| St. Thomas Mount National Shrine Basilica | |
|---|---|
 Main entrance to the church | |
| Country | India |
| Denomination | Catholic |
| Website | stthomasmountbasilica |
| History | |
| Founded | 1523 |
St. Thomas Mount National Shrine Basilica is a national shrine located in Parangimalai in Tamil Nadu.
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The ancient Syrian Christian community of India traces the origin of their church to St. Thomas the Apostle.
A shrine dedicated to "Our Lady of Expectation" (Mother Mary) was built in 1523 on top of the Mount. The altar of this shrine was built on the spot where St. Thomas' death is traditionally believed to have occurred. At the northern foot of the mount is a gateway of four impressive arches surmounted by a cross bearing the inscribed date 1547. A flight of 160 steps leads up to the summit of the mount. The steps leading up the hill were donated by the famous Armenian Coja Petrus Uscan. There are 14 Stations of the Cross on the way to the summit.
The 500th anniversary of the church was celebrated in November 2023. [1] Pope John Paul II visited the place on February 5, 1986. The shrine was elevated to the status of a minor basilica on 3 July 2025. [2] The church is home to the Bleeding Cross of St. Thomas - a relic venerated as having been carved by the Apostle himself. Tradition holds that this Cross miraculously oozed blood on December 18th, the date commemorated as the martyrdom of St. Thomas, for 150 consecutive years. [3]
There are other chapels on the Mount, including:
- Chapel of Our Lady of Expectations, patroness of the shrine.
- Chapel of St. Thomas, now called the Sanctuary of the Apostle.
- Eucharistic Chapel
