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.