San Thome Basilica
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San Thome Church, officially known as St Thomas Cathedral Basilica and National Shrine of Saint Thomas, is a
minor basilica In the Catholic Church, a basilica is a designation given by the Pope to a church building. Basilicas are distinguished for ceremonial purposes from other churches. The building need not be a basilica in the architectural sense (a rectangular ...
of the
Catholic Church in India The Catholic Church in India is part of the worldwide Catholic Church under the leadership of the Pope (''Romanus Pontifex''). There are over 20 million Catholics in India,
, at the Santhome neighbourhood of Madras (Chennai), in
Tamil Nadu Tamil Nadu (; , TN) is a state in southern India. It is the tenth largest Indian state by area and the sixth largest by population. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu is the home of the Tamil people, whose Tamil language ...
. The present structure dates to 1523 AD, when it was rebuilt by the Portuguese, over the tomb of
Thomas the Apostle Thomas the Apostle ( arc, 饜饜饜饜饜, hbo, 转讜止诪讗 讛拽讚讜砖 or 转讜止诪指讗 砖诇讬讞讗 (''Toma HaKadosh'' "Thomas the Holy" or ''Toma Shlikha'' "Thomas the Messenger/Apostle" in Hebrew-Aramaic), syc, 墁軔軜堋軔, , meaning "twi ...
, one of the Twelve commissioned by
Jesus Christ Jesus, likely from he, 讬值砖讈讜旨注址, translit=Y膿拧奴a士, label= Hebrew/ Aramaic ( AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ or Jesus of Nazareth (among other names and titles), was a first-century Jewish preacher and relig ...
.Santhome Basilica in Chennai 鈥 A historical pilgrimage
''indiastudychannel.com''. Retrieved 30 August 2021 In 1896, it was
renovated Renovation (also called remodeling) is the process of improving broken, damaged, or outdated structures. Renovations are typically done on either commercial or residential buildings. Additionally, renovation can refer to making something new, ...
in the
Madras province The Madras Presidency, or the Presidency of Fort St. George, also known as Madras Province, was an administrative subdivision (presidency) of British India. At its greatest extent, the presidency included most of southern India, including the ...
according to neo-Gothic designs, as was favoured by
British architect This list of British architects includes notable architects, civil engineers, and earlier stonemasons, from the United Kingdom and its predecessor states. People have also been included who were born outside the UK/Great Britain but who are prim ...
s in the late 19th century. It is one of the only three churches of the
apostolic age Christianity in the 1st century covers the formative history of Christianity from the start of the ministry of Jesus (鈥29 AD) to the death of the last of the Twelve Apostles () and is thus also known as the Apostolic Age. Early Christianity ...
of ancient Christianity, known for enshrining the
tomb A tomb ( grc-gre, 蟿蠉渭尾慰蟼 ''tumbos'') is a repository for the remains of the dead. It is generally any structurally enclosed interment space or burial chamber, of varying sizes. Placing a corpse into a tomb can be called ''immureme ...
of an apostle and are still standing in the world today; the other two being the
St Peter's Basilica The Papal Basilica of Saint Peter in the Vatican ( it, Basilica Papale di San Pietro in Vaticano), or simply Saint Peter's Basilica ( la, Basilica Sancti Petri), is a Church (building), church built in the Renaissance architecture, Renaissanc ...
in
Vatican City Vatican City (), officially the Vatican City State ( it, Stato della Citt脿 del Vaticano; la, Status Civitatis Vaticanae),鈥' * german: Vatikanstadt, cf. '鈥' (in Austria: ') * pl, Miasto Watyka艅skie, cf. '鈥' * pt, Cidade do Vati ...
and
Santiago de Compostela Cathedral The Santiago de Compostela Archcathedral Basilica ( Spanish and Galician: ) is part of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Santiago de Compostela and is an integral component of the Santiago de Compostela World Heritage Site in Galicia, Spain. The ...
in
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. In antiquity, there was a basilica built over the tomb of the Apostle Philip in
Hierapolis Hierapolis (; grc, 峒刮迪佄慰位喂蟼, lit. "Holy City") was originally a Phrygian cult centre of the Anatolian mother goddess of Cybele and later a Greek city. Its location was centred upon the remarkable and copious hot springs in clas ...
of
Phrygia In classical antiquity, Phrygia ( ; grc, 桅蟻蠀纬委伪, ''Phryg铆a'' ) was a kingdom in the west central part of Anatolia, in what is now Asian Turkey, centered on the Sangarios River. After its conquest, it became a region of the great empir ...
, present-day
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.


