San Thome: Where the Apostle Rests
In Mylapore, Chennai, a white neo-Gothic basilica keeps the memory of St. Thomas, apostle of India.
Tradition holds that St. Thomas, one of the Twelve, preached the Gospel in India and was martyred near Chennai. The Basilica of San Thome in Mylapore stands over the place venerated as his tomb.
A church by the sea
The present building, with its tall spire, was completed in 1896. Pope Pius XII raised it to a minor basilica in 1956. Beneath it, pilgrims visit the tomb chapel in silence.
“My Lord and my God”
Thomas is remembered as the doubter, yet his confession before the risen Jesus is the clearest in the Gospels. For Indian Christians he is a father in faith — and a reminder that honest questions can lead to deep belief.
Visiting
Combine a visit with St. Thomas Mount and Little Mount, also linked to the apostle’s memory. His feast is kept on 3 July.
Sources and references
- Scripture John 20:24–29 — Thomas and the risen Lord
