- Christianity in Tamil Nadu
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San Thome Basilica, Chennai is built over the site where St.Thomas is believed to be originally interred
St. lourdes church in TiruchirappalliChristianity in the state of Tamil Nadu, India is believed to be 2000 years old. It possibly was introduced to Tamil Nadu by St. Thomas Didymus (the twin), one of the Apostles of Jesus Christ between 52-72 AD. But the colonial age brought a large number of Portuguese, Dutch, British and Italian Christians. Priests accompanied them not only to minister the colonizers but also to spread the Christian faith among the millions of non-Сhristians in Tamil Nadu. Currently, Christians are a minority community comprising 6% of the total population.[1] Christians are mainly concentrated in the southern districts of Tamil Nadu - Kanyakumari (44% of the population, 2001), Thoothukudi (17%, 2001) and Tirunelveli (11%, 2001).
The Roman Catholic Church, the Church of South India (C.S.I.) and other evangelical denominations all together constitute the entire Christian population in Tamil Nadu. The Latin Rite of Roman Catholic Church is the oldest and the largest among all. With 15 dioceses including the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Madras and Mylapore and the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Madurai, the Latin Rite has a homogeneous presence throughout the state. In 1996, the Syro-Malabar Rite of R.C. Church created its first `Diocese of Thuckalay` in Kanyakumari district, (which was under the Syro-Malabar Catholic Archdiocese of Changanassery in Kerala till then), of Tamil Nadu. The same year the Syro-Malankara Rite of R.C. Church has also newly established the `Diocese of Marthandam` (bifurcated from its Archdiocese of Trivandrum) in Kanyakumari district. St. Thomas Mount in Chennai, the place where St. Thomas, one of the disciples of Jesus Christ, was believed to have been martyred,[2] is an important pilgrimage site for Indian Christians. The Santhome Basilica, supposedly built atop the tomb of St. Thomas, and the Vailankanni Basilica of Our Lady of Good Health—revered churches by India's Roman Catholics—are good examples of majestic church architectures in Tamil Nadu. The Church of South India and the Pentecostal Mission Church are headquartered in Chennai. Christian missionaries have contributed to the state's development in the fields of education, healthcare and literature.
Contents
Important Basilicas
The Tamil Nadu churches hold a special place in the history of Christianity in South India and are among the important religious places. Some of the most important and most visited churches in Tamil Nadu are listed below.
Basilica of Our Lady of Good Health
Main article: Basilica of Our Lady of Good HealthThe Basilica of Our Lady of Good Health is located in the small town of Velankanni in the state of Tamil Nadu in Southern India. The Roman Catholic Basilica is devoted to Our Lady of Good Health. Devotion to Our Lady of Good Health of Velankanni can be traced to the mid-16th century and is attributed to three miracles at different sites around where the Bacilica currently stands: the apparition of Mary and the Christ Child to a slumbering shepherd boy, the curing of a lame buttermilk vendor, and the rescue of Portuguese sailors from a violent sea storm.[3]
Although all three apparitions ultimately resulted in the erection of a shrine to our Lady, it was the promise of the Portuguese sailors that was the proximate cause of a permanent edifice being built at Velankanni. The chapel was dedicated on the feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary (September 8), the day of their safe landing. More than 500 years later, the nine-day festival and celebration is still observed and draws nearly 2 million pilgrims each year. The Shrine of Our Lady of Vailankanni, also known as the "Lourdes of the East,"[4] is one of the most frequented religious sites in India.
San Thome Basilica
Main article: San Thome Basilica
San Thome Basilica at eveningSan Thome Basilica is a Roman Catholic (Latin Rite) 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.
Christian tradition holds that St. Thomas arrived in Kerala from Israel in 52 A.D. preached between 52 A.D. and 72 A.D., when he was martyred on St. Thomas Mount. The basilica is built over the site where he was believed originally to be interred.
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. [5]
Poondi Madha Basilica
Main article: Poondi Madha BasilicaOur Lady of Lourdes Basilica, Poondi, is a Catholic pilgrimage centre located in Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu, South India. Poondi is a small village located in Thiruvaiyaru Taluk (also spelled as Taluka), about 35 km away from Thanjavur. It is considered as one of the Roman Catholic pilgrim centres similar to Velankanni, which houses the famous Poondi Madha Shrine that attracts pilgrims from all over India.
