Today, while
Chennai (the late Madras) celebrates its 376th Birthday, the number
marks the foundation of the city on the establishment of Fort St. George on a
small piece of land in 1639 by the British East Indian Company. Every year we
celebrate this day as Madras Day/Week marked by various events, and walk on the
memorial lanes of Madras. I thought it was appropriate to write on one of the
remarkable landmark of Chennai, the San Thome Basilica – also known as Santhome
Church.
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| The front view of the Steeple |
Standing tall against
the Chennai skyline in backdrop of blue sky and Bay of Bengal behind, the San
Thome Basilica Cathedral (on Santhome High Rd) is indeed an imposing structure. Built in the Gothic
style of architecture the spire raises to a height of about 155 feet. This
Basilica Cathedral is one of thee Basilicas built over the tombs of apostles of
Jesus Christ. The other two are the Basilica of St. Peter, built over the tomb
of St. Peter in Rome and the Cathedral of Santiago de Compoostela of St. James
in Spain.
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| A zoom on the middle spires |
According to
tradition it is believed that St. Thomas came to India in the year 52 A.D and then
travelled to Madras after worked along the west coast. As he suffered martyrdom
at St. Thomas Mount, his disciples buried him in Santhome over which the
present Cathedral stands. Marco Polo, during his visit to India, records that “it
is in this province (Malabbar) which is styled the greater India at the gulf
between Ceylon and the mainland that the body of Messer St. Thomas lies at a certain
town having no great population and it’s a place not very accessible”. When Portuguese
arrived at Mylapore in 1517, they were surprised to find a shrine there but to be
in ruins almost, they took it upon themselves to rebuild the church and parish
in 1524.
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| View of the Steeple from the side |
But over the
centuries, this small church becomes fragile and was in dire need of repair. In
1893, this structure was demolished and the present church was built with the
tomb of the saint placed at the heart of the structure. The predominant feature
of a Gothic structure is its tall spires and at the Santhome Bascilica Cathedal
it is the first spire that strikes immediately. The second and the shorter one are
constructed directly about the tomb of the saint – which could be accessed from
the outside of the church rather being within then and it was in 1956 that the
church was declared a minor Basilica. The church also holds a museum inside and
all the memorabilia of St. Thomas and of that period was arranged along the
display of the spear that killed the saint!
ps. all these photos were shot on different times while waiting at the santhome signal.
ps. all these photos were shot on different times while waiting at the santhome signal.
