Our Lady of Light Church, Chennai
| Church of Our Lady of Light | |
|---|---|
Luz church | |
| 13°02′17.4″N 80°15′44.8″E / 13.038167°N 80.262444°E | |
| Location | Chennai |
| Country | India |
| Denomination | Catholic Church (Latin Church) |
| History | |
| Status | Marian shrine |
| Founded | 1516 |
| Founder(s) | Portuguese missionaries. |
| Dedication | Our Lady of Light |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Style | Gothic Revival |
| Groundbreaking | 1515 |
| Completed | 15 August 1516 |
| Administration | |
| Archdiocese | Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Madras and Mylapore |
| Parish | Luz Church Parish |
| Clergy | |
| Archbishop | Rev. Archbishop George Antonysamy |
| Priest(s) | Rev. Fr. Peter Thumma |
Church of Our Lady of Light (Tamil: பிரகாச மாதா ஆலயம்) is a Catholic shrine in Chennai, India. The locals commonly call it Luz Church, which derives from the Portuguese name Nossa Senhora da Luz. Built in 1516 by the Portuguese, it is one of the oldest Churches in the city and its foundation stone marks as one of the oldest European monuments in India. The history of the church dates back to the 16th-century legend of safe arrival to land by missionaries. The church is located very near to the Santhome Basilica, where Apostle Thomas is believed to be buried.
Although at the time the church was built, the locality was a thick forest, now it is part of a bustling metropolitan area. This 16th-century European-architecture building consists of patterns of Gothic arches and Baroque ornamentation. The feast of Our Lady of Light is celebrated on 15 August every year. On 15 August 2010, Church of Our Lady of Light was declared Shrine of Our Lady of Light by A. M. Chinnappa, Archbishop of Madras-Mylapore.