St. Philomena Church: A Gothic Cathedral in Mysore
My visit to St Philomena’s Church, the district’s cathedral under the pastoral care of the bishop of Mysore, brought back memories of my trip to Germany. Soon after, I discovered that this Neo-Gothic church was inspired by the Cologne Cathedral. Built-in 1936, St. Joseph and St. Philomena church are one of Asia’s tallest churches. Although its origins can be traced back to the 4th century when a young Greek princess named Philomena was martyred as a Latin Catholic saint. In the early 1800s, her remains were discovered in the Saint Priscilla underground Roman cemetery.
An assortment of tiles bearing the inscription “LUMENA PAXTE CUM FI” was discovered alongside these relics. In that order, no words were known to have meaning. As a result, the letters were rearranged to read “PAX TECUM FILUMENA,” which is Latin for “peace with you Filumena.” An urn containing dry blood and symbols of her devotion was also discovered in the tomb. Filumena (Philomena) was buried in the tomb, and the vessel carrying blood was her relic, genuine proof of a martyr’s death, based on these findings.
In 1926, the Maharaja of Mysore’s Huzur Secretary obtained the Saint’s relic from Peter Pisani, the Apostolic Delegate for the East Indies. It was given to Father Cochet, who suggested that a church be built in honour of Saint Philomena. The Maharaja of Mysore laid the double foundation (divine compassion and human gratitude) for the new church in 1933. The relic of Saint Philomena was then kept in a catacomb beneath the main altar. This cathedral is now the second-largest church in Asia. On the inside, some of the female statues dressed in sarees are fascinating to observe.
Aside from that, this church, like the Cologne Cathedral, is constructed in the Neo-Gothic style. The floor plan of the cathedral resembles a cross, with the altar and choir meeting at a crossroads. The nave is a large gathering hall in which the transepts are the two arms of the cross. The 175-foot-tall twin spires are modelled after the spires of St. Patrick’s Church in New York and Cologne Cathedral in Germany. The main hall is encircled by stained glass windows depicting scenes from Christ’s birth to the Last Supper to the crucifixion, rebirth, and ascension. When visiting Mysore, this Cathedral is a must-see.
