Luz Church (1516) of Chennai, Tamil Nadu: Built by the Portuguese colonists

Navrang India August 23, 2025
Luz church Chennai mylaporetimes.com

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.

Luz Church  Chennai,TN lakshmisharath.com

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    

Luz church, ChennaiFacebook.com

Luz church, Chennai chennaitourism.travel

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.