St Philomenas Church Mysore
Built to honor St. Philomena, the St. Philomena's church is prominent one in the Diocese of Mysore in Southern India. Neo Gothic style was used while the Church was constructed in 1936. Its architecture is an inspiration from Germany’s Cologne Cathedral.
Current Church is built on that ground where Maharaja Krishnaraja Wodeyar III had built the older church. Grandson of earlier king, Maharaja Krishnaraja Wodeyar IV rebuilt the church whose new building was completed in 1933. It still preserves the 200 year old heritage of Church to remind its glorious past.
History
Maharaja Mummadi Krishnaraja Wodeyar had built old Church in 1843 at a location at which new church stands today. It was built in 1933 and whose inscription put while the foundation laid states that, “In the name of that only God - the universal Lord who creates, protects, and reigns over the universe of Light, the mundane world and the assemblage of all created lives - this church is built 1843 years after the incarnation of Jesus Christ, the Enlightenment of the World, as man". Secretary to the Maharaja of Mysore, Nalvadi Krishnaraja Wodeyar, Thamboo Chetty acquired a relic of saint from Peter Pisani, Apostolic Delegate of the East Indies in 1926. The then Father Cochet was handed over this relic who attempted to consult the king for support for the purpose to build a new Church to honor St. Philomena there. October 28, 1933 remains historic day when the Maharaja of Mysore laid foundation stone of new Church. The Maharaja was quoted saying on that occasion through a speech that, “The proposed new church would be built on a double foundation for the strong and secure built to fulfill divine compassion and for gratitude of eager humanity.” Bishop Rene Feuga supervised construction of this new Church whose completion was historic indeed. Catacomb below the main altar still preserves the relic of Saint Philomena. It portrays complete blend of local tradition and cultural amalgamation. Local traditional dress, Saree is covered on female statues there.
Architecture
The length and height of St. Philomena’s Church at 175 feet make it unique and peculiar in whole region. Uniqueness is also in the Church plan that is a replica of the Cross and can be observed well though. Church’s congestion hall or ‘nave’ is the longer portion of cross while arms of cruciform are transepts. The altar is inside the upper portion while church intersection accommodates the choir.
The statue of Saint Philomena has been designed from beautifully carved marble altar that had been brought from France to install there. Many stained glass images are seen which showcase several biblical events including Jesus Christ birth and the Last Supper and of course Crucifixion and Resurrection scenes.
The steps to the underground catacomb are located at the end of congregation hall near the choir itself. A narrow underground corridor is there that makes its easy accessibility while entering the church from outside.
The 12 feet crosses are spire spot making it unique. Both spires project the swelling landscape from the skyline there. Such spires are easily viewed from several miles indeed. The view turns more vibrant in the nighttime due to presence of neon lining in and around the crosses in church.
Patron Saint
A martyr of the Roman Catholic Church, Saint Philomena was a famous saint. Being martyred in 4th century she as a adolescent Greek princess had big contribution for Christianity. It was on May 24, 1802 that remains of that teenage girl—the saint—hardly 14 year old had been found in Rome in the Catacombs of Saint Priscilla at the Via Salaria. Items of such remains found were tile sets that bore fragmented inscription mentioning alphabets LUMENA PAXTE CUMFI that still don’t indicate any meaning if read in existing order. Same words have been rearranged for Latin lPAX TECUM FILUMENA that means Peace with you, Filumena. This tomb also witnessed the presence of items including a few martyrdom symbols of hers like a vessel that had dry blood. Such discoveries brought into focus martyr's death of this Christian woman named Filumena (Philomena) whose burial inside tomb indicated through the presence of vessel that contained dry blood.
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