St. Francis Xavier's Cathedral, Kottar, Nagercoil,
Kanyakumari
St.
Francis Xavier's Cathedral also St. Xavier Church is a Roman
Catholic Latin Rite shrine located at Kottar, Nagercoil in Kanyakumari district of Tamil
Nadu state, India. While Saint
Xavier was doing missionary work at
Kottar and its neighborhood, he averted an invasion of Padagas with the help of
his cross alone and thus protected the people of Venadu kingdom from that attack which was appreciated by
the king, Unni Kerala Varma, who became closer to the priest and befriended him
from then on. In recognition of Xavier’s services, the king allotted him a
piece of land to construct a Catholic church, as a gesture of goodwill, as per
the church records.
There
was already a small church, in the same place where St. Xavier’s church stands
at present, dedicated to Mary the Mother of God, since AD 1544. Church records
indicate that St. Xavier Church was built in 1600. In 1865, the Shrine of Mary
was renovated and enlarged. In 1930, the church was raised to the status of
a cathedral. The
annual festival is celebrated during November – December, lasting for 10 days.
History
St.
Francis Xavier, a Spanish Jesuit
missionary, landed in Goa in May 1542 and he sailed from Goa to Cape
Comorin in October 1542 on missionary
tour to Travancore Once
a great band of dacoits attacked Travancore. Raja`s forces couldn’t combat the
enemy successfully, but Xavier chased away the marauders at Vadasery by raising his Crucifix aloft and shouting at
them. Very pleased with Xavier, the Raja showed special regards and gratitudes
to him. At Kottar, Xavier had a dwelling house and a small church.
Tradition
says that the heathens set fire to Xavier`s house and reduced it to ashes, but
they were struck with awe when they saw the holy man on his knees devoutly
praying, not in the least touched by the flames. To mark the place a cross was
put up, to which miraculous powers were attributed. From the time, the church
was built on the spot, a lamp is kept perpetually burning. Even Hindus go there
and make vows and pour oil. Miracles are recorded to have taken place there;
and hence multitudes of devout Catholic pilgrims from British India, Ceylon and
Malacca resort to the annual festival at St. Xavier`s church, Kottar,
about December of every year.
Christianity
in Travancore was introduced by the disciple of Jesus Christ St. Thomas in 52
AD. The primitive or original church which still subsists was built by St.
Francis Xavier himself between the years AD 1542 and AD 1550. Afterwards the
Bishops of Cochin constructed a new and more spacious church that was richly
endowed with precious ornaments and utensils gifted by the Kings of
Portugal. The mortal remains of Christian martyr Devasahayam Pillai were given a Christian
burial in front of the high altar of
St. Xavier`s church at Kottar in January AD 1752.
While
being one of the oldest churches in the whole of erstwhile Southern Travancore, it is definitely the oldest Cathedral church of Roman Catholic Diocese of
Kottar in the present-day`s
Kanyakumari district (of Tamil Nadu) since there are three more dioceses got
established here later on. In the year 1806, an engineer from Kolkata built a
wooden altar with artistic works on it. And in 1865, the church was expanded. In
May 26, 1930, the Diocese of Kottar was established from the Diocese of Quilon
and St. Xavier’s Cathedral was announced as the Parish Church.
A 10-day
festival from November 24th to December 3rd is held every year. The car
procession in 1st, 2nd and 3rd December is the sight of beauty and devotion.
While December 3rd being a Sunday it will be extended up to 4th December. In
such cases the car processions will be on 2nd, 3rd and 4th December. In which
thousands of people will be gathered to worship St. Francis Xavier to fulfill
their needs. In 2010, the main altar and the altar in the Holy chapel where
saint prayed were maintained by removing the old gold and decorated with more
than 200 gms of 24ct Gold, which is then blessed by Most Rev. Bishop Peter
Remegius, The Bishop of Kottar on 28th October10. In 2012, the Holy Tomb of the
Blessed Devasahayam pillai has been maintained and the Holy Relics of Blessed Devasahayam
Pillai has been erected above the Holy Tomb and dedicated to people’s worship.
Connectivity
The
Church is located at about 3 Kms from Nagercoil, 1 Km from Nagercoil Railway
Station, 1 Km from Nagercoil Bus Stand, 18 Kms from Kanyakumari, 5 Kms from Suchindram,
12 Kms from Boothapandi, 17 Kms from Thuckalay and 76 Kms from
Thiruvananthapuram. Nearest Railway Station is located at Nagercoil and Nearest
Airport is located at Thiruvananthapuram.