St. Thomas Forane Church, Thoothoor, Kanyakumari
St
Thomas Forane Church is located at Thoothoor Village in Vilavancode Taluk in
Kanyakumari District of Tamilnadu. The Catholic
Church plays a conspicuous role in
the day-to-day life of the fishermen of Thoothoor village. The conversion of
the Hindu fishermen of this village may be traced back to
A.D. 1544. The event cumulated in the works of St. Francis Xavier, who is said to have converted 10,000 Mukkuva fishermen
living in thirteen villages along the coast (from Pallam to Poovar - Neerody,
Marthandanthurai, Vallavilai, Eraviputhenthurai, Thoothoor, Poothurai, Thengapattanam, Enayam, Midalam,
Vaniyakudy, Colachel, Kadiapattanam, Muttom and Pallam) in December 1544.
Immediately
after this conversion, Hindu temples and idols which had been built earlier
were removed and replaced with a cross and thatches for worship. In due course,
they were converted into churches. In 1600, the Thoothoor Parish Church was
brought under the Padroado. Subsequently, this Parish came under the Diocese of
Cochin. In 1838, St. Thomas Church, Thoothoor and other adjacent coastal
Churches from Pallithura to Erayumanthurai were brought under the Diocese of
Varapuzha. This unification brought the Padroado–Propaganda dispute to a crucial stage. Ultimately St. Thomas
Church, Thoothoor was brought under the Diocese of Cochin with its revival in
1850.
The
Diocese of Thiruvananthapuram was founded on 1 July 1937. But only in 1952 were
all the coastal Churches from Pallithura to Erayumanthurai added to the Roman
Catholic Archdiocese of Thiruvananthapuram
Diocese. Thus, at present Thoothoor Parish Church is one of the Foranate Churches of
Trivandrum Diocese. Thoothoor is a coastal village is situated on the Arabian
Sea coast. It is the headquarters of Thoothoor panchayat, consisting of five villages, namely Thoothoor,
Chinnathurai, Eraviputhenthurai, Poothurai and Erayumanthurai. These five villages
together are commonly just called Thoothooor. Thoothoor is geographically
located in Vilavancode Taluk, Kanyakumari District, Tamilnadu. Thoothoor Forane
Church was built by foreigners in about 1600.
Contact
St. Thomas Forane Church,
Thoothoor, Vilavancode Taluk,
Kanyakumari
– 626 176
Phone: +91 954651 / 240640
Connectivity
Christ
Bhavan Retreat Centre is located at about 1 Km from Thoothoor Bus Stand.
Thoothoor is located at about 15 Kms from Marthandam, 14 Kms from Vilavancode, 22
Kms from Colachel, 20 Kms from Thiruvattaru, 37 Kms from Nagercoil, 60 Kms from
Kanyakumari, 13 Kms from Kuzhithurai, 25 Kms from Eraniel and 46 Kms from
Thiruvananthapuram. Nearest Railway Station is located at Kuzhithurai and
Nearest Airport is located at Thiruvananthapuram.
