A Church by the Sea
If you happen to drive from Thoothukudi (Tuticorin) to Kanayakyamari, the southern tip of India, it is hard to miss sight of this towering structure, St. Thomas Church, a Roman Catholic Church, located in a small fishing hamlet called Virapandianpatanam. This St. Thomas church was built in 1886 and is known for its Gothic architecture and grandiose. Flanked by St. Thomas Higher Secondary school on one side and Mother Mary grotto on the other this magnificent church could be seen at a distance from the neighbouring villages. The church has blessed many people including dignitaries like Rajiv Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi on their visit to this village. August 2011 witnessed the church’s quasquicentennial festal celebration which commenced on 6th August and culminated on 15th August 2011. Central to the lives of people who are born or have made this village their home, this church continues to draw thousands of parishioners from different parts of the world all through the year.
As a child born in this village my mind is taken up with reminiscences of my association with this church. The earliest memories being me going to the school near the church. The church had a long courtyard lined with huge trees. This is where I got to nurture my talent playing football. This courtyard has hosted many tournaments of different clubs competing against each other. The playground also witnesses old boys’ sports every year which includes diverse games and sports unique to this village. Life for the villagers, majority being Catholics, revolves around the church even today. Many of them also plan their schedule based on the clock chimes of this church.
Varied stories have been narrated about the origin of this hamlet Virapandianpatanam. According to popular belief this village during the Pandyas reign in the 13th century witnessed many skirmishes between the ¬¬Moors, the Arab settlers and the fishermen community known as the Paravars in this village. The Pandya king is known to have sent his son Virapandian to help the Paravars to fight the Moors and Arab settlers. The village was said to be the base camp where Virapandian settled his troops during the battle. As a sign of gratitude the villagers named the village as Virapandianpatanam.
The Paravars of Virpandianpatanam like the other villages in the East pearl fisheries coast were known for their skills in pearl fishing. The affluent villagers of Virapandianpatnam were said to be one of the most powerful people being fishermen and coastal traders known for their maritime skills. They were Saivites and had a special attachment to Murugan (Subramaniyan) temple at Tiruchendur a nearby village. The Jathi thalaivan, Caste headman of seven villages (Manappadu, Alanthalai, Virapandianpatanam, Punnaikayal, Thoothukudi, Vaippar and Vembar) resided in Virpandianpatanam. He is even said to have the privileges of giving the first pull to the rope with which the processional car of the idol was drawn in Tiruchendur. The Paravar aristocrats in Virapandianpatanam were also said to have palanquins.
During the dawn of the 16th century the Paravars of the pearl fishery coast were challenged many times by the Arab settlers and this conflict remained a thorn in the life of this maritime community. This proved to be a great opportunity for the Portuguese who had arrived at Calicut (Kozhikode) and soon identified the East fishery coast as a valuable business opportunity. They found an ally in the Paravars of the pearl fishery coast.
History narrates the following. About the year 1535 in a scuffle between a Muslim and a Parava at Thoothukudi, the Parava had his ear cut off by his adversary, who carried it away with him for the ring attached to it. The community took this incident as a great offence to the whole caste. This incident engendered a civil war between the Paravas and the Muslims. The Paravas were advised by Joao da Cruz, a horse trader to approach the Portuguese for security and to accept Christianity in return for the favour. In fulfilment of the treaty made with the Portuguese, the Paravas became Catholics. It is told that immediately after the conversion a Portuguese fleet arrived on the fishery coast and in a series of hard fought naval battles gradually ended the influence of the Muslims and re-established the waning hold of the Paravas on their pearl fishing rights and settlements. The community leaders on their part gathered twenty thousand of their members from thirty settlements in one camp for baptism. Jesuits records indicate that this event took place in March or April 1536. It was followed by another mass baptism at a later date for the Parava inhabitants of Thoothukudi, Vaipar and Vembar in 1537.
Though the Portuguese who ruled Goa have been understood to have helped the Paravas of the East pearl fishery coast including Virpandianpatanam against the Dutch and Arab settlers, it was St. Francis Xavier who visited the coastal parts of Tamil Nadu in 1542 and the Jesuit priests who promoted a true Christian life among the Paravas. These people imbibed the Portuguese culture in their worship and habits and this can be found in a minimal way even today in Virapandianpatanam. Villagers when baptised took on the names of their Portuguese God parents and hence one can find a lot of similarities in the family names of people who hail from this region and Goa and Mangalore.
The church is central to Virapandianpatanam, a well-planned village and the streets start and end in this church. The church is dedicated to St. Thomas, one of the disciples of Jesus Christ who visited India in 52 AD and was martyred at a village near Chennai. The church is said to have been originally constructed in 1549 and expanded in 1640. Many stories are told about the miraculous deeds of this church where a worker who fell during the construction got saved unhurt. Another story prevails that the villagers consider the church saved the villagers from a plague that affected all neighbouring villages. Sprinkled around the village are various chapels for different saints.
The church that was damaged by the Dutch in 1658 was rebuilt in 1882 by Rev Fr. Emmanuel Beirut. He is said to have raised massive pillars and constructed the church into three parts. The refurbished church was blessed and inaugurated on 15th August in 1886. In 1909 two big spires with bell fries and clocks were added to the church. This heritage church celebrated its centenary anniversary in 1986 has been renovated lately and celebrated 125th anniversary with great fervour and prayer on 15th August 2011.
We hear of many churches in the west getting converted into hotels and closed for want of funds for maintenance. Contrary to this Virapandianpatanam villagers have contributed time and again for the maintenance and upkeep of the church. It never ceases me to wonder at the miraculous powers of this church in uniting the villagers in Christianity and peace.
