St. Antony’s Church

On the 8th of July 1836, Pope Gregory XVI made Madurai an Apostolic Province. Pearl fishery coast which came under this new province was entrusted to the Jesuit Missionaries of Thulus Province in France. Those days Our Lady of Snows Church was taken care of by the priests of Mylapore diocese which belonged to the Portuguese Mission. Thus the Jesuit Missionaries felt that they need a separate Church to function from. Rev. Fr. Kasthanier, who was the Superior of the Jesuit region of Palayamkottai, under which came the pearl fishery coast, wanted to build a new Church at Thoothukkudi. He bought the Land where the present Church stands, for a cheap price from Mr. Manuel Viyagula Motha and put up a thatched Church. In 1849 Rev. Fr. Kanos became the Superior of the Jesuit Region of Palayamkottai. He wanted to build a larger Church at Thoothukkudi. Thus Rev. Fr. Cori who was ministering at Thoothukkudi laid the foundation stone for the new Church. Rev. Fr. Cori was succeeded by Rev. Fr. Piccinelli, who continued the construction work. Rev. Fr. Kanos, who by then had been consecrated as bishop of Madurai Apostolic Province (22nd May 1848), blessed the new Church, built by the tireless effort of Fr. Piccinelli, on 5th January 1849. The new Church was dedicated to the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary. Pope Pius IX sent the relics of St. Fidelis as a gift to this new Church. Bishop Kanos placed the relics of St. Fidelis in a separate altar, and declared St. Fidelis as the Patron of the town of Thoothukkudi. Though the Church had been blessed, the construction work still continued. Jesuit brother Lamoth who was an expert in construction laboured strenuously and completed the Church in 1864. In 1909 Rev. Fr. Martin extended the side wings of the Church. In 1923 this massive beautiful Church was elevated as the Cathedral of the diocese of Thoothukkudi. In 1948 Bishop Tirurtius Roche, erected the sky scraping towers. The Cathedral had undergone renovations during the golden and well as the platinum jubilee of the diocese. The Eucharistic adoration chapel was blessed by Bishop Amalnather on 06th August 1997. One of our former Vicar General Msgr. Joseph Rathinaraj hails from this parish. Grottos in the parish: 1. Our Lady of Lourdes - Virapandianpatnam 2. Our Lady of Fatima - Virapandianpatnam 3. St. Peter’s - Virapandianpatnam Catholic Population : 8950 Participatory Structures 1. Anbiyams 2. 15 Pastoral Commissions 3. Parish Pastoral Council 4. Parish Finance Committee Christian Life Societies (Pious Associations) 1. Holy Childhood 2. Eucharistic Crusaders 3. Amalorpava Matha Sodality 4. Holy Family Sodality 5. St. Aloysius Sodality (Young Men) 6. Sacred Heart Confraternity Sodality 7. Carmel Matha Confraternity Sodality 8. Legion of Mary 9. Vincent de Paul Society Other Associations & Activities 1. Little Way Movement 2. Annai Theresa Mantram 3. St. Thomas People Welfare Association 4. St. Joseph’s Mantram 5. St. Francis Xavier Mantram 6. Krithavar Vazhvurimai Iyyakkam Religious Congregation of the Mother of Sorrows, Servants of Mary (OSM) Servite Convent, Virapandianpatnam – 628 216. Tel. 04639 – 245515 Sisters of St. Joseph of the Appariation (SJA) Appariation Sisters, Station Road, Virapandianpatnam – 628 216. Succession of parish priests: 1. Rev.Fr. J. Jeganathar - 1921 – 1923 2. Rev.Fr. Periyanayagam - 1923 – 1928 3. Rev.Fr. Gasper Roche - 1928 – 1933 4. Rev.Fr. Remigius Missier - 1933 – 1946 5. Rev.Fr. J.S. Joseph Fdo - 1954 – 1957 6. Rev.Fr. Gabriel Devotto - 1957 – 1959 7. Rev.Fr. Emmanuvel Diaz - 1959 – 1962 8. Rev.Fr. Rosario Fdo - 1962 – 1965 9. Rev.Fr. S. Gabriel - 1965 – 1967 10. Rev.Fr. Job De Rose - 1967 – 1971 11. Rev.Fr. Charles Fdo - 1971 – 1978 12. Rev.Fr. Joseph Rathinaraj - 1978 – 1982 13. Rev.Fr. Rosario Fdo - 1982 – 1984 14. Rev.Fr. D.J.C Amirtham - 1984 – 1988 15. Rev.Fr. Oswald - 1988 – 1991 16. Rev.Fr. C. Xavier - 1991 – 1996 17. Rev.Fr. Sahaya Joseph - 1996 – 2000 18. Rev.Fr. Xavier George - 2000 – 2004 19. Rev.Fr. Stephen Gomez - 2004 20. Rev.Fr. John Benson - 2004 – 2007 21. Rev.Fr. S.M. Sahayam - 2007 – 2009 22. Rev.Fr. Cedric Peeris - 2009 – 2010 23. Rev.Fr. G. Joseph - 2010 – 2014 24. Rev.Fr. Andrew De Rose 2014 - 2019 25. Rev.Fr. A.S. Kirupakaran 2019 -

Virapandianpattanam. Tuticorin ? 628 216