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India’s saintly shrine
Only three churches in the world have been built over the tomb of an Apostle of Jesus Christ.
One is the Basilica of Saint Peter, which covers the tomb of St Peter in Rome. The second is the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, which was built over the tomb of St James in Spain, and then there is the St Thomas Cathedral basilica, which was erected over the tomb of St Thomas in Mylapore, Chennai, in South India.
While millions of pilgrims visit the Basilicas in Europe, the one in India remains relatively unknown. Hence, in 2004, the Archdiocese of Madras-Mylapore embarked on a restoration program of the church and tomb, and launched a quarterly magazine, Voice of St Thomas.
That same year, the archbishop, Dr. A. M. Chinnappa, said that the basilica was honoured to be officially recognized as a National Shrine at the Catholic Bishops Conference of India.
“Soon, we hope to elevate St Thomas Cathedral Basilica as an international shrine,” he said.
St Thomas arrived in 52AD at Cranganore, South India, on the Malabar Coast, now called Kerala. As a result, Christianity reached India long before it was introduced to many parts of Europe. He established seven churches on the Malabar Coast, before going to Mylapore, Madras (now called Chennai).
St Thomas died in 72AD after he was pierced by a lance while praying on St Thomas Mount, a 91m-high hill 14km southwest of Chennai. His body was taken to Mylapore and buried in the chapel he had built with his own hands.
Legend surrounding the chapel has it that a huge log of wood was washed ashore near what is now known as Santhome. Even elephants could not move this log, but St Thomas used his girdle to pull it out. The king of Mylapore was so amazed by this miraculous feat that he donated the log to St Thomas, who promptly built a small chapel with it.
In the 10th century AD, Christians from Persia (Iran), founded a Christian village in Santhome and erected a church over the tomb of St Thomas. In 1523, the Portuguese built a new church over the ruins of the old one.
It was here in 1545 that St Francis Xavier spent several months in prayer before leaving for the Far East. Marco Polo also mentions visiting this chapel and tomb in his travelogue. The Portuguese chapel has since been rebuilt into the present Gothic edifice called St Thomas Cathedral Basilica.
Doubting Thomas
St Thomas was one of Jesus Christ’s 12 Apostles, but was not present when Jesus first appeared to them after his resurrection. Told of the appearance, St Thomas replied that he would only believe it if he put his finger on the nail and spear wounds in Jesus’ hands and side.
From then on, he was often referred to as Doubting Thomas.
When Jesus appeared again a week later to the Apostles, he invited St Thomas to put his finger on the holes in his hands and side. Convinced, Thomas immediately exclaimed, “My Lord, my God!” “Once he was enlightened, St Thomas went on to convince the greatest sceptics as far away as India,” said Ravi Zacharias, president of Zacharias International Ministries.
The cathedral in his name overlooks the Bay of Bengal and is adorned with stained glass windows depicting St Thomas and the other Apostles. Their portraits with their epithets are on the walls flanking the sanctuary.
“My team and I undertook the formidable task of restoring over 65 sq m of stained glass which included careful dismantling, labelling, documenting and photographing,” said stained glass conservation expert, Swati Chandgadkar.
Restoration was completed by 2004, and now these “walls of light”, as Swati calls the windows, continue to have the same medieval allure as before.
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