San Thome Cathedral Basilica
Santhome Cathedral Basilica, Chennai falls under Roman Cathedral Church. The church was built by Portuguese explorers. The Portuguese landed on the shore and made it one of their business centers. The Church of Chennai bears evidence of Indian history and bygone days.
The Santhome Cathedral church is located at the heart of the city towards Marine Drive and is visited by tourists every year from different parts of the country. Santhome Cathedral Basilica of Chennai holds an important place in the religious heritage of Chennai.
Touted as a medical tourism destination, Chennai accommodates several renowned educational institutions. It has some of the famous educational institutes of the country. This capital city of Tamil Nadu has its own charm with scintillating beaches, historical monuments and notable museums.
It has been home to several glorious religious shrines as well. Santhome Basilica is a significant shrine that is dedicated to St. Thomas, one of the twelve Apostles of Jesus Christ who was entrusted the task of spreading the Lord’s teachings. It is one of the most popular pilgrimage sightseeing places to visit in Chennai.
This Roman Catholic minor Basilica built in honour of the Patron Saint of India is also renowned as St. Thomas Cathedral Basilica of the International Shrine of Saint Thomas. It is the major church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Madras and Mylapore and designated as a national shrine by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India.
History of San Thome Cathedral Basilica
Santhome Church has been an important religious shrine as it is one of the three churches in the world that have been built on the tombs of the apostles. Rome's St. Peter’s Basilica and Santiago de Compostela Cathedral in Spain are the other two churches built on the tombs of Saint Peter and Saint James respectively.
St. Thomas is also referred to as Didymus. He is believed to have landed in Kerala in 52 A. D and since then has been preaching Christianity until he was martyred in AD 72. He was killed on St. Thomas Mount with a lance that pierced his back.
Portuguese who arrived in India in 1500 AD found the tomb of St. Thomas and built the church over the tomb. Britishers reconstructed the church in 1893 and in 1896 it was consecrated by da Silva, the first Bishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese in India. Pope Pius XII gave the church the status of a Basilica Minor in the year 1956.
If you have just one day to visit Chennai and looking to visit San Thome Basilica Church, you can choose one of our Chennai city tour packages or customize your tour with your preferred list of tourist places in Chennai.
Architecture of San Thome Cathedral Basilica
Santhome Church stands majestically with the outer facade being completely white and the inner ceiling being dark brown. An amazing church built in neo-Gothic style delights every visitor with its naturally lit interiors, rows of wooden pews, and magnificent windows with colored panes.
The impressive main area of the church called the nave is 112 feet by 33 feet and holds awe-inspiring chandeliers. Stained glass windows behind the main altar showcase the lives of St. Thomas and other apostles of Jesus Christ.
It has been wonderfully renovated to have two chapels. The main chapel is above the ground and the tomb chapel is built under the ground. Visitors can find a statue of the great saint inside a glass case at his final resting place. Pilgrims visit the quaint place where the tomb is decorated with flowers and candles every day.
One of the city’s most sacred shrines, Santhome Basilica was renovated in December 2004 and has a statue of Mother Mary brought from Portugal. Adding to the charm of the sacred shrine is the 183 feet high spire constructed in 1894. You can plan to visit this tourist attraction with Chennai local sightseeing tours from Chennai Tourism in a private cab of your choice.
Stained glass windows of the auspicious complex showcase the story of St. Thomas and the wooden plaques depict the story of the last days of Christ. The tall spires of the church grab the attention of every visitor. The main altar has the inspiring statue of Jesus Christ.
An informative museum with several important artifacts is a must-visit for all the tourists which also houses the spear or the lancehead that was used to kill St. Thomas. Other noteworthy collection exhibited in the museum includes the great apostle’s fingerprint, an Episcopal chair, two postage stamps, inscriptions of his deeds on stones, the remains of his bones, and wall paintings portraying St. Thomas’s life and death.
A mini-theatre showcasing a short film on the life of St. Thomas is another interesting feature of the church. At the rear end of the basilica is an old sundial.
