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| Luz church Chennai mylaporetimes.com |
Above image: The Luz Church, Chennai, TamilNadu. Gasparo Balbi, a Venetian dealer of gems, reached the Coromandel Coast in 1582. In his travels, he writes, “The Citie of Saint Thomas is so called of the Reliques of the Saint, which are kept here with great veneration The Hindu dated June 12, 2013...” Many of these Portuguese churches like the Luz Church are not only important landmarks in the city, but they are the legacy of Portuguese rule and their presence in this part of India.
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| Luz church Chennai newindianexpress.com |
Because of the arrival of Christianity in India several centuries ago and the presence of a large European settlers in Madras in the 16th and 17 centuries, numerous churches with fine European architecture were built in many places in India to meet their religious needs. They are the now mute spectators of our colonial past history. One among them is Luz Church, a historical place of worship. In 2015, the church celebrated its 500th year (quincentennial celebrations) of its foundation, a year long celebration starting from August 2015 to August 2016.
Church of Our Lady of Light (Portuguese: Nossa Senhora da Luz), locally known known as Luz Church, is a historically significant Roman Catholic shrine located in Mylapore, Chennai. Built in 1516 by the Portuguese, it is among the oldest churches in India and stands as a reminder of early European settlement and missionary work in South India. Constructed in Gothic-Baroque style, it was dedicated to the Virgin Mary by Portuguese sailors, who are believed to have been guided safely to the shore by a divine light after being caught in a violent sea storm. This miraculous event inspired the name “Luz,” meaning “light” in Portuguese. Though legend attributes this to Jesuit missionaries, the Society of Jesus was officially founded only in 1540, raising questions about the timeline of their arrival in India. |
| Holy Mary, Luz church, Chennai madrasi.info | | | | |
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| Luz church, ChennaiFacebook.com |
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| Luz church, Chennai chennaitourism.travel |
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| Altar -Luz Church. Chennai, India panoramio.com |
Above image: Luz Church, Mylapore, Chennai. Altar stands majestically gilded with silver and gold leaves and the ceilings are adorned with amazing fresco paintings.................
The church originally stood in the middle of a forest and is now surrounded by bustling urban life. Hence, it is often referred to as Kottukovil (temple amidst forest). Nearby landmarks include the San Thome Basilica—believed to be the burial site of St. Thomas the Apostle (St.Thomas in 52 AD arrived on the Malabar coast) —and Stella Maris College, which is managed by the church. St. Isabel’s Hospital, another significant institution, is also located close by. The church interiors feature exquisite fresco-painted ceilings and intricately gilded altars adorned with silver and gold leaves, showcasing colonial-era ecclesiastical artistry.
Luz Church suffered damage during the invasions by Muslim forces from Golconda (1662–1673) and later by Hyder Ali’s troops (1780–1782). At one point, the East India Company occupied the parish residence, further affecting the church. Despite these challenges, the church was later restored and continues to function as a place of worship, representing a blend of spiritual devotion and colonial legacy. The church can accommodate 500 people.
Tit-Bits:
Following Vasco da Gama’s discovery of the sea route to India, the Franciscan monks, the original followers of St Francis of Assisi, had brought the Gospel to India. Eight Franciscan missionaries on long sea journey from Lisbon,Portugal on March 9, 1500 landed in Calicut. “According to documents and archives, among the eight missionaries, three of them were slain in Calicut on November 16, 1500. The rest arrived in Cochin and wanted to bring the good news to the south,”
But the sea being rough and the visibility of the coast was poor, the missionaries were worried. They prayed to Mother Mary. The same night, they were led to this very spot (where the Luz Church stands now) by a light. “The light vanished after safely leading them here,” To express their gratitude to the unknown force that had guided them to a safe place here , a modest shrine was built and thus marked the beginning of the 500-year-old history of Nossa Senhora De Luz. Based on my old post published several years ago. Navrangindia.blogspot.com August 11, 2015
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