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CSI Wesley Tamil Church, St. Thomas Mount is a protestant Christian Tamil Church located[1] near the foot hill of holy place of St. Thomas Mount in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India where St. Thomas disciple of Jesus Christ was martyred in first Century. School chapel was established by the Wesleyan Methodist Missionary Society (WMMS) in the early 19th century[2] and Tamil congregations in St. Thomas Mount is 200 years old.[3] The church has played a significant role in evangelism, education, healthcare and social work for over two centuries.
History
[edit]Early Beginnings (1819 to 1829)
Wesley Methodist missionary work began in Madras (now Chennai) with the arrival of Rev. James Lynch in 1817.[4] A Native Tamil school was already established at St. Thomas Mount in 1819 by Lynch,[5] marking the beginnings of Methodist ministers Tamil work in the area with the support of Tamil Translator. In the early days services were conducted by missionaries Rev. James Lynch , Rev. Elijah Hoole (preached in Tamil) and Rev. Titus Close. Wesleyan Chapel was built on 1829[6] on the land donated by Mrs. Isacke to serve both English and Tamil congregations in 1827.[3]
Tamil Congregation Development (1830 to 1859)
Regular English service were being held early in School Chapel (1819)[5] and later in Wesleyan Chapel (1829)[6]. And also Sunday schools were established in St. Thomas Mount. The Tamil congregation grew steadily with the preaching of Methodist ministers in Wesley Chapel travelling from Royapettah or George Town. Also local preacher was training by missionaries and supported by Wesleyan Soldiers stationed at St. Thomas Mount. Tamil services became a permanent fixture by 1831[7][8] and the congregation continued to expand throughout the mid19th century.
Tamil Church in Wesleyan Chapel (1860) & Construction of new Wesley Tamil Church (1935)
In 1860, Rev. Josiah Evers[9] was appointed by Methodist Mission as a residential Tamil Preacher. This significant change Native work and policy in WMMS led to formation of Tamil Church separate from English Stream in Wesleyan Chapel. Tamil Services were held on two mornings and four evenings every week and as a rule they were generally well attended in Wesley Chapel.
New church building for the Tamil congregation was completed in 1935[10] under the leadership of Rev. P. Joel S. Appadurai and Rev. C.H. Monahan. Constructed in Greek Orthodox architectural style with a dome above the altar, it was built at the rear of the mission's land in Butt Road. The project cost ₹19,143 and was funded through local and mission contributions.
Integration into Church of South India (1947)
Following the formation of the Church of South India (CSI) in 1947 — a union of Anglican, Methodist, Congregational, Presbyterian, and other Protestant churches — the church became part of the CSI Diocese of Madras. The Tamil Methodist congregation thus officially became CSI Wesley Tamil Church in St. Thomas Mount.
Renovation and Present-Day Status (2025)
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In 2025, the church underwent a major renovation, expanding the building while retaining its original architectural character. The project received a government grant of ₹1.18 crores from the Tamil Nadu government. The congregation has grown to include over 550 families and 1,830 members.[11]
Mission Work and Social Service
[edit]The church has a rich history of service beyond worship:
- Education: Several schools were founded, including CSI St. Thomas Higher Secondary School, originating from a boys' school established in 1864.
- Girls' Hostel: The Girls' Home for poor Christian village girls was founded in 1894 and still running with same enthusiasm and service.
- Teacher Training Institution : Gnanodhaya teacher training institute is established by Methodist Missionaries in early 20th Century.
- Healthcare: Missionaries established Soldiers and also supported congregation visits and support to military hospitals patients
- Evangelism: The church oversaw mission fields in surrounding villages including Saidapet, Velachery, Vandalur, Thaiyur, Komancheri etc.
A branch church, CSI Wesley Tamil Church - Vellavedu, was dedicated in 2005 under Rev. Sam Rajkumar's leadership to serve the congregation in Vellavedu village.[12]
Church Key Leadership and Contributors
[edit]Many missionaries and Indian ministers have served at St. Thomas Mount. Notable figures include:
- Rev. James Lynch (First Methodist minister of Madras and established school in St. Thomas Mount in 1819)
- Rev. Elijah Hoole (Irish Methodist minister and Tamil scholar who preached in Tamil in St. Thomas Mount)
- Rev. Josiah Evers (First Tamil Church native Methodist minister at St. Thomas Mount)
- Rev. P. Joel S. Appadurai (Led the construction of Wesley Tamil Church in 1935 in Butt Road)
- Rev. G. Wellington Jesudoss (Led the church renovation in 2025 and church history research)
Book Publications
[edit]
The history of the church has been documented in a 2025 publication titled "History of CSI Wesley Tamil Church, St. Thomas Mount" authored by Neil Jeyaharan and Rev. G. Wellington Jesudoss, and published by the Christian Literature Society (CLS), Chennai.
References
[edit]- ^ "Google Maps - CSI Wesley Tamil Church, St. Thomas Mount".
- ^ The Fifth Report (1824), Wesleyan Methodist Missionary Society Madras (1824). The Fifth(-10th, 12th-14th) Report.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ a b The Eighth Report (1827), Wesleyan Methodist Missionary Society Madras (1824). The Fifth(-10th, 12th-14th) Report.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ Wesleyan Methodist, Missionary Society. Extracts from quarterly letters (1817). Creative Media Partners, LLC. ISBN 978-1-02-226752-7.
- ^ a b The Wesleyan-Methodist Magazine. 1819.
- ^ a b The Tenth Report (1829), Wesleyan Methodist Missionary Society Madras (1824). The Fifth(-10th, 12th-14th) Report.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ The Twelfth Report (1830), Wesleyan Methodist Missionary Society Madras (1824). The Fifth(-10th, 12th-14th) Report.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ The Thirteenth (1831), Wesleyan Methodist Missionary Society Madras (1824). The Fifth(-10th, 12th-14th) Report.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ Minutes of Several Conversations at the ... Yearly Conference of the People Called Methodists ... 1862.
- ^ WMMS, South India Provincial Synod Report - 1936. "United Theological College (UTC - Bangalore)".
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ CSI Wesley Tamil Church, St. Thomas Mount. "Website - Church History".
- ^ "Google Maps - CSI Wesley Tamil Church, Vellavedu".