Saturday, May 20, 2017

St. Xaviers' Cathedral Church, Palayamkottai, Thirunelveli

St. Xaviers' Cathedral Church, Palayamkottai, Thirunelveli
St. Xaviers' Cathedral Church, situated at the heart of St. Xaviers' College and established by Jesuit priests, now belongs to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Palayamkottai. It is located in Palayamkottai Town in Thirunelveli District of Tamilnadu. St. Francis Xavier who was responsible for propagation of Christianity in the 16th century in Southern districts of Tamilnadu had travelled to Palayamkottai.

Fr. Joseph Constantine Beschi SJ, better known in Tamil as 'Veeramamunivar', propagated Christianity in the area. It is one of the earliest Catholic Churches in Palayamkottai. The St. Xaviers College church is dedicated to Our Lady of the Assumption. It is an architectural amalgamation combining Christian, Hindu and Muslim architectures.

Palayamkottai is located at about 3 Kms from Thirunelveli and 162 Kms from Madurai. Palayamkottai has an efficient bus network. Palayamkottai bus stand, or Palai Bus Stand as it is popularly called by the locals, was the major connecting hub of the bus network. The Palayamkottai bus terminal is also a major stopover for all buses going to Kanyakumari and Nagercoil. There are also numerous connections between the local Palayamkottai bus-stops and Thirunelveli town.

Palayamkottai also has a railway station connecting Thirunelveli Junction and Tiruchendur. Palayamkottai is adjacent to the Thirunelveli railway junction on the Eastern side. An auto from Thirunelveli Junction will cost Rs.40/-. One can get down at Market stop (Thirunelveli Town/Junction to Samathanapuram bus) and walk 5 minutes to reach the temple. Nearest Airport is located at Madurai.