Appendix 5
Shrine of St. Thomas at Little Mount
This holy shrine may be said to have had its origin in about the year
68 A.D., according to one tradition, when the Holy Apostle received
the first stroke of Martyrdom. Tradition confirms this, and the
ancient writers, from the first century onwards give testimony to
this fact. This place was precious in the sight of those who had a
great devotion towards St. Thomas. This unfailing veneration was
rooted in the heart of the ancient Rajahs and great men of this
country. In fact it is recorded that before the Portuguese held sway
over this part of the country the early Rajahs and Nawabs of the
place were sympathetic protectors of this Holy Shrine.
The Portuguese first settled in the neighbourhood of Little Mount in
1503 when a certain Albuquerque founded a settlement at
Mylapore. At that period the whole of this part of the country was
subject to the Hindu King of Vijayanagar whose capital after 1556
was at Chandragiri.
About the year 1551, Little Mount, which was till then only a steep
rocky elevation, began to be cleared and leveled for the
convenience of the pilgrims. The fact is stated on a big stone, which
has been fixed at the top of the steps towards the north of the hill.
The Church of Our Lady at the entrance to the cave was built that
year and given to the Portuguese Jesuits. These then built the small
hermitage which is on the top of the rock. There could have been
another church built on the top, the Church of the Resurrection,
where the cross engraved on the rock is now to be found,
There are two other important sites at Little Mount. One is the
cave and the other the miraculous spring. Of the cave it has been
written as follows: One enters it with some difficulty through a
crevice in the rock. It has not been thought fit to embellish this
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entrance, or even to change anything in the whole cave, because
it is believed that St. Thomas often retired into this solitary place to
pray. The later missionaries have put up an altar at the eastern end
of the cave. There is a tradition among the people that a sort of
window on the southern end of about 2 feet, which throws a very
dim light into the cave, was miraculously made and that it was
through this opening that St. Thomas escaped when the enemies
came to attack him.
Of the miraculous spring the record is as follows: This is called St.
Thomas’ fountain. There is a rather common tradition in the country
that the Holy Apostle who lived at Little Mount, being moved to see
that the people who came in crowds to hear his preaching suffered
much from thirst, as water could be had only at a great distance in
the plain, knelt in prayer on the highest part of the hill, struck the
rock with his stick, and instantly there gushed forth a spring of clear
water, which cured the sick when they drank of it trusting in the
intercession of the saint. There is a stream which now runs at the
foot of Little Mount which is understood to have been formed only
at the beginning of last century. It was created by the overflowing
and bursting of a distant tank owing to heavy rain. This formed the
little canal which in times of drought contains salty water, because
at 2 leagues from Little Mount it communicates with the sea.
Coming back to the spring of water miraculously made by St.
Thomas, it has been said that when some heretical women threw
some dirt over it due to their anger against the saint, the water
seemed to have receded immediately. But the women died that
very day of an extraordinary punishment for their audacity. The
water is continually being taken and drunk. Christians affirm that it
produces sudden cures even to the present day
On the occasion of the 19th centenary of St. Thomas in 1972, a big
circular church was built and consecrated, for the benefit of the
increasing number of parishioners and pilgrims.
