Apostle St. Thomas & Our Lady Of Good Health Shrine

In 1646 A.D., the Little Mount and its suburb lands were outside the English territory. At this period Nawab of Carnatic was the ruler of this part, who had acknowledged the possession of the Little Mount and adjacent lands by the Mission. In 1763 A.D., just after the Treaty of Aix-la-Chappelle (Paris), the British East India Company acquired a Jaghir consisting of a large extent of land near Madras, from the Nawab of Arcot. Lord Robert Clive, then the Governor of Madras, recognised the possession of the hill at Little Mount and suburb lands by the Mission. He offered the hill and suburb lands to Right. Rev. Jose De Piedade, Vicar General of Mylapore Diocese as religious endowment under the classification of religious service Inam without any restriction by the Official Grant Number 933 dated 28th October 1803, after considering that Little Mount is the Holy Land in India for Christians. The Inam Land as given in the above said grant No. 933 of 1803 to the church authorities of Little Mount is the following: North bounded by Saidapet Road, South bounded by Venkatapuram Road, East bounded by Venkatapuram Road, West bounded by the Marmalong Bridge (containing the whole) Later an agreement was made by the British Government with Church authorities, obliged to labour gratis to repair the road and to construct a passage on the hill from the Western side by the convicts from the prison in Guindy and in turn a portion of land belonging to the church at the Little Mount was taken by the Government for the formation of a direct road to Guindy from the Marmalong Bridge (now called as Maraimalai Adigal Bridge). A gang of convicts from the Guindy jail was supplied free of cost for construction of the road around the church and the Government passed an order on 16th November 1854, after consulting with Rt.Rev.Miguel Francisco Lobo, Episcopal Governor of Mylapore Diocese. But whenever there was a change of officers in charge of the Guindy jail, difficulties were raised. These disputes were finally resolved by an order of Chief Secretary on 1st April 1869, to that effect that the Officer- in- charge of the Guindy jail be instructed to supply, free of charge, a gang of convicts for the repairs of the road around the Little Mount, and also for carrying out the improvements, in the line of revetments as referred by the Vicar General. The church built in 1551 A.D., proved to be inadequate for the present congregation of the parish and it was decided to build a new Church to accommodate more people. The idea of the circular church rose from the fact that the land available would not permit the conventional church. There were graves in the church compound which had to be retained. Therefore the ‘Chapel of Resurrection' and Grotto alongside the Parish House was dismantled and a new circular church was constructed. This church is connected to the old chapel where the cave of St. Thomas is accommodated by the corridor. The church has a diameter of 75 ft and the spire rise to about 70 ft. The central area is raised to give more light and ventilation and this culminates in the spire, a truncated cone, with a mighty cross above. The tower and cross are visible from the Maraimalai Adigal Bridge as one passes over the bridge. Great care has been taken by the church authorities not to tamper with the things intimately connected with the Apostle. In commemoration of the 19th Centenary of the martyrdom of St. Thomas, this circular church, ‘Our Lady of Health’ was consecrated on 15th August 1971. The Commemoration of the 19th Centenary of St. Thomas Martyrdom was celebrated in the year 1972. Pope Paul VI, sent his delegate, His Eminence, Cardinal Convey for the celebrations of St. Thomas at Chennai. On the final concluding day speech, the Cardinal Convey, declared as the representative of the Holy Father, that St. Thomas is the Patron Apostle of India. This is an official declaration from the Holy See. A beautiful Lourdes Grotto was constructed just opposite the entrance of the church. It recalls the apparition of Mother Mary to a poor girl called Bernadette in Lourdes, France. A vacant land behind the Churches on the hillock was declared as ‘Holy Land' and blessed by Most Rev. Casimir, Arch Bishop of Madras-Mylapore, on 17th March 1989 in the presence of Rev. Fr. P. T. Arulappa, then the Parish Priest of Little Mount. Later an adoration chapel was built adjacent to the old chapel. Foundation stone was laid by Rt. Rev. Lawrence Pius, Auxillary Bishop of Madras-Mylapore Arch Diocese on 26th April 2006. On 10th August 2008, Adoration chapel was blessed and opened by Most Rev. A.M. Chinnappa Arch Bishop of Madras – Mylapore Arch Diocese. Rev. Fr M. Arulraj was the Parish Priest of the Little Mount Church and was assisted by Rev. Fr. S. Arockia Edward. Little Mount church is very much a living Church. Both on Sunday and all through the week, there is life and activity in this church. There is a movement - hundreds of people come and go as devotees, pilgrims, and visitors. The annual Feast of Our Lady is celebrated on the fourth Sunday after Easter. Pilgrims and devotees from all over Chennai and suburbs, both Christians and non-Christians flock to this pilgrim centre year after year. On the previous day of the Feast, that is on the night of the Saturday, a decorated car procession is held. The Little Mount festival of our Lady of Health is a noteworthy event in the Chennai calendar. It was recorded by Fr. Hosten in 1936, that Fr. Nunes, then the Parish Priest of Little Mount told him that on the 4th Sunday of Easter, the great feast of the church brings together from 50,000 to 60,000 people and one of the features of the feast is the procession in which all carry a lighted taper.

66, LDG Road, Little Mount - Saidapet, Chennai - 600 015