St. Thomas Cathedral Basilica, Chennai: Difference between revisions
→History: The tradition is held by the Syrian Christians of Kerala, not by the Portuguese. It predates the arrival of Portuguese in India by centuries. |
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==History== |
==History== |
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San Thome Basilica is built atop the remnants of the famous Mylapore Shiva Temple.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hamsa.org|title=The Myth of Saint Thomas}}</ref> |
San Thome Basilica is built atop the remnants of the famous Mylapore Shiva Temple.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hamsa.org|title=The Myth of Saint Thomas}}</ref> Portuguese tradition has it that St. Thomas arrived in Kerala from Palestine in 52 A.D. and to have preached in Chennai (formerly [[Madras]]) between 52 A.D. and 72 A.D., when he is said to have been killed on [[St. Thomas Mount]]. However, the presence of St. Thomas in India is disputed.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://hamsa.org/konrad.elst.htm|title=Nothing factual, nothing secular, about the claims for Thomas in India|last=Koenraad|first=Elst|publisher=Hamsa.org|accessdate=2009-04-06}}</ref> |
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San Thome Basilica is the principal church of the [[Madras]]-[[Mylapore]] [[Catholic]] Archdiocese. In 1956, [[Pope Pius XII]] raised the church to the status of a Minor [[Basilica]], and on February 11, 2006 it was declared a national [[shrine]] by the [[Catholic Bishops' Conference of India]]. The San Thome Basilica is a [[pilgrimage]] centre for [[Christian]]s in India. The church also has an attached museum. |
San Thome Basilica is the principal church of the [[Madras]]-[[Mylapore]] [[Catholic]] Archdiocese. In 1956, [[Pope Pius XII]] raised the church to the status of a Minor [[Basilica]], and on February 11, 2006 it was declared a national [[shrine]] by the [[Catholic Bishops' Conference of India]]. The San Thome Basilica is a [[pilgrimage]] centre for [[Christian]]s in India. The church also has an attached museum. |
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Revision as of 05:25, 20 February 2010
| San Thome Basilica | |
|---|---|
 San Thome Basilica | |
 | |
| 13°2′1″N 80°16′40″E / 13.03361°N 80.27778°E | |
| Location | Chennai, Tamil Nadu |
| Country | India |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Website | www.santhomebasilica.com |
| History | |
| Former name(s) | San Thome Church |
| Status | Minor Basilica[1] |
| Dedication | St. Thomas |
| Relics held | Bone of St. Thomas |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | National Shrine[2] |
| Designated | 7 February, 2006 |
| Style | Gothic |
| Completed | 1523 |
| Specifications | |
| Length | 64 metres (210 ft) |
| Width | 12.2 metres (40 ft) |
| Nave width | 10 metres (33 ft) |
| Spire height | 47.2 metres (155 ft) |
| Clergy | |
| Archbishop | Abp. Malayappan Chinnappa |
San Thome Basilica is a Roman Catholic minor basilica in Santhome, in the city of Chennai (Madras), India. It was built in the 16th century by Portuguese explorers, and rebuilt again with the status of a cathedral by the British in 1893. The British version still stands today. It was designed in neo-Gothic style, favoured by British architects in the late 19th century.
History
San Thome Basilica is built atop the remnants of the famous Mylapore Shiva Temple.[3] Portuguese tradition has it that St. Thomas arrived in Kerala from Palestine in 52 A.D. and to have preached in Chennai (formerly Madras) between 52 A.D. and 72 A.D., when he is said to have been killed on St. Thomas Mount. However, the presence of St. Thomas in India is disputed.[4]
San Thome Basilica is the principal church of the Madras-Mylapore Catholic Archdiocese. In 1956, Pope Pius XII raised the church to the status of a Minor Basilica, and on February 11, 2006 it was declared a national shrine by the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India. The San Thome Basilica is a pilgrimage centre for Christians in India. The church also has an attached museum.
The scholarly view that accounts for the discrepancies is that the original Kapaleeshwarar temple was built on the shore at the location of the current Santhome Church during 7th Century CE but was destroyed by the Portuguese, and the current temple (which is 1-1.5 km from the shore) was built more recently.[citation needed]
Gallery
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Evening view of the basilica -
Interior view of the basilica -
The nave of the basilica
See also
References
- ^ About San Thome Basilica
- ^ National Shrine Status
- ^ "The Myth of Saint Thomas".
- ^ Koenraad, Elst. "Nothing factual, nothing secular, about the claims for Thomas in India". Hamsa.org. Retrieved 2009-04-06.