This is a very small effort by me to understand my roots and forefathers who built this great church. I am very grateful to Dr. (Sr) Decla for many of the above historical excerpts are taken from her book, “The Portuguese on the Pearl fishery Coast” by S Decla. I am also grateful to my Dad, Genetius Miranda, who guided me in the historical facts of the Virapandianpatanam. I am also thankful to Bevin A Kattar, whose article on the church helped me understand the history of construction of the church.
As a child born in this village my mind is taken up with reminiscences of my association with this church. The earliest memories being me going to the school near the church. The church had a long courtyard lined with huge trees. This is where I got to nurture my talent playing football. This courtyard has hosted many tournaments of different clubs competing against each other. The playground also witnesses old boys’ sports every year which includes diverse games and sports unique to this village. Life for the villagers, majority being Catholics, revolves around the church even today. Many of them also plan their schedule based on the clock chimes of this church.
Varied stories have been narrated about the origin of this hamlet Virapandianpatanam. According to popular belief this village during the Pandyas reign in the 13th century witnessed many skirmishes between the ¬¬Moors, the Arab settlers and the fishermen community known as the Paravars in this village. The Pandya king is known to have sent his son Virapandian to help the Paravars to fight the Moors and Arab settlers. The village was said to be the base camp where Virapandian settled his troops during the battle. As a sign of gratitude the villagers named the village as Virapandianpatanam.
The Paravars of Virpandianpatanam like the other villages in the East pearl fisheries coast were known for their skills in pearl fishing. The affluent villagers of Virapandianpatnam were said to be one of the most powerful people being fishermen and coastal traders known for their maritime skills. They were Saivites and had a special attachment to Murugan (Subramaniyan) temple at Tiruchendur a nearby village. The Jathi thalaivan, Caste headman of seven villages (Manappadu, Alanthalai, Virapandianpatanam, Punnaikayal, Thoothukudi, Vaippar and Vembar) resided in Virpandianpatanam. He is even said to have the privileges of giving the first pull to the rope with which the processional car of the idol was drawn in Tiruchendur. The Paravar aristocrats in Virapandianpatanam were also said to have palanquins.
During the dawn of the 16th century the Paravars of the pearl fishery coast were challenged many times by the Arab settlers and this conflict remained a thorn in the life of this maritime community. This proved to be a great opportunity for the Portuguese who had arrived at Calicut (Kozhikode) and soon identified the East fishery coast as a valuable business opportunity. They found an ally in the Paravars of the pearl fishery coast.
History narrates the following. About the year 1535 in a scuffle between a Muslim and a Parava at Thoothukudi, the Parava had his ear cut off by his adversary, who carried it away with him for the ring attached to it. The community took this incident as a great offence to the whole caste. This incident engendered a civil war between the Paravas and the Muslims. The Paravas were advised by Joao da Cruz, a horse trader to approach the Portuguese for security and to accept Christianity in return for the favour. In fulfilment of the treaty made with the Portuguese, the Paravas became Catholics. It is told that immediately after the conversion a Portuguese fleet arrived on the fishery coast and in a series of hard fought naval battles gradually ended the influence of the Muslims and re-established the waning hold of the Paravas on their pearl fishing rights and settlements. The community leaders on their part gathered twenty thousand of their members from thirty settlements in one camp for baptism. Jesuits records indicate that this event took place in March or April 1536. It was followed by another mass baptism at a later date for the Parava inhabitants of Thoothukudi, Vaipar and Vembar in 1537.
Though the Portuguese who ruled Goa have been understood to have helped the Paravas of the East pearl fishery coast including Virpandianpatanam against the Dutch and Arab settlers, it was St. Francis Xavier who visited the coastal parts of Tamil Nadu in 1542 and the Jesuit priests who promoted a true Christian life among the Paravas. These people imbibed the Portuguese culture in their worship and habits and this can be found in a minimal way even today in Virapandianpatanam. Villagers when baptised took on the names of their Portuguese God parents and hence one can find a lot of similarities in the family names of people who hail from this region and Goa and Mangalore.
The church is central to Virapandianpatanam, a well-planned village and the streets start and end in this church. The church is dedicated to St. Thomas, one of the disciples of Jesus Christ who visited India in 52 AD and was martyred at a village near Chennai. The church is said to have been originally constructed in 1549 and expanded in 1640. Many stories are told about the miraculous deeds of this church where a worker who fell during the construction got saved unhurt. Another story prevails that the villagers consider the church saved the villagers from a plague that affected all neighbouring villages. Sprinkled around the village are various chapels for different saints.
The church that was damaged by the Dutch in 1658 was rebuilt in 1882 by Rev Fr. Emmanuel Beirut. He is said to have raised massive pillars and constructed the church into three parts. The refurbished church was blessed and inaugurated on 15th August in 1886. In 1909 two big spires with bell fries and clocks were added to the church. This heritage church celebrated its centenary anniversary in 1986 has been renovated lately and celebrated 125th anniversary with great fervour and prayer on 15th August 2011.
We hear of many churches in the west getting converted into hotels and closed for want of funds for maintenance. Contrary to this Virapandianpatanam villagers have contributed time and again for the maintenance and upkeep of the church. It never ceases me to wonder at the miraculous powers of this church in uniting the villagers in Christianity and peace.
This is a very small effort by me to understand my roots and forefathers who built this great church. I am very grateful to Dr. (Sr) Decla for many of the above historical excerpts are taken from her book, “The Portuguese on the Pearl fishery Coast” by S Decla. I am also grateful to my Dad, Genetius Miranda, who guided me in the historical facts of the Virapandianpatanam. I am also thankful to Bevin A Kattar, whose article on the church helped me understand the history of construction of the church.
Comments
Excellent write up on the history of Pattanam and its icon..St.Thomas Church. It is articles like this that will help kids like mine easily understand the history of pattanam and appreciate their roots.
Regards,
Agnel