Kuninji is a small village, seven kilometers north to Ramapuram which is well known in Kerala history on account of well known persons like Ramapurathu warrier , Lalithambika Antharjanam and great personalities in church history such as Paremmakkal Thoma Kathanar and Blessed Kunjachan. Kuninji is in Idukki District and its border touches Kottayam and Ernakulam districts. Kuninji is in purapuzha panchayat and its border touches Ramapuram, Veliyannoor, Palakuzha and Karimkunnam panchayats. This tiny village is surrounded by tall green hills on all sides and the panoramic scenery is very beautiful and attractive to tourists. The long view from the top stations of greenery hills to Cochin, the queen of Arabian sea is an exclusive awe inspiring experience to the nature lovers.
Even from the distant past centuries people migrated settled in Kuninji. Due to epidemics and other natural calamities people devastated from this region and it became forest. In 19th and 20th centuries people from Ramapuram, Kuravilangad, Athirampuzha and Palai again migrated and settled here.
Majority of the settlers are from catholic christian community.They depended upon Ramapuram and Neeranthanam churches for their spiritual needs. They had the strong ambition for a church here to fulfill their sacramental life. They sent a memorandum to the vicar apostolic, Bishop mar Thoma Kurialasseril of Changanachery. The memorandum of the people was carried to Changanachery on foot by their elders like Vattackattu Mathai Ouseph, Esthappan Kuruvila Kulakkat, Mathai Varkey Vattakkatt, Ulahannan Kochumankunnel. Kochuparambil Augusthy offered to give land for the proposed church at the centre of Kuninji. He gave one acre of land free of cost and six acres of land for a price for the church.
The bishop of changanachery accepted memorandum favourably and orders were given to Fr John Arancheril, then vicar of neeranthanam church for further action.
As per order No.990 of the vicar Apostolic of Changanachery dated 20 July 1918 permission was given for the establishment of a church at kuninji as a filial church of Neeranthanam church. Accordingly the presbitary was constructed and application was submitted to the government for the permission of the construction of the church at Kuninji. Ouseph Mathai Vattackatt and Esthappan Kuruvila Kulakatt were elected as the first trustees of the proposed parish. With the permission of the bishop , the foundation stone of the new church was laid by Fr. John Arancheril on 27th January 1919 and the statue of St. Antony was blessed and in installed on the same day.
Order was given to Fr. Vicar to celebrate Holy mass on sundays and feast days on 30/01/1919. Holy Mass was celebrated on sundays in the temporary shed till the construction of the new church. Order was given also to celebrate the sacrament of Baptism on 21/02/1919.
During the pastoral visit of Mar Thomas Kurialassery to Neeranthanam church Kuninji parish was raised to the status of independend parish on 16/01/1920 and Fr. John Arancheril was appointed the first vicar of the Kuninji parish.Permission was granted for the celebration of the feast of St. Sebastian on every 27th of January, the day on which the foundation stone of the church was laid. Permission was granted also for the celebration of the feast of St. Antony, patron of the parish on the second sunday of June every year, which falls near to the feast day of St. Antony, 13th June.
Syro Malabar hierarchy ws errected on 21st December1923. Accordingly Kuninji parish came under Ramapuram forane church. When borders of Ernakulam and Changanassery arch dioceses were rearanged Kuninji parish became the part of Ernakulam diocese. Kothamangalam diocese was erected on 29/07/1956 Kuninji came under Marika forane of Kothamangalam diocese.
