St. Thomas` Cathedral is an exquisite structure, boasting of being the first Anglican Church in Mumbai. Indeed, the cathedral corroborates the moral roots of the then budding British settlement in the financial capital of India. Constructed in 1718, St. Thomas` Cathedral is situated near Flora Fountain at D.N. Road, in the Fort area of Mumbai. The cathedral was selected for the UNESCO Asia-Pacific heritage conservation award in the year 2004. The cathedral was in fact constructed to uplift the moral support of British settlements in erstwhile British India.
One of the most remarkable British cathedrals in India, St. Thomas` derives its name from the legendary St. Thomas, a disciple of Christ, who came to launch the faith of Christianity in the south-western part of India, all along the Malabar Coast. The Cathedral of St. Thomas had served as a calm and serene abode for dozens of Britishers, who were laid to rest beneath marble tablets embossed with heart-rending elegies. The cathedral compound has a cemetery, housing the tombstones of generals, clerks and young maids, reminiscent of colonial times.
St. Thomas` Cathedral, Mumbai is known to be a crowd puller, attracting throngs of devotees from all parts of the country. During the time of Christmas and similar festivals, the cathedral is bedecked with buntings and exquisite embellishments. Devotees as well as tourists visit St. Thomas` Cathedral to spend tranquil moments of peace and solitude. The spectacular architectural work of the church is worth a visit and admiring to look at. British architecture in India is truly escaladed to massive heights, when the said cathedral is being spoken about.