History of St. Thomas the Apostle

According to the Bible, Saint Thomas was born in the Roman province of
Judea Judea or Judaea ( or ; from he, 讬讛讜讚讛, Standard ''Y蓹h奴da'', Tiberian ''Yeh奴岣從''; el, 峒肝肯呂次蔽, ; la, I奴daea) is an ancient, historic, Biblical Hebrew, contemporaneous Latin, and the modern-day name of the mountainous so ...
. He was one of the twelve disciples of
Jesus Jesus, likely from he, 讬值砖讈讜旨注址, translit=Y膿拧奴a士, label= Hebrew/ Aramaic ( AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ or Jesus of Nazareth (among other names and titles), was a first-century Jewish preacher and relig ...
. He was one of the brothers of Jesus, and was named Judah, called the Twin, aka Didymus. He was the one who touched the wound of Jesus after he rose from his death. Later on in AD 52 he came to
Kerala Kerala ( ; ) is a state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile regions of Cochin, Malabar, South Ca ...
,
India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area, the List of countries and dependencies by population, second-most populous ...
, to preach about
Jesus Jesus, likely from he, 讬值砖讈讜旨注址, translit=Y膿拧奴a士, label= Hebrew/ Aramaic ( AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ or Jesus of Nazareth (among other names and titles), was a first-century Jewish preacher and relig ...
and later on he moved to present-day
Chennai Chennai (, ), formerly known as Madras ( the official name until 1996), is the capital city of Tamil Nadu, the southernmost Indian state. The largest city of the state in area and population, Chennai is located on the Coromandel Coast of th ...
. In AD 72 he was killed in St. Thomas Mount and he was buried in Mylapore (presently Santhome) by his disciples, and a small structural building (church) was built to mark his tomb. Later on the tomb of St. Thomas was respected and maintained by
Muslims Muslims ( ar, 丕賱賲爻賱賲賵賳, , ) are people who adhere to Islam, a monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God of Abrah ...
and they called the tomb as "Bothuma" (House of Thomas). Centuries later, it became an abandoned structure although many pilgrims came to visit the tomb from East and
Kerala Kerala ( ; ) is a state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile regions of Cochin, Malabar, South Ca ...
.


Portuguese era

In 1521, the
Portuguese in Goa and Bombay-Bassein The State of India ( pt, Estado da 脥ndia), also referred as the Portuguese State of India (''Estado Portugu锚s da 脥ndia'', EPI) or simply Portuguese India (), was a state of the Portuguese Empire founded six years after the discovery of a se ...
sent missionaries to Madras (Chennai) seeking the tomb of the famed
Thomas the Apostle Thomas the Apostle ( arc, 饜饜饜饜饜, hbo, 转讜止诪讗 讛拽讚讜砖 or 转讜止诪指讗 砖诇讬讞讗 (''Toma HaKadosh'' "Thomas the Holy" or ''Toma Shlikha'' "Thomas the Messenger/Apostle" in Hebrew-Aramaic), syc, 墁軔軜堋軔, , meaning "twi ...
, which had become neglected or was maintained nominally by Muslims, and they decided to rebuild the
shrine A shrine ( la, scrinium "case or chest for books or papers"; Old French: ''escrin'' "box or case") is a sacred or holy space dedicated to a specific deity, ancestor, hero, martyr, saint, daemon, or similar figure of respect, wherein they ...
over the tomb of the apostle. With the order and funding of King
John III of Portugal John III ( pt, Jo茫o III ; 7 June 1502 鈥 11 June 1557), nicknamed The Pious ( Portuguese: ''o Piedoso''), was the King of Portugal and the Algarves from 1521 until his death in 1557. He was the son of King Manuel I and Maria of Aragon, the ...
they started building the church. In 1523, the structure was consecrated as a church, and Portuguese ''
Padroado The ''Padroado'' (, "patronage") was an arrangement between the Holy See and the Kingdom of Portugal and later the Portuguese Republic, through a series of concordats by which the Holy See delegated the administration of the local churches and gr ...
'' priests resumed the daily celebration of
Liturgy Liturgy is the customary public ritual of worship performed by a religious group. ''Liturgy'' can also be used to refer specifically to public worship by Christians. As a religious phenomenon, liturgy represents a communal response to and partic ...
(Holy Mass) at the site. In 1545, St Francis Xavier visited the shrine and lived for about one year in the presbytery of the ''Santhome'' Church before he left for his mission in ''
Ilha Formosa Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is an island country located in East Asia. The main island of Taiwan, formerly known in the Western political circles, press and literature as Formosa, makes up 99% of the land area of the territorie ...
'', the Portuguese name for the island of
Taiwan Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia, at the junction of the East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the no ...
. When he lived in ''Santhome'' Church he regularly prayed in front of a statue of the Virgin Mother Mary and celebrated
Holy Mass The Mass is the central liturgical service of the Eucharist in the Catholic Church, in which bread and wine are consecrated and become the body and blood of Christ. As defined by the Church at the Council of Trent, in the Mass, "the same Chri ...
; he also prayed regularly at the tomb bearing the
relics In religion, a relic is an object or article of religious significance from the past. It usually consists of the physical remains of a saint or the personal effects of the saint or venerated person preserved for purposes of veneration as a tangi ...
of St Thomas.


