Tamil Nadu Tourism ->  Chennai -> Santhome Cathedral, Chennai

Santhome Basilica Church is a Roman Church built at the southern end of the Marina Beach, at the end of Kutchery Road, Mylapore. It is believed to preserve the remains of St.Thomas, the Apostle and the church is built over the tomb. On 16th March 1956, Pope Pius XII raised the Cathedral Church of the Archdiocese of Madras-Mylapore to the dignity and rank of Minor Basilica.

This church is a Gothic style church and it is an architectural treasure. The church was built on 1504. The tomb of St.Thomas contains in its crypt a small hand bone of the Apostle and the head of a lance which is believed to have been used in the attack on him.

There are two new buildings now. The Tomb Chapel below the Basilica and Museum cum Theatre. The Tomb Chapel is an underground structure which has access from outside the church that allows pilgrims to pray at the tomb without disturbing the functions inside the church.

The cathedral has a 3 feet high statue of Virgin Mary and it is believed to have been brought from Portugal. The church has a stained glass painting of St.Thomas's encounter with the resurrected Christ. The Santhome Basilica draws large crowds.