Martyrs and saints
Tamil Nadu has produced a few Christian martyrs and Christian saints as Persecution of Christians happened at times due to christophobia or religious intolerance in the past. Thomas the Apostle is believed to have been killed in Chennai. The Christian martyr John de Britto who did missionary work in Tamil Nadu was beheaded in Oriyur. Devasahayam Pillai has also been recommended for beatification after his martyrdom at (Kattadimalai) Aralvaimozhi in Kanyakumari district.
Contributions to literature
Thambiran Vanakkam first Tamil Christian book (1578)Tamil New Testament (1713)Christians of Tamil Nadu who have made concrete contributions to Tamil language and Tamil literature are
- Samuel Vedanayagam Pillai (1826-1889)
- Henry Albert Krishna Pillai (1827-1900)
- Dr.Abraham Pandithar
- Xavier Thaninayagam
Christians who had been born in Europe, but were adopted to Tamil culture and made major contributions to Tamil language and literature are
- Roberto de Nobili, also known as Thaththuva Bothagar
- Constanzo Beschi / Constantine Joseph Beschi, also known as Veeramaa Munivar
- Bartholomaeus Ziegenbalg
- Robert Caldwell
- George Uglow Pope
World's oldest church structure
The Thiruvithamcode Arappally or Thomaiyar Kovil or Amalagiri church, as named by the then Chera king Udayancheral [6] , dedicated to Holy Mother Mary, built by Thomas the Apostle in 57 AD [7] at Thiruvithancode in Kanyakumari district of Tamil Nadu is one of the oldest existing Christian Church structures in the world today. It is now declared as an international St. Thomas pilgrim center.
Christian pilgrimages
Notable Christian churches and pilgrimage sites in Tamil Nadu.
- Basilica of Our Lady of Good Health, Velankanni
- San Thome Basilica, St. Thomas Mount Chennai
- Poondi Madha Basilica
- Our Lady of Snows Basilica and Mountain Church in Kallikulam
- St. Antony's Church at Uvari
- St. Francis Xavier's Cathedral Church at Kottar
List of denominations
- Apostolic Christian Assembly[8]
- Apostolic Church[8]
- Assemblies of God[8]
- Bible Believing Churches in India[8]
- Bible Crusade Missionary Society [8]
- Blessing Youth Mission[9]
- Church of Christ (Non-Instrumental)[10]
- Dohnavur Fellowship[10]
- Eternal Light Ministries[10]
- Evangelical Christian Church of India[10]
- India Gospel League[11]
- Indian Pentecostal Assemblies[11]
- Madras Pentecostal Assembly Church[11]
- Maranatha Full Gospel Churches[11]
- Prince of Peace Church[11]
- Tamil Baptist Churches[12]
- The Pentecostal Mission[11]
Further reading
- William Strickland, `THE JESUIT IN INDIA`,London/Dublin,1852. Reprint: Asian Educational Services, New Delhi,2001.(ISBN:81-206-1566-2).
See also
- List of notable Indian Christians
- List of cathedrals in India
- List of Roman Catholic missionaries in India
- Christianity in Goa
- Christianity in West Bengal
- Christianity in Kerala
- Christianity in Maharashtra
References
- ^ http://census2001.tn.nic.in/religion.aspx
- ^ St. Thomas in India.
- ^ History of Velankanni
- ^ Hindus join in India's Marian pilgrimage on Catholic World News
- ^ "Basilica of the National Shrine of St.Thomas". SanThomeChurch.com. http://www.santhomebasilica.com/basilica.html. Retrieved 20 February 2010.
- ^ Dr. Isaac Arul Dhas G., `Kumari Mannil Christhavam` (Tamil), Scott Christian College, Nagercoil, 2010, ISBN: 978-81-8465-204-8, Page:7.
- ^ Dr. Isaac Arul Dhas G, `Kumari Mannil Christhavam` ISBN: 978-81-8465-204-8, Page:7.
- ^ a b c d e World Christian Encyclopedia , Second edition, 2001 Volume 1, p. 368
- ^ Contact BYM
- ^ a b c d World Christian Encyclopedia , Second edition, 2001 Volume 1, p. 369
- ^ a b c d e f World Christian Encyclopedia , Second edition, 2001 Volume 1, p. 370
- ^ World Christian Encyclopedia , Second edition, 2001 Volume 1, p. 371
Categories:- Christianity in India
- Christianity in Tamil Nadu
- Christianity in India by region
- Religion in Tamil Nadu
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