St. Patrick's Church

Saint Thomas Mount is the glory and cradle of the Indian Church. It is here that St. Thomas one of the twelve Apostles of Jesus died as a martyr in circa 72 AD. Ever since it has been the reference point of Christian existence and identity in this country, dating back to the first century. This place gained further importance with the arrival of the Portuguese and the English East India Company. The ancient Church on top of St. Thomas Mount had been an important landmark to the mariners for more than 400 years. This Church has been in undisturbed possession of the Church for many centuries. In 1600 this Mount was called Monte de Nossa Senhora or Mount of Our Lady by the Bishop of Cochin Dom Frey Andre de Santa Maria. It was also called Monte Grande (Great Mount). This hill was a special grant to the Church by the King of Bisnagar (Vijayanagar). In Telugu, they called it Fringy Condah and this became Fringe malai. In 1523 Diego Fernandez built a small oratory over the foundations of a very ancient Church and already at that time, this Church on top of the hill was a center of pilgrimage. Because of the increasing number of pilgrims Fr. Gasper Coelho the Vicar of San Thome built a bigger Church and dedicated it to Our Lady of Mount and later to Our Lady of Expectation. This Church suffered damages because of the invasions of Hyder Ali. This Hill Church has always been the official Parish Church. From 1887, St. Patrick's Church at the foot of the hill had been used as the Parish Church as it was conveni9ent for the growing population. This St. Patrick's Church was actually built for the garrison in 1830 by Dr. Daniel O.L. Auig, the Vicar Apostolic of Madras. According to the records available, the Parish of St. Thomas Mount was under San Thome till 1561 and it was made an independent Parish around 1575. With the available records in 1791 Fr. Manoel de Virgem Maria had worked here in this Parish along with others succeeding him. In January 2008, Fr. John Bosco built a totally new and spacious Parish Church on the Roman model as the traditional Church was in a dilapidated condition. The Grotto of Our Lady is also modelled on that of Lourdes itself. The succession of Parish Priests: 01 Rev. Fr. Jose Vaz Caetano Sebastiao Manoel Crastro (1714-17880 02 Rev. Fr. Antonio de Rozario Cardoza Vicar (1817) 03 Rev. Fr. Ignacio Colho, 'cura' (1819) 04 Rev. Fr. Antonio Vicente de Almeida (1819) 05 Rev. Fr. Antonio da Costa (1819-1824) 06 Rev. Fr. Antonio do Razario Bardozo (1824) 07 Rev. Fr. Antonio Da Costa (1824) 08 Rev. Fr. Victoino Nazr. De Farias (1824) 09 Rev. Fr. Ceatana Salvador Pereira (1846-1867) 10 Rev. Fr. F. R. A. D'Souza (vigario) (1867-1868) 11 Rev. Fr. A. D'Souza (1868-1880) 12 Rev. Fr. R. F. Barreto (Roque Francisco) (1880-1889) 13 Rev. Fr. Miguel Jose Roquacim Carvelho (1889-1890) 14 Rev. Frs. J. Beatty & A. C. D'Silva (1896-1900) 15 Rev. Frs. D. Da Costa & I. Arputham (1900-1903) 16 Rev. Fr. D. Da Costa (1903-1904) 17 Rev. Frs. D. Da Costa & H. Costa (1904-1905) 18 Rev. Frs. D. Da Costa & A. B. C. Druem (1905-1911) 19 Rev. Frs. M. L. Cabral & A. B. C. Druem (1911-1917) 20 Rev. Frs. M. L. Cabral & Peter (1917-1918) 21 Rev. Frs. M. L. Cabral & Dias (1918-1920) 22 Rev. Fr. M. L. Cabral (1920-1922) 23 Rev. Frs. M. L. Cabral & J. B. X De Souza (1922-1923) 24 Rev. Frs. M. Motha Vas & J. B. X De Souza (1923-1924) 25 Rev. Frs. M. Motha Vas & R. De Souza (1924-1927) 26 Rev. Frs. P. Justin Beon & R. De Souza (1927-1928) 27 Rev. Frs. P. Justin Beon & Paul (1928-1929) 28 Rev. Frs. P. Justin Beon & F. D. Silva (1929-1931) 29 Rev. Frs. J. Fruytier & J. N. Mesquita (1931-1933) 30 Rev. Frs. J. Fruytier & G. Rodrigues (1933-1934) 31 Rev. Frs. J. Frutier & A. Louis Xavier (1934-1938) 32 Rev. Frs. J. Fruytier & A. S. De Rosario & C. Nazareth (1938-1939) 33 Rev. Frs. J. Fruytier & A. S. De Rosario & P. P. Lobo (1939-1940) 34 Rev. Fr. Frutier (1940-1948 Archdiocese of Madras Mylapore 35 Rev. Fr. Louis Xavier A (1949-1964) 36 Rev. Fr. Mathew Vettical (1964-1984) 37 Rev. Fr. Arulappa P. T (1984-1985) 38 Rev. Fr. Kanikairaj S. (1985-1992) 39 Rev. Fr. Thomas J Mundakal (1992-2000) Diocese of Chingleput 40 Rev. Fr. Vincent Chinnadurai (2000-2004) 41 Rev. Fr. John Bosco P. (2004-2009) 42 Rev. Fr. Backiya Regis G (2009- ) 43 Rev. Fr. Christhuraj 44 Rev. Fr. Shylock Stephen Sub Stations: Ubagara Madha Church, Police Commissioner Office Road, Karaiyar Koil St., St. Antony's Chapel M.A. Koil Sacred Heart Chapel Mettu St., - Irudhayapuram Arockiya Annai Chapel Arockiyapuram - Kalaignar Nagar St. Antony's Chapel Mathias Nagar

St. Patrick Church Road, St.Thomas Mount, Chennai - Tamil Nadu 600 016 - India