Santhome Church
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Christians believe that the Santhome Church is built over the tomb of St. Thomas, one of the twelve apostles of Jesus Christ. This is situated in Santhome (Mylapore) in the city of Chennai (old name Madras) in India.
According to Christian tradition and belief St. Thomas came to India in 52 A.D. with a trader called habban and landed at Cranganore in Kerala. He founded seven churches or groups of Christians in Kerala before proceeding to the Coromandel coast. He was martyred in 72 A.D. at St.Thomas Mount. His body was brought to Mylapore and was buried.
Santhome Church is the principal church of the Madras-Mylapore Archdiocese of the Catholics and hence called Santhome Cathedral.
In 1956 Pope Pius XII raised it to the dignity of a Basilica and recently in 2006 it was declared as an international shrine by the the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India.
