I hope the title was enough to spark your curiosity to get to know more about this historical place which is located a hop, skip and a jump away from the Marina beach in Chennai.
Well, let me intensify that spark by giving you a few more reasons as to why this place has to be in the top few of the places-to-visit in Chennai list.
1. It is a 16th century monument.
2. You get to see a different architectural style (read more to know....)
3. You can visit the sacred tomb of St. Thomas (remember the title....one of the only three known churches in the world built over the tomb of an apostle of Jesus)
4. There is a museum depicting the history of St. Thomas and it also houses a Relic!
5. The structure is simply beautiful and you are sure to be fascinated by it.
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| A side view of the Santhome Cathedral |
How do you get there?
If you happen to be at the Marina beach, then the Santhome Cathedral is a mere 4 min drive away. Alternatively you could also walk down to the place which is approximately 2 km away from the central point of the beach. You can also hail a cab or an auto.
About the Santhome Cathedral....
Importance....
The Santhome Cathedral is also known as the St. Thomas Cathedral Basilica. It is the principal church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Madras and Mylapore and was raised to the status of a Basilica minor by Pope Pius XII in 1956. The Catholic Bishops' Conference of India declared this holy site as a national shrine on 11th February 2006.
The Santhome Cathedral is also one of the only three known churches in the world built over the tomb of an apostle of Jesus. The other two are Santiago de Compostela Cathedral located in Galicia, Spain and St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City.
About St. Thomas....
St. Thomas regarded as the Patron Saint of India was one of the 12 apostles of Jesus Christ. He came to Muziris in Kerala from the Roman province of Judea in order to spread Christianity and baptised several people. His followers are today known as the Saint Thomas Christians or Mar Thoma Nazranis.
He used to preach at a cave at the little mount (present day St. Thomas Mount near Chennai). It was here that he was killed by a lance that pierced through his back. The present day Santhome Cathedral is believed to have been built on the location where his mortal remains were buried.
Construction of the church....
In the 10th century A.D. a group of Nestorian Christians from Persia laid the foundations of the Christian village of San Thomes and constructed a church over the saint's burial site. However, this church fell to ruins between the 14th and 15th century.
The Portuguese, in 1522, moved the remains to a new tomb and it was rebuilt as a church with the status of a cathedral by the British. The present structure which we see before us is that built by the British.
The present day cathedral that stands before us has been constructed in Neo-gothic style (remember I told you that you would get introduced to a new style). I was captivated by the elegant white appearance of the building with its tall spires reaching high into the blue sky. The gorgeous white coloured building with the blue sky in the background does create a sort of dreamy picture in your mind. The spires also have delicate carvings which further enhance their appearance.
As I entered through the large wooden doors of this divine structure, I instantly glanced upon a huge statue of Jesus Christ located at the far end of the hallway. Even from that distance, the statute looked mesmerising, and I could feel myself being drawn to it to have a closer look.
The cathedral has several glass painted windows and the bright sunlight filtering through them creates a magical effect, almost as if it were bringing the characters in those scenes to life. The numerous rows of wooden benches (pews) on both sides of the hall further add to the aesthetic symmetry of the place.
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| A view of the interior of the Cathedral as seen from the entrance |
Venturing further in, I noticed a beautiful statue of the "Lady of Mylapore". We joined the priest and the others present as they offered prayers to the "Lady of Mylapore".
Having seen the entire cathedral, we still couldn't find the tomb of St. Thomas anywhere. Suddenly, I noticed that there was an opening behind the statue in the altar. The opening was an exit that led to another building.
Upon entering this building, the guard told us that the museum was to the right and the crypt chapel was in the basement. We decided to see the crypt chapel first. Walking down the stairs we came across huge posters displayed on the walls containing information about the tomb and the life of St . Thomas.
The stairs lead you to a small room, to the right of which is a glass separator. Beyond the separator one can see two statues (St. Thomas and a person with a lance) depicting the moment when St. Thomas was killed.
A small passage ahead takes you to another small room which is the crypt chapel and to the end of which you can see the tomb of St. Thomas which has been beautifully crafted.
We spent some time here, before returning to the museum.
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| The tomb of St. Thomas |
The museum....
The museum houses several artifacts from the bygone era. The walls of the museum have carvings and paintings depicting the life of St. Thomas and the miracles which he performed. It is here that one can see the Relic of St. Thomas, which holds the lance head that killed him.
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| The statue of Pope John Paul II near the entrance of the Cathedral |
Tips for Travellers....
- Please do remember to see both the buildings - the main cathedral and the other housing the crypt chapel and museum.
- Please remove your shoes at the entrance of both the buildings as shoes are not allowed inside.
- Please maintain silence while you are in the cathedral
- Please do try and see the place in both daylight as well as night time (we could not cause of time constraints)
- Please refer the Cathedral website www.thesanthomechurch.com for more details.
Hope you have an insightful visit !!
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