Manapad is a coastal village in south India, from Tuticorin and south of Tiruchendur. St. Francis Xavier came to Manapad in 1542, conducting missionary activity on the Fishery coast. He lived in a grotto cavern on the seaward face of a cliff and held mass at a chapel of the Captain's Cross, built from a ship's mast after a storm in 1540. Holy Cross Church, built close to the sea in 1581, has a relic fragment believed to be from the True Cross of Jerusalem. From 1 to 14 September, every year, the cross is publicly displayed to thousands who attend the festival season.

Valliamman cave Valliamman Cave Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Tamil Goddess Sri Valli, Consort of Lord Muruga, situated in the northeast corner of Arulmigu Subramaniya Swamy Temple, Tiruchendur Complex. In early days, the temple was situated very near ...

is located nearby.

History

Manapad-Manavai-catholic-church-Thoothukudi-district-TamilNadu

Manapad-Manavai-seashore-catholic-church-Thoothukudi-district-TamilNadu

Traditional stories say that in 1540, a Portuguese trading vessel, while sailing around the

Cape of Good Hope The Cape of Good Hope ( af, Kaap die Goeie Hoop ) ;''Kaap'' in isolation: pt, Cabo da Boa Esperança is a rocky headland on the Atlantic coast of the Cape Peninsula in South Africa. A common misconception is that the Cape of Good Hope is t ...

on its way to the East, encountered a violent storm splitting its sails and snapping the hind mast, leaving it at risk of foundering. The captain, who was devoted to the veneration of the

Holy Cross Holy Cross or Saint Cross may refer to: * the instrument of the crucifixion of Jesus * Christian cross, a frequently used religious symbol of Christianity * True Cross, supposed remnants of the actual cross upon which Jesus was crucified * Feast ...

, implored and entrusted the safety of the vessel and that of the crew to Christ. He made a vow that he would construct a cross from a portion of the splintered mast and have it planted on the shore where they alighted in safety. By chance, the vessel, after having drifted for several days, sought haven at the port of Kulasekharapatnam.

Culture

Festivals

The festival of the ''Exaltation of the Holy Cross'' is celebrated annually by the Catholic Church on 14 September. It is a Portuguese tradition to lay the cross in the places where they live. This festival has been celebrated for generations over centuries.

Cinema

The movie '' Neethaane En Ponvasantham'' had a climax shootout there and the coverage exposed the place to many Tamil people. A major part of Maniratnam's '' Kadal'' movie was shot in Manapad. ''

Singam II ''Singam II'' is a 2013 Indian Tamil-language action film written and directed by Hari. A sequel to the 2010 film ''Singam'' and the second installment in the ''Singam'' film series, the film stars Suriya, Hansika Motwani, Anushka Shetty, Da ...

'' has some parts pictured at this church premises. Many short films were shot there. A major part of Seenu Ramaswamy's ''Neerparavi'' was shot in Manapad. A major part of SP Jananathan's ''Iyarakai'' movie was shot in Manapad.

Notable people

* S. M. Diaz IPS *

Donatus Victoria Sir Joseph Aloysius Donatus Victoria, CBE was a British politician. He was one of the first elected members of the Senate of Ceylon. He was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 1945 Birthday Honours while serving ...

References

{{Reflist, refs= ''Land and people of Indian states and union territories'', Gopal K. Bhargava, S.C. Bhatt, 2006, 575 pages, p.411,
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''Engaging South Asian Religions'', Mathew N. Peter Schmalz, Peter Gottschalk, 2011, 256 pages, p.116, web:
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Villages in Thoothukudi district