International Shrine of St. Thomas Basilica
Address:
International Shrine of St. Thomas BasilicaNo.38, Santhome High Road,
Chennai – 600 004.
Brief History:
There are three places that stand out as
monuments of honour, speaking aloud about the presence, activity and the martyrdom
of St. Thomas, the apostle of India. They are
1. Little Mount
2. St. Thomas Mount
3.Santhome Cathedral Basilica.
St. Thomas built a church at Santhome. After his martyrdom, his body was buried
in the Church built by him. A pot containing earth, moistened by his blood and
the lance with which he was pierced were both buried in his tomb. The
foundation for a new church was laid on 2nd July 1523. The Church was rebuilt
and erected as a Parish. Father Penteado from Portugal was the first Parish
Priest. In 1893 His Excellency, Dom Henry Joseph Reed Da Silva, Bishop of
Mylapore demolished the old cathedral and laid the foundation for the new
Basilica, to commemorate the Golden Jubilee Day of the Episcopal Consecration
of His Holiness Pope Leo XIII. In this church the second tower, a smaller one,
points to the exact place where the Apostle was buried. The new Basilica was
constructed and consecrated on 1st April 1896 AD. The tip of the cross on the
spire is 155 feet from the ground level. In this Church, the statue of our Lady
of Mylapore is enthroned, before which St Francis Xavier prayed intensely for
several days while he stayed in Mylapore.
The Bishop of Dacca consecrated a new bell on 9th May 1896, His Excellency, Dom
A S Valente, Patriarch of the East Indies consecrated the main altar of the
Cathedral. The Bishop of Mylapore consecrated the altar of Saints Peter and
Paul on 29th June 1896 AD. A sun-dial from the old Cathedral is placed on the
rear side of the Sacristy. This Cathedral Basilica is a matter of pride to the
nation and to all of us, because it is built over the tomb of St. Thomas. There
are Three Basilicas, all over the world, that are built over the tomb of the
apostles. The first one is St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome, the second one on the
tomb of St. James, and the third one is the tomb chapel of St Thomas in San
Thome Cathedral Basilica in Chennai. The Cathedral Basilica was restored and
consecrated on 12th December 2004 by the Apostolic Nuncio His Excellency
Archbishop Pedro Lopez Quintana and Cardinal Ivan Dias of Mumbai. On 8th
September 2005 the present Archbishop of Madaras-Mylapore His Grace, Most Rev
Dr AM Chinnappa SDB DD Ph D issued a decree elevating this Cathedral Parish as
a Shrine of the Archdiocese.
Mass Timings:
Monday to Saturday
05.45 A.M. Adoration, Rosary and Mass in English
11.00 A.M. Mass in Tamil ( Underground Tomb Chapel)
05.30 P.M. Benediction
05.45 P.M. Rosary, Mass in Tamil
Sundays
06.00 A.M. Mass in Tamil
07.15 A.M. Mass in English
08.15 A.M. Mass in Tamil
09.30 A.M. Mass in English
10.30 A.M. Mass in Malayalam ( Syro Malabar Rite )
12 Noon Mass in English
06.00 P.M. Mass in Tamil
Day of St.Thomas
Third (3rd) of every month is celebrated as Day of St.Thomas. Special Devotion and Mass at 6.00 P.M.
Day of Our Lady of Mylapore
Second saturday of everymonth is celebrated as Mylai Matha Day. Mass and Car procession at 6.00 P.M.
