Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Pondicherry
| Sacred Heart of Jesus Basilica, Pondicherry | |
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| தூய இருதய ஆண்டவர் பசிலிக்கா, புதுச்சேரி | |
Basilica's view from Sacred Heart Square
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 Sacred Heart of Jesus Basilica, Pondicherry
Sacred Heart Basilica
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| Coordinates: 11°55′35″N 79°49′37″E / 11.92626°N 79.82704°E | |
| Location | Pondicherry, Puducherry |
| Country | India |
| Denomination | Catholic |
| Website | sacredheartpondy.org |
| History | |
| Dedication | Sacred Heart of Jesus |
| Consecrated | December 17, 1907 |
| Events | Elevation to Basilica: September 2, 2011 |
| Architecture | |
| Status | Minor Basilica and Parish church |
| Functional status | Active |
| Architect(s) | Rev. Fr. Telesphore Welter |
| Architectural type | Basilica |
| Style | Gothic |
| Groundbreaking | 1902 |
| Completed | 1907 |
| Specifications | |
| Capacity | 2000 |
| Length | 50 m (160 ft) |
| Width | 48 m (157 ft) |
| Height | 18 m (59 ft) |
| Materials | Brick |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Sacred Heart Parish |
| Archdiocese | Archdiocese of Pondicherry and Cuddalore |
| Clergy | |
| Archbishop | Msgr. Antony Anandarayar |
| Rector | Rev.Fr. S. Maria Joseph |
Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus (Tamil: தூய இருதய ஆண்டவர் பசிலிக்கா), situated on the south boulevard of Pondicherry in Puducherry, India, is an oriental specimen of Gothic architecture. It contains rare stained glass panels depicting events from the life of Christ and saints of the Catholic Church. In recent years it has become one of the famous pilgrimage spots for Christians.
In the year 1895, the then Archbishop Mgr.Gandy consecrated the Archdiocese of Pondicherry to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. He wished to build a new church in devotion of Sacred Heart of Jesus. Rev. Fr. Telesphore Welter, the parish priest of Nellithope prepared the building plan and parish priest of Cathedral Rev. Fr. Fourcaud commenced the construction of the new church in 1902 at the Southern side of Pondicherry.
The blessing of the church and the first mass was held at the western wing of the present church by Mgr. Gandy on 17, December 1907 and the new parish surrounding this church has been established on 27, January 1908.
The year 2008-2009 was celebrated as centenary year of founding of the parish. A special postal stamp and postal envelope were released to mark the valedictory function of the centenary celebrations.
At the end of the Centenary Celebrations on June 2009, a request was placed through Telesphore Toppo, President of CBCI, to the Holy See for the elevation of this church to a Basilica.
The Holy See granted the status of minor basilica to the church, with a papal brief dated Friday 24 June 2011. This arrived on Friday 29 July 2011 to archbishops house. This was officially announced by Mgr. Antony Anandarayar, Archbishop of Pondicherry and Cuddalore on July 29, 2011. The Papal Nuncio to India, Salvatore Pennacchio (Titular Archbishop of Montemarano) visited the basilica on September 2, 2011 and officially declared the church as a basilica in the name of the holy see. At present the basilica is headed by Rector Rev.Fr. S. Maria Joseph
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