Church of Our Lady of Light

Church of Our Lady of Light is a Roman Catholic shrine in Chennai, India. The locals commonly call it Luz Church, which derives from the Portuguese name Nossa Senhora da Luz. Built in 1516 by the Portuguese, it is one of the oldest Churches in the city and its foundation stone marks as one of the oldest European monuments in India. The history of the church dates back to the 16th-century legend of safe arrival to land by missionaries. The church is located very near to the Santhome Basilica, where Apostle Thomas is believed to be buried.

Although at the time the church was built, the locality was a thick forest, now it is part of a bustling metropolitan area. This 16th-century European-architecture building consists of patterns of Gothic arches and Baroque ornamentation. The feast of Our Lady of Light is celebrated on 15 August every year. On 15 August 2010, Church of Our Lady of Light was declared Shrine of Our Lady of Light by A. M. Chinnappa, Archbishop of Madras-Mylapore.

History

The traditional history of Christianity in India is connected with the historical background of this church. Christianity came to India in two stages; according to conventional wisdom, St. Thomas introduced the faith in the first century and earned martyrdom in Chennai in AD 53. After the Portuguese arrived in the 15th century, the second phase began. Both are related by the Church of Our Lady of Light tales.

Legend

The Portuguese's presence in India is intertwined with the history of the Church. According to folklore, eight Franciscan monks sailed from Lisbon to India on March 9, 1500, with Pedro Alvares Cabral's fleet, not long after Vasco da Gama established the maritime passage to India. They arrived at Calicut, where on November 16, 1500, three of the Friars were killed. The others arrived in Cochin and set up shop to spread the gospel. They sailed down the South a few years later to further promote their message. According to legend, the friars started praying to Mother Mary for protection after they were stranded in the choppy water. According to tradition, they were miraculously led by an enigmatic dazzling

Location

The church is situated in the Mylapore neighborhood of Chennai, and it is said that this area of Mylapore was a dense forest at the time the church was erected. As a result, the church is known locally as "Kaatu Kovil" (Jungle Temple) in Tamil. The Santhome Basilica, where Apostle of Jesus Saint Thomas is interred, is about 1.5 kilometres away. Although it is a busy location currently, it is possible that mangroves were present here at one time. After the actual church, Luz Church Road is now the name of the road leading to it.

Architecture

The Portuguese constructed the current building in Luz around 1516. The building's design is dominated by patterns of Gothic arches and Baroque decoration combined with traditional European style. Silver and gold leaves are used to embellish the altars, while powder blue fresco murals decorate the ceilings. The layout of the structure bears certain similarities to Portuguese architecture. One of the numerous attempts made by these individuals to leave their individuality in distant locations may be seen in the Luz Church. One of the first European structures in India is this church's foundation stone.

Feast

Every year on August 15, which is also the anniversary of India's independence and a national holiday, people commemorate the feast of Our Lady of Light. The day is also celebrated as Mary's Assumption Day. A large liturgy and vehicle parade are held to commemorate the feast.