History - St. Sebastian Shrine - Papanasam

The Shrine Church of St.Sebastian is situated at the distance of 15 kms to the South-West of Kumbakonam in the town of Papanasam itself. It had a humble origin more than 100 years back. Rev. Fr.Abraham MEP, the Parish Priest of Thiruvaiyaru to which belonged Papanasam, put up a small mud-wall Church probably in 1870 at the very place where stands now the magnificient Shrine Church. According to the oral tradition that prevails among a section of the people of Papanasam, the kovil pillai(similar to a Cathechist) of the Church was propagating the devotion of St.Sebastian in his own way.

Rev.Fr.Gabriel Playoust who succeeded Fr.Abraham at Thiruvaiyaru, planned for a big Church, a solid one and he realised it in 1893. It was blessed on Jan.20 1894. The very first festival of St.Sebatian was celebrated on Tuesday of the Easter-Week with a car-procession. In the following year the car-procession was taken out in a longer route, going throught brahmin street. The brahmins objected to it; and didn't allow the procession to proceed further. Mr.Thambusamy Mudhaliar, the Mayor of Kumbakonam town intervened and the procession went on peacefully.

Growth

The Parish of Papanasam was erected in Jan.19, 1933. Fr.J.C.Kappen was appointed the first Parish Priest. He worked out a plan for the extension of the Church. The extension-work was done in three stages. It took more than ten years to complete the work. And on April 10, 1950 the new Church was blessed by Rt.Rev.Peter Francis, Bishop of Kumbakonam. In subsequent years as the Church had become small for the growing congregation, new extensions were made at the front by incoming Parish Priests. The Church has undergone a bigger renovation in 1993.

Formation Of Parish

From then onwards the Shrine Church of St.Sebatian was known to many in different localities and towns of Tamil Nadu. People of all creeds and caste vow to the Saint in times of pestilence, chicken-pox, evil-possessions, witchcraft, etc. and obtain his favours. Arch-bishop Gandhi of Pondicherry had visited the Shrine in Dec. 1895 and had administered first communions and confirmations.

A great concours of pilgrims visit the Shrine during the festival days. The Shrine is now known not only in Tamil Nadu, but even in other states like Karnataka, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Maharastra etc

The Parish runs a middle School both for boys and girls and a Tailoring Institute for the girls. And the Servite Sisters from Tiruchi are managing an English Medium School

Mass & DevotionalTimings

The annual Feast day for Papanasam : First Tuesday after Easter.

Contact us

Rev. Fr. S. Selvaraj
Parish Priest
St. Sebastian's Shrine
Papanasam S.O.
Thanjavur Dt - 614 205
South India
Phone: 04374 222522