Immaculate Conception Cathedral, Pondicherry

Immaculate Conception Cathedral, Pondicherry
Front view of the cathedral with Sacred Heart of Jesus statue visible. Front view of the cathedral with Sacred Heart of Jesus statue visible.
Immaculate Conception Cathedral, Pondicherry Immaculate Conception Cathedral, Pondicherry
Location	Pondicherry, Puducherry
Country	India
Denomination	Catholic
History
Former name(s)	St. Paul's Church
Founder(s)	Jesuits
Dedication	Immaculate Conception of Blessed Virgin Mary
Consecrated	1791
Past bishop(s)	Msgr.Michael Augustine
Architecture
Status	Cathedral and Parish church
Functional status	Active
Architectural type	Cathedral
Style	Herrerian
Groundbreaking	1699
Completed	1791
Demolished	Three time in the years: 1693 by Dutch Around 1730 1761 by British But church was re-built at the same site every time.
Administration
Parish	Cathedral Parish
Archdiocese	Archdiocese of Pondicherry and Cuddalore
Clergy
Archbishop	Msgr. Antony Anandarayar
Priest(s)	Rev. Fr. A. Arulanandam

Immaculate Conception Cathedral is the cathedral mother church for the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Pondicherry and Cuddalore. It is located in the Union territory of Puducherry. It is also known as "Samba Kovil" (Tamil: சம்பா கோயில்), which is a phonetic corruption of "Saint Paul’s Kovil" where "Kovil" means church.

History

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The Jesuit Fathers came to the French colony of Pondicherry as missionaries in 1689. There they bought a very large garden to the west of the French Fort. In the 1692 they, with the financial help of Louis XIV, king of France, erected a church which was demolished by the Dutch in the following year. A second Church was quickly built in 1699 but could not last long.

From 1728 to 1736 a large church was built on the site of the present Cathedral. This third church was razed to the ground by the British in 1761 during the Seven Years' War.

Erecting in 1765 provisionally (fourth in serial) a functional kind of irregular shaped shed where the Mission Press (official press depot of the archdiocese) is now, since the year 1770 the Fathers were earnest in building the present cathedral on the foundations of the 3rd Church. On 20 June 1791 the main work was finished and the Church was consecrated by Bishop Champenois. The Bell tower was built later. The choir loft was added in 1905. The Sanctuary was remodeled in the year 1970. The esplanade in front of the Cathedral was remodeled in 1987, to allow people to take part in liturgical ceremonies and special functions held outside.

The Fest of this Church i.e., Immaculate Conception of Blessed Virgin Mary falls on the 8th of December. Now the church which stands for around 300 years is also the place where the bishop house is also situated. Mass services in Tamil and English are conducted.

It is one of the oldest tourist sites in Puducherry., and was visited by Mother Teresa during her visit to Puducherry.

Gallery

The Church

• Puducherry Cathedral 1860.jpg

  Photo taken in 1860 possibly by French photographer Charles Moyne.

• ImmaculateConceptionPondy28.JPG

  Nave

• Puducherry Immaculate Conception Cathedral interior(2).jpg

  Central altar of the church with the bishops cathedra visible on the right hand side covered with a green cloth

• Our Lady of Immaculate Conception Puducherry Cathedral.jpg

  Right side Altar for Our Lady of Immaculate Conception, Renovated during the year of Faith

• Pondy cathedral view from altar.jpg

  Main Door - View from the central high altar

Statues and Altars in the Church

• Joseph pondy cathedral.jpg

  St. Joseph's Altar

• OL good health pondy cathedral.jpg

  Our Lady of Good Health Altar

• Sacred Heart pondy cathedral.jpg

  Sacred Heart Altar

• Theresa of lisieux pondy cathedral.jpg

  St. Theresa of Lisieux Altar

• OL Rosary pondy cathedral.jpg

  Our Lady of Holy Rosary with St. Dominic

• Francis of assisi pondy cathedral.jpg

  St. Francis of Assisi

• Baptismal font pondy cathedral.jpg

  Baptismal font

• Stoups pondy cathedral.jpg

  Stoups

• Grotto pondy cathedral.jpg

  Grotto near the gate

• Christ the King, Puducherry Cathedral.jpg

  Christ the King statue installed by Bishop Colas in 1933

Cathedral Cemetery

• Cathedral Cemetery, Pondicherry (1).jpg
• Cathedral Cemetery, Puducherry (4).jpg
• Cathedral Cemetery, Puducherry (5).jpg
• Cathedral Cemetery, Puducherry (6).jpg
• Cathedral Cemetery, Puducherry (7).jpg

  Missionaries buried here

• Tombs of Bishops - Cathedral Cemetery, Puducherry.jpg

  Tombs of Bishops of the Archdiocese

See also

• Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Pondicherry and Cuddalore
• Roman Catholicism in India
• Christianity in India
• Christianity in Puducherry
• List of cathedrals named after the immaculate conception of Blessed Virgin Mary