JERUSALEM
CHURCH, THARANGAMBADI ( TRANQUEBAR )
Tranquebar, "The Queen of the Coromandel Coast" has rich
traditions and a glorious past. It is the symbol of the Portuguese - Danish -
French - English heritage. The first Protestant Christian Missionaries, Bartholomaeus
Ziegenbalg and Heinrich Pluetschau; sent by the Danish
King Frederick IV to preach the Gospels, landed on the shores of
Tranquebar on 9th July 1706 A.D. and laid the foundation of Protestant
Christian Churches in India. The Tamil Evangelical Lutheran
Church was thus born in 1919 A. D. They established schools,
Homes and convert many locals to Christianity. The New Jerusalem
Church was built in 1718 A.D. at Tranquebar followed by the construction
of the Bethlehem Church at Porayar.
Both Jerusalem Church and Bethlehem churches are Protestant
churches established by the Danish missionaries.
HOW TO REACH:
Tharangambadi is on the main Road between Mayiladuthurai to
Nagapattinam, Karaikal and Velankanni
ZION CHURCH,
THARANGAMBADI, (
TRANQUEBAR )
This
Protestant church is very near to the Danish Fort.This was consecrated in 1701 CE, which is
the oldest Protestant church in India. In 1718 CE,
HOW TO REACH:
Tharangambadi is on the main Road between Mayiladuthurai to
Nagapattinam, Karaikal and Velankanni
LOCATION:CLICK HERE
BETHLEHEM
CHURCH, PORAYARThis
the 258 years old church built in 1746 CE, one of the oldest Protestant
Church in the whole Asia. Bishop of Tharangambadi ( Tranquebar ) Rev
Father T Aruldoss rededicated in the year 2004.
The Tranquebar
Bishop Manickam Lutheran College is situated near the church campus and
this geographical proximity very much symbolises the close association of the
Church and the College reflecting the synthesis of divine and human values
HOW TO REACH:
Poraiyar
is on the way to Nagapattinam, Karaikal and Velankanni from Mayiladuthurai and
Kumbakonam.
HOLY
ROSARY CHURCH, THARANGAMBADI ( TRANQUEBAR )
From
the inscription tablet
Tranquebar
is an ancient Danish settlement and was once an important seaport and the
headquarters of the Collector. The fort was built in 1620 CE by Ove Gedde on behalf
of the Danish East India Company. In 1624 CE it became the property of the king of
Denmark to whom the Company owed money.The land for the fort and then the
settlement was obtained by captain Rodant Crape
through his influence with the then Nayak king of Thanjavur. It was a
favour done to the Danes by the king for their help in beautifying the big
temple of Thanjavur.
The
first protestant mission to be founded in India was in Tranquebar in 1706 by
one Zealous missionary called Ziegenbalg. He built the new Jerusalem church
1718.
Earlier
the Roman Catholic missionaries had been
there on the east coast. Among these they particularly noticed one RC
Beschi ( Rev Fr Beschi S J ). For efficiency in Tamil, he was in and around
Tranquebar and wrote a book in Tamil “வேத
விளக்கம்“
about the year 1730. Before the Danes
came there was a Catholic Church at the gate of the fort. The present church at
the gate of the fort was built in 1701. In 1726 when Herr Attrup was commandant
catholics received permission to build a chapel at Sathangudi in honour of St
Francis Xavier, a great Catholic missionary in the middle of the 17th
century Padroado ( Goanese ) missionaries from Goa founded the catholic Church
at Tranquebar.
The
present catholic church dedicated to our Lady of the Holy Rosary was constructed
in 1854 by the French missionaries. The centenary of the church was celebrated
in October 1954 by Fr Thomas Vaz, the parish priest. The first Catholic Bishop
of Thanjavur diocese Rt. Rev. DR.RA.Sundaram presided over the celebration. As
time has taken its toll on this old church Fr. M Arul the present Parish priest
undertook this major renovation work and completed it in 1990. He had also
constructed the beautiful belfry.
HOW TO REACH:
Tharangambadi is on the way to Nagapattinam, Karaikal and Velankanni from Mayiladuthurai and Kumbakonam.
The
details of the inscriptions are written above
---OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---
