San Thome Basilica is a Roman Catholic cathedral in Santhome, in the city of Chennai (earlier 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, favored by British architects in the late 19th century.
It is supposedly built atop the tomb of one of the twelve apostles of Jesus, St. Thomas. The apostle is believed to have preached in Chennai between 52 A.D. and 72 A.D., when he is said to have been killed on St. Thomas Mount. Santhome 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 as an international shrine by the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India. The Santhome Basilica is a pilgrimage center for Christians in India. The church also has an attached museum.
Santhome Bascilia is an important ancient church and enjoys a good deal of influence amongst the Christians in South India. Its architecture makes for a good view, reflecting the Portuguese and the British mélange. It is an important tourist attraction in Chennai.
