St. Antony's Church
Azhagappapuram

Parish Name : St. Antony’s Church
Address : Azhagappapuram, - 629 401, Kanyakumari Dt.
Patron Saint : St.Antony
Telephone No : 04652 267143

A Brief History:
From the Mission diary of Madurai Mission we come to know that the people of Azhagappapuram could have embraced Christianity between 1700 and 1740. Around 1910 Azhagappapuram was on e of the substations of Kootapuly. Prior to that priests . from Vadakkankulam had taken care of the spiritual needs of the people. Around '1850-1860 a Church was built at Azhagappapuram. The Jesuit priest Rev. Fr. Causanal arranged for the reservation of Blessed Sacrament at Azhagappapuram. On 1st of July 1921 Azhagappapuram was made a separate parish. The present Church of Azhagappapuram was built and completed due to the strenuous efforts of Rev. Frs. Stanislaus Pandian, M.S. Antony, John Xavier and Maria Gnanam. One of the former Vicars General of the diocese Msgr. Mariadas hails from this parish. 34 priests and more than 100 nuns have hailed from Azhagappapuram. The Anual feast of the parish is celebrated on 13th of June every year.

Succession of parish priests:
1. Rev.Fr. Stanislaus Raja - 1921 – 1926
2. Rev. Fr. Michael 1925 - 1926
3. Rev.Fr. Dharmanather - 1926 – 1931
4. Rev.Fr. Dhairiya Nather - 1931 – 1934
5. Rev.Fr. Mariadas - 1934 – 1936
6. Rev.Fr. Rosario Corera - 1936 – 1938
7. Rev.Fr. T.K. Dasan - 1938 – 1939
8. Rev.Fr. J.V. Poobalarayer - 1939 – 1940
9. Rev.Fr. Joseph Fdo - 1940 – 1943
10. Rev.Fr. A. Michael - 1943 – 1945
11. Rev.Fr. Periyanayagam - 1945 – 1947
12. Rev.Fr. Aloysius M. Navamani - 1947 – 1954
13. Rev.Fr. Maria Manickam - 1954 – 1958
14. Rev.Fr. Jeremias G. Arasarathinam - 1958 – 1961
15. Rev.Fr. D. Gnanapragasam - 1961 – 1962
16. Rev.Fr. Stanilaus Pandian - 1962 – 1972
17 Rev.Fr. M.S. Antony - 1972 – 1974
18. Rev.Fr. John Xavier - 1974 – 1976
19. Rev.Fr.A. Maria Gnanam - 1976 – 1979
20. Rev.Fr. Paul Robinston - 1979 - 1982
21. Rev.Fr. Julian - 1982 – 1986
22. Rev.Fr. Jebanathan - 1986 – 1991
23. Rev.Fr. Antony Robert - 1991 – 1996
24. Rev.Fr. Selva George - 1996 - 2001
25. Rev. Fr. Gerald Cruz - 2001 - 2003
26. Rev. Fr. Thaddeus Rajan - 2003 - 2008
27. Rev. Fr. Peter Paul - 2008 – 2013
28. Rev.Fr. Michael Jegadish - 2013 - 2018
29. Rev.Fr. Nelson Paulraj 2018 - 2020
30. Rev.Fr. Selva Rayer K. 2020 -

Chapels:
1. Blessed Sacrament Adoration Chapel, Azhagappapuram
2. St. Xavier's Chapel, Saveriyar Nagar

Grottos in the parish:
1. St. Theresa of Child Jesus - Azhagappapuram
2. Our Lady of Velankanni - Azhagappapuram
3. Our Lady of Lourdes - Azhagappapuram
4. St. Sebastian's - Azhagappapuram
5. St. Michael's - Azhagappapuram
6. Our Lady of Fatima - Azhagappapuram
7. St. Thomas - Azhagappapuram
8. lnfant Jesus - Azhagappapuram
9. St. Theresa of Child Jesus, Kamaraj Street - Azhagappapuram
10. Paloor Matha - Azhagappapuram
11. Our Lady of Fatima, Main Road - East, Azhagappapuram

Catholic Population : 10,050

No. of Catholic Families : 2350

Sunday Mass – Timings : 5.00a.m.; & 7 a.m. & 4:45 p.m.
Weekdays : 5.00 a.m, 6.00 a.m

Sub – Stations
1. Indranagar – St. Michael
2. Pottalkulam – Our Lady of Vailankanni
4. Valan Nagar – St. Joseph

Participatory Structures
1. Anbiyams - 46
2. 15 Pastoral Commissions
3. Parish Pastoral Council

Christian Life Societies (Pious Associations)
1. Holy Childhood for Primary School Children
2. Eucharistic Crusaders for Middle School girls
3. Amalorpava Matha Sodality for Young Girls
4. Holy Family Sodality for Married Women
5. Little Flower Sodality for Girls
6. Little Brothers of Siriapushpam for Young Men
7. Don Bosco Sodality for Middle School Students
S. Dominic Savio Sodality for High School Students
9. Vincent De Paul Societey
10. Legion of Mary (12 Presidiams)
11. St. Joseph's Sodality for Married Men
12. St. Maria Goretty Sodality for Girls
13. Viagula Matha Sodalilty for widows

Other Associations & Activities:
l. Ozanam Medical Centre(Vincent De Paul Society)
2. Peace Committee
3. Mahalir Mantram - Women
4. Krithavar Vazhvurimai Eyakkam

Institutions under the Parish
1. St. Antony’s Hr. Sec. School, Azhagappapuram – 629 401 Tel. 04652 – 267069
2. St.Joseph’s Girl’s High School, Azhagappapuram – 629 401. Tel. 04652 -267173 (SSHJ)
3. St. Antony’s Primary School, Azhagappapuram – 629 401
4. Sirumalar Boy’s Orphanage, Azhagappapuram – 629 401

Religious
1. Congregation of the Sisters of St. Anne, Trichy (SAT)
    St. Anne’s Convent, Azhagappapuram – 629 401 Tel. 04652 – 267519
2. Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus (Vellore) (SSHJ)
    Sacred Heart Convent, Azhagappapuram – 629 401 Tel. 04652 – 267173

Institutions under the Religious
1. Sacred Heart Matriculation Hr. Sec. School, Azhagappapuram – 629 401 (SSHJ)
2. Fatima Girls’ Orphanage, Azhagappapuram – 629 401 (SSHJ)

Magazine
A monthly by name ‘Azhagai Chaaral’ is published from the parish.

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Corrections added to the existing content by Rev. Fr. Selva Rayer K
PDF file sent through Whats App. Previous file Name : parish-azhagappapuram0.htm
Updated on April 20th, 2023