San Thome Church, officially known as St Thomas Cathedral Basilica and National Shrine of Saint Thomas, is a minor basilica of the Catholic Church in India, at the Santhome neighbourhood of Chennai, in Tamil Nadu. The present structure dates back to 1523 AD, when it was built by the Portuguese over the tomb of Thomas the Apostle.[1] In 1896, it was renovated in the Madras province according to neo-Gothic designs, as was favoured by British architects in the late 19th century. 13°2′1″N 80°16′40″E / 13.03361°N 80.27778°E
| Santhome Church | |
|---|---|
| National Shrine of Saint Thomas Basilica | |
 Santhome Basilica | |
| Location | 38 Santhome High Road, Chennai, Tamil Nadu |
| Country | India |
| Language(s) | Tamil and English |
| Denomination | Catholic Church |
| Tradition | Latin Church |
| Website | santhomechurch |
| History | |
| Authorising papal bull | 16 March 1956 |
| Status | Minor basilica[2] |
| Founded | 1523 (501 years ago) |
| Founder(s) | Portuguese explorers |
| Dedication | St. Thomas the Apostle |
| Relics held | Thomas the Apostle (claimed) |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | National Shrine[3] |
| Architect(s) | Captain J. A. Power (current structure) |
| Style | Neo-Gothic |
| Groundbreaking | 1500 |
| Completed | 1523 (Current building 1896) |
| Specifications | |
| Length | 64 metres (210 ft) |
| Width | 12.2 metres (40 ft) |
| Nave width | 10 metres (33 ft) |
| Height | 41 metres (135 ft) |
| Spire height | 47.2 metres (155 ft) |
| Administration | |
| Province | Chennai |
| Diocese | Madras and Mylapore |
| Clergy | |
| Archbishop | Archbishop George Antonysamy (2012–present) |
| Priest(s) | Rev. Fr. M. Arulraj |
| Assistant priest(s) | Fr. Antony Anand |
| Assistant | Fr. Dyson Raja Rathinam |
- ^ Santhome Basilica in Chennai — A historical pilgrimage Archived 30 August 2021 at the Wayback Machine indiastudychannel.com. Retrieved 30 August 2021
- ^ "Basilica of the National Shrine of St.Thomas". SanThomeChurch.com. Archived from the original on 26 February 2015. Retrieved 20 February 2010.
- ^ National Shrine Status Archived 27 February 2009 at the Wayback Machine