St. Thomas Mount Church is a small church situated on a hillock in Chennai. It was built in the honor of one of the 12 apostles of Jesus Christ, St. Thomas who is believed to have attained martyrdom here.

Location

St. Thomas Mount Church is located about 300 feet high above sea level to the south of the city of Chennai. The shrine dedicated to ‘Our Lady of Expectation’ was built on the mount in 1523. The church provides a stunning view of the city below.

History

The church shot into prominence after the British transferred the garrison to this hill and renamed the place as St. Thomas Mount. The main road was termed Mount Road. While the place predominantly represents the Christian heritage, it attracts people of all faiths from all over the globe. It is believed that the Mount was a grant to the church by the Kings of Vijayanagar.

The Mystifying Cross

The Cross on the hill is believed to have been chiseled and used by St Thomas himself for his personal prayer. He was stabbed with a lance while praying at the cross. The Portuguese discovered the Cross accidentally in 1547 while excavating the place to build a new church. The Cross is said to have sweated blood during the Holy Mass on 18th December 1558 and several times after that. Even today, there is a natural dampness on the surface of the cross which has mystified many devotees and skeptics.

The Gate and the Facade

The main gate of the Church has a lamp to express Jesus Christ as the light of the world. There are two lamp stands with seven wicks. They symbolize life and death of the Prophet Martyrs like St. Thomas. The facade of the church is brilliantly decorated with the coat of arms in granite. It is the official signature of the Portuguese and show that they were the real architects of this shrine.

Inside the church is a beautiful arch that has inscriptions in title in Portuguese that means ‘Our Lady of Expectation’. The year displayed on the arch is 1523 which proves that this is one of the oldest religious structures of the state.

Other Attractions

The Bell Tower is truly majestic in appearance and reflects the absolute grandeur of the place. Other key attractions are the chiming bell and the tower houses. There is also a historical monument that honors the martyrdom of the manager of the Shrine, Mr. Jacobs, who was killed by a fanatic while defending the Christian ownership of this holy hill in November 2006. The statue of Mother Teresa was installed recently. There is a golden pillar with a cross at the top of the Mount to help visitors discover the location of the church and see the cross even from long distances.

Information for Visitors

Mass timings are 0630 hrs, 1200 hrs and 1800 hrs on all days.

How to Reach

By Road

There is a road that takes vehicles right to the top of the hill. There are autos and cars that take visitors to the Mount.

By Rail

Pazhavanthangal Railway Station is the nearest railway station about 1.9 km away. The OTA Metro Railway Station is less than a kilometer away.

By Air

The nearest airport is Chennai International Airport which is about 4 kilometers from the church.