinary environment for learning and self-development.

The college owes its name to the late Mar Sebastian Vayalil, the first Bishop of Pala and the great visionary who established and nurtured several reputed institutions for University Education in this part of the state. It is owned and administered by the Mar Sleeva Forane Parish of the Roman Catholic Syrian Christian diocese of Pala. H.E. the Bishop of Pala is the Patron and Very Rev. Fr. Vicar, Holy Cross Forane Church is the ex-officio Manager of the College. The college is under the jurisdiction of Holy Cross Forane Church Educational Trust. It is an unaided College affiliated to Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam, Kerala.

Presently there are 6 UG courses and 2 PG courses with 1000 students and 55 Teaching Staff.

Management

The College is managed by Holy Cross Forane Church Educational and Charitable Trust. The objectives of the trust are to render educational service to the students irrespective of caste, creed, religion and language. Bishop of Pala is the Ex-officio patron of the Trust and the Vicar of Holy Cross Forane Church is the Ex-offficio president of the Trust and the Manager of the College.


Mar Sebastian Vayalil 1906-1986 The First Bishop of Palai

Mar Sebastian Vayalil, to whose revered memory this college is dedicated,was an illustrious son of Pala. As the first Bishop of the diocese of Pala, he made Pala an educational hub with three great institutions like,St.Thomas College, Alphonsa College andSt.Thomas Training College way back in 1950’s. With his inspiration hundreds of schools, training institutes and professional colleges sprouted in the whole of Pala and Meenachil region. To perpetuate his divine memories and acknowledge his great contributions in the knowledge world, Mar Sleeva Parish Cherpunkal established BishopVayalil Memorial Holy Cross College in Cherpunkal.

Mar Sebastian Vayalil
Cherpunkal Church

Mar Sebastian Vayalil was born on 28 January 1906 at Pala. He had his ecclesiastical studies at St Joseph’s Seminary Mangalapuzha, Alwaye and was ordained priest on 21 December 1935 and was appointed Bishop of Pala on 25 July 1950. The Consecration was on 9 November 1950 at Rome by His Eminence Eugene Cardinal Tisserant, the secretary of the sacred Congregation for oriental churches. He has served the Diocese for 30 years as Bishop and retired on 25 March 1981. He was called to eternal reward on 21 December 1986. True to his motto,”TheLord is my Light” he placed unbounded trust in divine providence and worked untiringly for the people of God entrusted to him.

May the Lord grant him eternal light.