Historic St. Thomas Shrine in South India Elevated to Minor Basilica

In a significant moment for the Catholic Church in India, the National Shrine of St. Thomas in Chennai, southern India, was solemnly elevated to the dignity of a Minor Basilica by the Holy See on July 3.

The historic event, held on the Feast of St. Thomas the Apostle, honored the sacred memory of the Apostle who brought the Gospel to Indian soil and was martyred there.

The Apostolic Nuncio to India and Nepal, His Excellency Archbishop Leopoldo Girelli, presided over the ceremony, conveying the joy, blessings, and paternal affection of the Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV.

Thousands of pilgrims, along with Cardinals, Archbishops, Bishops, priests, religious, civil leaders, and lay faithful, gathered in a spirit of faith, heritage, and national pride.

The celebration began with the blessing and opening of the magnificently renovated Main Church, home to the Bleeding Cross of St. Thomas, a relic traditionally believed to have been carved by the Apostle himself.

According to local tradition, this Cross miraculously oozed blood on December 18th commemorated as the date of St. Thomas’s martyrdom, for 150 consecutive years.

Earlier that morning, in a private rite, Bishop Neethinathan of the Diocese of Chengalpattu, under whose jurisdiction the Shrine falls, consecrated the new altar of the Main Church.

During the Mass, the decree of elevation, issued by Cardinal Arthur Roche, Prefect of the Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, was read aloud in English by Archbishop George Antonysamy, Archbishop of Madras-Mylapore and President of the Tamil Nadu Bishops' Council, and in Tamil by Bishop Neethinathan.

As the Gloria resounded in the newly declared Basilica, the Apostolic Nuncio handed over the decree to the diocesan bishop, marking the culmination of years of vision, prayer, and collaboration.

The day was rich with sacred symbolism, as three other renovated chapels on the Mount were also blessed.

In his homily, Archbishop Girelli extended the heartfelt blessings of the Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV, expressing confidence that this new Minor Basilica “will bring nourishment and peace to all those who have faith in the Lord and come here as pilgrims.”

The Nuncio congratulated Bishop Neethinathan and Fr. A. D. Michael, the Rector of the Shrine, for their leadership in the renovation and pastoral care of the historic site.

He also praised the visionary role of Archbishop George Antonysamy, whose guidance as President of the Tamil Nadu Bishops’ Council was instrumental in securing the Basilica status.

The event drew a diverse and distinguished gathering, with politicians, ministers, government officials, and dignitaries attending alongside thousands of faithful.

For the Catholic Church in India, this day reaffirmed the nation’s apostolic roots, anchored in the blood of St. Thomas and nurtured through generations of witness.