History
Santhome Cathedral Basilica is an important monument located
towards the south of the Marina Drive. The place, where Santhome
Cathedral Basilica stands today, used to be known as Betuma in the
past. St. Thomas, one of the twelve apostles, is said to have
arrived in the region somewhat in the middle of first century A.D.
He initially preached at a place called Little Mount (Chinnamalai in
Tamil Nadu) and was put to death at St. Thomas Mount in the year 72
A.D. Soon after his death a church was built over his burial place
and it is this church that after series of renovations stand as
Santhome Basilica Cathedral.
Features
The cathedral at Santhome was built by the Portuguese between 14th
and 15th century A.D. The cathedral has been built in a typical neo
Gothic style. The shrines included in the cathedral is a small hand
bone and the lance that was used to end the life of the apostle in
this world. The 50 metres high building has been constantly
renovated, following the ravages made by the time. An important fact
regarding the cathedral is that, it is the second only church in the
world that has been erected over the burial place of an apostle. The
cathedral holds a 3 feet high statue of Virgin Mary, believed to be
imported from Portugal in the year 1543 A.D. The reaching spire goes
as high as 50 metres and the width of the nave is about 10 metres.
The cathedral is provided with stained glass and 14 wood plaques
that depict St. Thomas' encountered with the resurrected Christ.
The cathedral, which was blessed in 1896 A.D. and raised to the
dignity of a basilica by Pope Pius XII, in the year 1956 gathers
pilgrims from far off places. The renovation works from last decade
has restored the damages caused to the monument. The cathedral walls
might have been weakened but the the glory is still there.
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