St. Thomas Church – South Vijayanarayanam

Contact Details:

St. Thomas RC Church
South Vijayanarayanam
South Vijayanarayanam, 627118, Tirunelveli District, Tamil Nadu.
Parish Priest – Rev. Fr. J. Edward.
Church Established – 1870.

Brief History:

St. Thomas RC Church traces its origins to the late nineteenth century when Catholic families from Kuthenthenguzi settled in South Vijayanarayanam while engaged in the fish and lime trade. To meet their spiritual needs, the settlers first erected a simple palm-leaf chapel dedicated to St. Thomas the Apostle. In 1870, the community replaced the temporary structure with a permanent church built using lime mortar walls and a traditional tiled roof. Today, the church functions as a branch of Holy Rosary Church, Mannarapuram, serving approximately 55 Catholic families, including both local and migrant parishioners. The sanctuary preserves several treasured religious statues, including an ancient wooden statue of St. Thomas, along with statues of the Blessed Virgin Mary, St. Sebastian, and St. Benedict Joseph Labre, imported from France. The annual feast is celebrated over ten days from May 1 to May 10.

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