British era

The church was made a cathedral in 1606 by
Pope Paul V Pope Paul V ( la, Paulus V; it, Paolo V) (17 September 1550 鈥 28 January 1621), born Camillo Borghese, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 16 May 1605 to his death in January 1621. In 1611, he honored ...
with the creation of the Diocese of Saint Thomas of Mylapore. Later the church was rebuilt with a status of cathedral in 1896 by the British in the late 19th-century style of
Gothic Revival architecture Gothic Revival (also referred to as Victorian Gothic, neo-Gothic, or Gothick) is an architectural movement that began in the late 1740s in England. The movement gained momentum and expanded in the first half of the 19th century, as increasingly ...
. The exact place where St. Thomas was buried is marked by the second small tower in the centre of the cathedral.
Pope Pius XII Pope Pius XII ( it, Pio XII), born Eugenio Maria Giuseppe Giovanni Pacelli (; 2 March 18769 October 1958), was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 2 March 1939 until his death in October 1958. Before his e ...
honoured this cathedral church, elevating it to the dignity and rank of a
minor basilica In the Catholic Church, a basilica is a designation given by the Pope to a church building. Basilicas are distinguished for ceremonial purposes from other churches. The building need not be a basilica in the architectural sense (a rectangular ...
in March 1956.
Pope John Paul II Pope John Paul II ( la, Ioannes Paulus II; it, Giovanni Paolo II; pl, Jan Pawe艂 II; born Karol J贸zef Wojty艂a ; 18 May 19202 April 2005) was the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 1978 until his ...
is the only pope to have visited the church, in the year 1986. This church was declared as a National Shrine in 2004 by the
Catholic Bishops' Conference of India The Catholic Bishops' Conference of India (CBCI) is the permanent association of the Catholic bishops of India. It was established in September 1944, in Chennai. The CBCI Secretariat was located in Bangalore until 1962, when it was shifted to t ...
. This church is also called the "National Shrine of Saint Thomas Cathedral Basilica", or as "Santhome Church". It is a very important church for worldwide
Christians Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christ贸s'' (围蟻 ...
as it is the tomb of St. Thomas the Apostle.


