St. Antony’s Church

A group of Palmyrah tappers got settled in this area from 1827 onwards. In 1867 they put up a thatched Church and dedicated it to St. Antony. They had built also a thatched school. In 1869 the thatched Church was converted into a tiled Church. M. Saveriarpuram was a substation to Pazhayakayal parish. When Rev. Fr. M.G. Pragasam was the parish priest of Pazhayakayal in 1975 Bishop Ambrose Mathalaimuthu laid the foundation stone for a new Church. People who got settled in the Church land were given ownership of the land. In 1977 Rev. Fr. Pancras M. Raja continued the construction work of the Church. In 1982 M. Saveriarpuram was attached to Harbour parish. Rev. Fr. U. Amaladas, parish priest of Harbour parish completed the Church building. The Church was blessed and was dedicated to St. Antony on 7th April 1986 by Bishop S.T. Amalnather. The work for the presbytery started on 25th August 1988 and was completed on 25th June 1990 by Rev. Fr. Loyola De Rose. M. Saveriarpuram was elevated into a parish on 25th June 1990 by Bishop S.T. Amalnather. Rev. Fr. S. Amaladas was the first parish priest of M. Saveriarpuram. Rev. Fr. Joseph Isidore erected a new altar and on 16th September 1994 it was blessed by Bishop S.T. Amalnather. A monthly news bulletin by the name ‘Puthumai Malar’ is published from the parish. Sub-Station 1. Kulayankarisal - St. Xavier 2. SPIC - Christ the King Grottos in Parish: 1. St. Xaviers - Saveriarpuram M. 2. St. Michael -Saveriarpuram M. The Succession of Parish Priests: 1. Rev. Fr. Amaladas - 1991 – 1992 2. Rev. Fr. Joseph Isidore - 1992 – 1997 3. Rev. Fr. Joseph Xavier - 1997 – 2002 4. Rev. Fr. Fabian Joseph - 2002 – 2004 5. Rev. Fr. Antony Das - 2004 – 2009 6. Rev. Fr. Benjamin De Souza - 2009 – 2013 7. Rev. Fr. Michael Nelsonraj - 2013 - 2014 8. Rev. Fr. William M. 2016 - 2019 9. Rev. Fr. Selva George 2019 - Till date

M.Saveriyar Puram, Thiruchendur Road, SPIC Nagar - Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu - 628 005 - India