Final resting place for an Apostle

As we drew closer to the end of our visit to Chennai, Cintra, Sujatha, Mathias and I visited sites in the area that honour St. Thomas one of 12 Apostles of Jesus Christ. He was one of the witnesses of Christ's death and resurrection.

San Thome Cathedral Basilica is one of three Basilicas around the world built to honour Apostles. This Basilica in Santhome, Chennai, is built over the tomb of St. Thomas, who brought Christianity to India in 52 AD.

The other two are St. Paul's tomb in Rome and St. James' in Spain.

St. Thomas spent 17 years traveling extensively in Sind, Kerala and his final home in Mylapore. He is said to have been martyred as he prayed in a place called Little Mount. His body was moved and enshrined under the Cathedral Basilica.

The other historic site, St. Thomas Mount, high above Chennai, once served as a lighthouse for Armenian and Portuguese ships and vessels in the 16th and 17th centuries. Today it attracts pilgrims of all faiths who engage in silent meditation and prayer in the Shrine Chapel or the Adoration Chapel.

Pilgrims are said to endure the climb as signs of penance and as sacrifice. The mount also features the Stages of the Cross in intricate detail, relics of bone fragments of St. Thomas and numerous other saints, a bell tower, open air stage for worship and viewing spaces to see the city.

Our visits to the Mount and the Cathedral were spiritual experiences that seemed fitting for our short time in this city.

Perhaps just was as fitting, if not uncanny, was the sudden crash of thunder, bolts of lightening and heavy persistent down pour of thunder showers after a week of blazing sunshine and intense heat and humidity.