Architecture

Santhome Church was built in the
Gothic revival architecture Gothic Revival (also referred to as Victorian Gothic, neo-Gothic, or Gothick) is an architectural movement that began in the late 1740s in England. The movement gained momentum and expanded in the first half of the 19th century, as increasingly ...
style of the late 19th century. The church has a
rib vault A rib vault or ribbed vault is an architectural feature for covering a wide space, such as a church nave, composed of a framework of crossed or diagonal arched ribs. Variations were used in Roman architecture, Byzantine architecture, Islami ...
ceiling made of teak wood. It was built with 16 windows and 34
stained glass Stained glass is coloured glass as a material or works created from it. Throughout its thousand-year history, the term has been applied almost exclusively to the windows of churches and other significant religious buildings. Although tradition ...
with a main stained glass in altar represent "Saint Thomas Touching the Wound of Jesus Christ". The statue in the main altar indicates "Saint Thomas the apostle as Priest and Jesus Christ as King", with both sides the statue of Saint Thomas the Apostle and
Saint Peter the Apostle ) (Simeon, Simon) , birth_date = , birth_place = Bethsaida, Gaulanitis, Syria, Roman Empire , death_date = Between AD 64鈥68 , death_place = probably Vatican Hill, Rome, Italia, Roman Empire , parents = John (or Jonah; Jona) , occupation ...
. In addition, there are 14
Stations of the Cross The Stations of the Cross or the Way of the Cross, also known as the Way of Sorrows or the Via Crucis, refers to a series of images depicting Jesus Christ on the day of Crucifixion of Jesus, his crucifixion and accompanying prayers. The station ...
attached at the side wall of the cathedral. The cathedral was built with the materials
teak wood Teak (''Tectona grandis'') is a tropical hardwood tree species in the family Lamiaceae. It is a large, deciduous tree that occurs in mixed hardwood forests. ''Tectona grandis'' has small, fragrant white flowers arranged in dense clusters (panicl ...
,
marble Marble is a metamorphic rock composed of recrystallized carbonate minerals, most commonly calcite or dolomite. Marble is typically not foliated (layered), although there are exceptions. In geology, the term ''marble'' refers to metamorphose ...
and
granite Granite () is a coarse-grained ( phaneritic) intrusive igneous rock composed mostly of quartz, alkali feldspar, and plagioclase. It forms from magma with a high content of silica and alkali metal oxides that slowly cools and solidifies un ...
. There are two
spire A spire is a tall, slender, pointed structure on top of a roof of a building or tower, especially at the summit of church steeples. A spire may have a square, circular, or polygonal plan, with a roughly conical or pyramidal shape. Spires a ...
in this church : * ''First spire'' : acts as bell tower in the left side of church it is 147 feet tall and it can also be seen from distance. *''Second spire'' : was built in the center of the cathedral to indicate the tomb of Saint Thomas the Apostle. A 200 years old British
pipe organ The pipe organ is a musical instrument that produces sound by driving pressurized air (called ''wind'') through the organ pipes selected from a keyboard. Because each pipe produces a single pitch, the pipes are provided in sets called ''ranks' ...
is kept at upstairs of the church. visitors can see the pipe organ by climbing the stairs located at the
Narthex The narthex is an architectural element typical of early Christian and Byzantine basilicas and churches consisting of the entrance or lobby area, located at the west end of the nave, opposite the church's main altar. Traditionally the narth ...
of the church.


Our Lady of Mylapore

The Portuguese statue of Mother Mary was brought from
Lisbon Lisbon (; pt, Lisboa ) is the capital and largest city of Portugal, with an estimated population of 544,851 within its administrative limits in an area of 100.05 km2. Lisbon's urban area extends beyond the city's administrative limits w ...
to Santhome Church in 1523 and now it is kept at the left side of the church altar is now called as Our Lady of Mylapore. Our Lady of Mylapore, locally known as Mylai Matha, feast is celebrated in the month of
December December is the twelfth and final month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian calendars and is also the last of seven months to have a length of 31 days. December got its name from the Latin word ''decem'' (meaning ten) because it was ori ...
with great devotion. Second Saturday is devoted to Mylai Matha devotion. Special prayers, procession, rosary and benediction in the evening. The wooden statue of Our Lady of Mylapore is painted in gold and placed on a special altar. Saint Francis Xavier used to spend long hours in front of this statue in prayer and deep contemplation, prayers, procession, rosary and benediction in the evening.


Pole of St. Thomas

It is believed that Apostle Saint Thomas erected this pole made out of the wood washed ashore. Faithful believe that the presence of this pole saved their life and
cathedral A cathedral is a church that contains the ''cathedra'' () of a bishop, thus serving as the central church of a diocese, conference, or episcopate. Churches with the function of "cathedral" are usually specific to those Christian denominations ...
during the devastation of
Tsunami A tsunami ( ; from ja, 娲ユ尝, lit=harbour wave, ) is a series of waves in a water body caused by the displacement of a large volume of water, generally in an ocean or a large lake. Earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and other underwater exp ...
on 26 December 2004.


