Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus (, ) is a

Roman Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics worldwide as of 2025. It is among the world's oldest and largest international institut ...

minor basilica Basilicas are Catholic church buildings that have a designation, conferring special privileges, given by the Pope. Basilicas are distinguished for ceremonial purposes from other churches. The building need not be a basilica in the architectura ...

situated on the south boulevard of

Pondicherry Pondicherry, officially known as Puducherry, is the Capital city, capital and most populous city of the Puducherry (union territory), Union Territory of Puducherry in India. The city is in the Puducherry district on the southeast coast of Indi ...

in Puducherry,

India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...

, and is an oriental specimen of

Gothic Revival architecture Gothic Revival (also referred to as Victorian Gothic or neo-Gothic) is an Architectural style, architectural movement that after a gradual build-up beginning in the second half of the 17th century became a widespread movement in the first half ...

. It contains rare stained glass panels depicting events from the life of Christ and saints of the Catholic Church.Lonely Planet Revie

In recent years it has become one of the famous pilgrimage spots for Christians.

History

In the year 1895, the then Archbishop Joseph-Adolphe Gandy, Mgr.Gandy consecrated the Archdiocese of Pondicherry to the

Sacred Heart The Most Sacred Heart of Jesus () is one of the most widely practised and well-known Catholic devotions, wherein the heart of Jesus Christ is viewed as a symbol of "God's boundless and passionate love for mankind". This devotion to Christ is p ...

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 A cathedral is a church (building), church that contains the of a bishop, thus serving as the central church of a diocese, Annual conferences within Methodism, conference, or episcopate. Churches with the function of "cathedral" are usually s ...

Rev. Fr. Fourcaud commenced the construction of the new church in 1902 at the southern side of

. 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.

Centenary celebrations

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.

Elevation to Basilica status

At the end of the Centenary Celebrations in June 2009, a request was placed through Telesphore Toppo, President of CBCI, to the

Holy See The Holy See (, ; ), also called the See of Rome, the Petrine See or the Apostolic See, is the central governing body of the Catholic Church and Vatican City. It encompasses the office of the pope as the Bishops in the Catholic Church, bishop ...

for the elevation of this church to a

Basilica In Ancient Roman architecture, a basilica (Greek Basiliké) was a large public building with multiple functions that was typically built alongside the town's forum. The basilica was in the Latin West equivalent to a stoa in the Greek Eas ...

. 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 29 July 2011. The Papal Nuncio to India, Salvatore Pennacchio (Titular Archbishop of Montemarano) visited the basilica on 2 September 2011 and officially declared the church as a basilica in the name of the holy see.Deccan Chronicle: Sacred Heart receives Basilica status
At present the basilica is headed by Rector Rev.Fr. S. Maria Joseph

Structure

This 100 years old historical church is 50 m long, 48 m wide and 18 m high with Latin rite cross shape in aerial view is in Gothic style. 24 main columns hold the structure. The biblical verse from 2 Chronicles 7:16 is written above the entrance door in Latin "sanctificavi locum istum, ut sit nomen meum ibi" which means "I have consecrated this house, that my name may be there forever. My eyes and my heart will be there forever.". Inside the church there are glass pictures of 28 saints who were related to the devotion of Sacred Heart of Jesus. This 100-year-old church has been led by twenty parish priests. The Grotto for Our Lady of Lourdes, Parish Hall, Adoration chapel and the new parish community hall were some of the development of this church since the 1960s. After the arrival of parish priest Thomas in 2005 the church was fully renovated inside and out. Statues of the four evangelists were erected, beneath which there are four lamp posts describing their lives and the inviting Jesus and the twelve apostles on the front facade. The Grotto for Sacred Heart of Jesus facing the City Railway Station were added and the church illuminated inside and out with chandeliers, focus and flood lights.

Mass Timings

Daily Mon-Sat Mass Timings

*06.00Am - Tamil Mass *12Noon - Tamil Mass *06.00Pm - Tamil Mass

1st Friday Special

*10.30Am - Adoration, Eucharistic Blessing & Tamil Mass.

Sunday Mass Timings

*05.30Am - Tamil Mass *07.30Am - Tamil Mass *12Noon - Tamil Mass *05.00Pm - English Mass *06.15Pm - Tamil Mass

Night Mass Timings

11.30PM on *New Year Night Mass *Easter Night Mass *Christmas Night Mass

Leadership

The former parish priests of this church are:

Parish priests

*T. Welter (1902–1909) *A. Combes (1909–1910) *A. Deniaud (1911–1917) *A. Leblanc (1917–1924) *L.C. Renoux(1925 - ) *P.M. Planat (1925–1931) *H. Gaston (1937–1945) *L. Peyroutet (1945–1947) *A. Olasail (1947–1953) *S. Valanganny (1954–1956) *M. Abel (1956–1963) *P. Irudayam (1963–1972) *G. Raja (1972–1980) *I. Gnanamanikam (1980–1982) *P. Gnanapragasam (1982–1988) *P. P. Xavier (1988–1989) *A. Mariasusai (1988–1989) *L. Maguimey (1989–1996) *G. Jacob (1996–2005) *A.Thomas (2005-2012) *S.Maria Joseph(2012–2019) *S. Kulandaiswamy(2019–Present)

Rectors

*A. Thomas (2005- May 2012) *S. Maria Joseph ( June 2012- June 2019) *S. Kulandaiswamy ( June 2019 – present)

Gallery

File: Puducherry_Church_of_the_Sacred_Heart_interior.jpg, Central high altar - Before renovation File:Sacred Heart basilica on the day of elevation.jpg, Central high altar - After renovation File:Basilica of Sacred Heart Church - Interior.jpg, Basilica of Sacred Heart Church - Interior File:Jesus in Sacred Heart Church.jpg, Jesus in Sacred Heart Church File:Interior of Pondicherry Sacred Heart Church 06.jpg, Interior Sacred Heart Church

References

External links

{{Puducherry Roman Catholic churches in Puducherry Sacred Heart of Jesus, Pondicherry Roman Catholic churches completed in 1907 Archdiocese of Pondicherry and Cuddalore Roman Catholic churches in Pondicherry (city) 1907 establishments in the French colonial empire 20th-century Roman Catholic church buildings in India 1907 establishments in India