Timeline

* AD 72 鈥 Saint Thomas the Apostle died in St. Thomas Mount and buried in
Mylapore Mylapore, also spelt Mayilapur, is a neighbourhood in the central part of the city of Chennai, India. It is one of the oldest residential parts of the city. It is also called Tirumayilai. The locality is claimed to be the birthplace of the cel ...
(presently Santhome). * 1291 鈥 John of Montecorvino visited the tomb in
Mylapore Mylapore, also spelt Mayilapur, is a neighbourhood in the central part of the city of Chennai, India. It is one of the oldest residential parts of the city. It is also called Tirumayilai. The locality is claimed to be the birthplace of the cel ...
. * 1292 鈥
Marco Polo Marco Polo (, , ; 8 January 1324) was a Venetian merchant, explorer and writer who travelled through Asia along the Silk Road between 1271 and 1295. His travels are recorded in '' The Travels of Marco Polo'' (also known as ''Book of the Marv ...
visited the tomb. * 14th century 鈥
Franciscan , image = FrancescoCoA PioM.svg , image_size = 200px , caption = A cross, Christ's arm and Saint Francis's arm, a universal symbol of the Franciscans , abbreviation = OFM , predecessor = , ...
missionaries visited the tomb. * 1517 鈥 Portuguese missionaries arrived to Mylapore. * 1522 鈥 They started building Santhome Church. * 1523 鈥 Santhome Church was opened. * 1545 鈥 Saint Francis Xavier visited Santhome Church. * 1606 鈥 Santhome Church was raised to Cathedral by
Pope Paul V Pope Paul V ( la, Paulus V; it, Paolo V) (17 September 1550 鈥 28 January 1621), born Camillo Borghese, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 16 May 1605 to his death in January 1621. In 1611, he honored ...
. * 1893 鈥 British rebuilt the Portuguese structure (cathedral). * 1896 鈥 Santhome Church was opened by British with the status of cathedral. * 1927 鈥 Santhome Church was raised to minor basilica by
Pope Pius XI Pope Pius XI ( it, Pio XI), born Ambrogio Damiano Achille Ratti (; 31 May 1857 鈥 10 February 1939), was head of the Catholic Church from 6 February 1922 to his death in February 1939. He was the first sovereign of Vatican City f ...
. * 1986 鈥
Pope John Paul II Pope John Paul II ( la, Ioannes Paulus II; it, Giovanni Paolo II; pl, Jan Pawe艂 II; born Karol J贸zef Wojty艂a ; 18 May 19202 April 2005) was the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 1978 until his ...
visited Santhome Church. * 1996 鈥 Century of British structure (church) was celebrated. * 2004 鈥 The church undergone renovation. * 2006 鈥 Santhome Church was declared as National Shrine of
India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area, the List of countries and dependencies by population, second-most populous ...
by CCBI.


Relic held in Santhome Church

* Bones of Saint Thomas the Apostle * Spearhead that used to kill Saint Thomas in AD 72 at St. Thomas Mount * Holy
relic In religion, a relic is an object or article of religious significance from the past. It usually consists of the physical remains of a saint or the personal effects of the saint or venerated person preserved for purposes of veneration as a tangi ...
of Saint Francis Xavier * Holy relic of
Saint Bartholomew the Apostle Bartholomew ( Aramaic: ; grc, 螔伪蟻胃慰位慰渭伪峥栁肯, translit=Bartholoma卯os; la, Bartholomaeus; arm, 圆铡謤诈崭詹斋沾乍崭战; cop, 獠冣瞾獠b矐獠熲矖獠熲矙獠夆矡獠; he, 讘专-转讜诇诪讬, translit=bar-T么lmay; ar, 亘賻乇孬購賵賱賻賲丕賵 ...
* Holy relic of
Saint Philomena Philomena ( el, 峒壩澄 桅喂位慰渭苇谓伪), also known as Saint Philomena or ''Philomena of Rome'' was a young virgin martyr whose remains were discovered on May 24鈥25, 1802, in the Catacomb of Priscilla. Three tiles enclosing the tomb bor ...
The reliquaire of the spear which is said to have killed Saint Thomas kept in Santhome Church.


Burials in Santhome Church

* Saint Thomas the Apostle *
Bishop A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or office of bishop is ...
Louis Mathias *
Bishop A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or office of bishop is ...
Antony Devotta Antony Devotta was the ninth bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Tiruchirappalli of the Ecclesiastical Province of Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India. Early life and education He was born on 30 June 1943 in Santhome, Chennai. His family had moved f ...
*
Archbishop In Christian denominations, an archbishop is a bishop of higher rank or office. In most cases, such as the Catholic Church, there are many archbishops who either have jurisdiction over an ecclesiastical province in addition to their own archdio ...
Casimir Gnanadickam *
Archbishop In Christian denominations, an archbishop is a bishop of higher rank or office. In most cases, such as the Catholic Church, there are many archbishops who either have jurisdiction over an ecclesiastical province in addition to their own archdio ...
Anthony Rayappa Arulappa * Archbishop Aruldas * Bishop Francis Arthur Carvalho


Santhome Museum

Santhome Church has an attached museum contains lot of historical things belongs to Saint Thomas the Apostle and Santhome Church and the tomb. It has oldest
Cross A cross is a geometrical figure consisting of two intersecting lines or bars, usually perpendicular to each other. The lines usually run vertically and horizontally. A cross of oblique lines, in the shape of the Latin letter X, is termed a s ...
of 7th鈥8th centuries and Inscription. It is located at the backside of Santhome Church. And that is the way to enter the tomb of St. Thomas erected under Santhome Church. The museum has an information center about Saint Thomas the Apostle, Tomb of St. Thomas and about Santhome Church and more. Currently there are two new structures one being the Tomb Chapel below the basilica and the other a museum-cum-theatre. Exclusive films on the patron saint Thomas and the church are screened twice daily for local and foreign pilgrims. The new underground chapel has a separate access from outside the church structure, allowing pilgrims and tourists to visit or pray at the tomb without disturbing the sacred proceedings in the church. Eucharistic celebrations happen every day at the fully air-conditioned tomb chapel.


Holy Eucharist Chapel

An adoration chapel adjoining the main church provides perfectly for those soulful, silent moments before the
Blessed Sacrament The Blessed Sacrament, also Most Blessed Sacrament, is a devotional name to refer to the body and blood of Christ in the form of consecrated sacramental bread and wine at a celebration of the Eucharist. The term is used in the Latin Church of th ...
. This chapel can be approached from the left wing of the church apart from an exclusive entrance from the outside. The day does not begin for scores of local public without a short or prolonged visit to this chapel.


Gallery


Stained glass


See also

*
Roman Catholicism in India The Catholic Church in India is part of the worldwide Catholic Church under the leadership of the Pope ('' Romanus Pontifex''). There are over 20 million Catholics in India,
* Saint Thomas of Mylapur * Basilica of Our Lady of Good Health * Poondi Matha Basilica *
Our Lady of Snows Basilica Our Lady of Snows Shrine Basilica is located at Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu, India. It is one of the Catholic pilgrimage centers in India dedicated to the Our Lady of Snows, a title given to Mother Mary. The Shrine name refers to the Basilica di ...
*
Christianity in India Christianity is India's third-largest religion with about 27.8 million adherents, making up 2.3 percent of the population as of the 2011 census. The written records of the Saint Thomas Christians state that Christianity was introduced to th ...
*
Christianity in Tamil Nadu Christianity in the state of Tamil Nadu, India is the second largest religion in the state. According to tradition, St. Thomas, one of the twelve apostles, landed in Malabar Coast (modern day Kerala) in AD 52. In the colonial age many Po ...
* List of churches in Chennai * St. Thomas Mount * Santhome


References


External links


Official website of San Thome Church

San Thome Church Youth Group
{{DEFAULTSORT:St. Thomas Cathedral Basilica, Chennai Roman Catholic churches completed in 1523 Roman Catholic churches completed in 1896 Basilica churches in Tamil Nadu Roman Catholic cathedrals in Tamil Nadu Roman Catholic churches in Chennai Rebuilt buildings and structures in India 1523 establishments in the Portuguese Empire Roman Catholic churches in Tamil Nadu Tombs of apostles 19th-century Roman Catholic church buildings in India 16th-century Roman Catholic church buildings in India