Origin of St. Françis Xavier church. Bangalore

When Father Chevalier (MEP Priest from France), who later became the Bishop, first suggested the idea to construct a church on the top of St. Johns Hill in Bangalore, the elder priests were not that much convinced by this idea, they were saying why to construct a church in the middle of a desert, indeed at that time very few were living in that area, few retired British army officers bungalows were scattered here and there and all the rest was only a dry land. But later they accepted altogether the idea.

That is when a French catholic widow who was living in that place, where the church was suppose to be constructed, died and had donated this place to the mission.  The French missionaries got the permission from an English general to build this church, and the church of Saint Xavier church was built.

After the construction of the church, in the area where it was First a desert which has turned slowly into a oasis, then a small town, and the catholic population doubled, even as early as 1876 there was a need to make more space in the church. Which soon was done, extended, but was again still insufficient.

Thirty years passed, more and more Catholics started coming and settling in Johns Hill, even after the extension of the church, it was insufficient, a new church had to be constructed on top of Johns Hill, it should be huge, solid, built in Granit stone. Father Vissac made the plans, and father Servanton is looking after the construction since 20 years.

At one point of time, we could see the old and the new church next to next, like the mother and daughter.  The first one old but still beautiful, the second one new but still under construction, reaching the sky with its massive pillars ...the daughter will soon become the new basilica, and the mother will become a small chapel.

Source: translated from french. Vieilles-traditions-Bangalore-FX-MEP H. Bailleau. Mission de kumbakonam. 1926

The foundation stone for the new Church was laid in 1911. His dream was realized after 21 years, the new Church was opened on 26th May 1932.

During his 50 years, Fr. Servanton worked without taking a single holiday and never went back to see his homeland. He loved his flock and gave generously to the poor. He used to get up at 4 o’ clock, he was the first to open the church and the last to close, he used to sleep in just a sleeping chair. The tireless Father Servanton started also the St Anthony's and St Rock's primary schools in the cathedral compound.

Rev. Fr. Jean-Baptiste Servanton was also the spiritual adviser of Sir T.R.A. Thumboo Chetty the father of Sir T. Thumboo Chetty. Many people in the family were baptized by him, the daughter of T. Thumboo Chetty called Philomena Thumboo Chetty (Rukmavathy) was baptized by him in the year 1913.

Even at 80 years he used to go by bicycle to visit nearby villages, Fr. Servanton died at the age of 83, in 1948, after a heroic life and is buried in his own Church. The Corporation of the City of Bangalore honored him after his death, by naming the Circle in front of St. Germain High School as "Rev. Fr. Father Servanton Circle" in 1961.

Once the newly built oratory of St. Philomena was erected. The devotion to the Martyr Saint Philomena surpassed all previsions, at the point where in the year 1934, a new church is being constructed in the honor of the Saint Philomena, replacing the old small St. Joseph’s Church, and an unprecedented event, His Highness the Maharaja of Mysore accepted to lay the first Stone of the Church.

Some days earlier, the Queen Mother, the Regent Maharani, sent a beautiful Indian dress with golden embroidery for the Saint.

Sir T. Thumboo Chetty 

One of T. Thumboo Chetty’s daughter who later became a renowned violinist was named after the Saint Philomena, but T. Thumboo chetty did not know much about the Saint and did not have any particular devotion for this Saint at that time. When his daughter was baptized she was named after the Saint by Rev. Father Jean-Baptiste Servanton, Parish priest of St. Francis Xavier's church, Bangalore.

Until, a few years later, one of his brothers who had a profound devotion to Saint Philomena asked T. Thumboo Chetty if he could get a relic of the Saint from Rome. The remains of the Virgin Martyr were enclosed in a figure in the sitting posture preserved in a Sanctuary not far from Mugnano del Cardinale.

In the Year 1926, T. Thumboo Chetty wrote to His Grace the Rt. Rev. Mgr. Peter Pisani, DD. , who was for some years the Delegate Apostolic of India and was then residing in Rome, requesting him to send him the relic of the Saint Philomena.

He waited but did not receive any reply. After few months Mr. T. Thumboo Chetty went on a tour with His Highness the Maharaja to the North of India. After visiting several places in the Himalayas, and while returning back, when they had made a stop in Benares, T. Thumboo Chetty had the agreeable surprise to receive a packet by post from Rome. This packet was redirected from place to place. The parcel contained the relic of the Saint Philomena, together with a certificate of the Bishop Augustine Zampini of Rome, testifying the genuineness of the relic and authorizing the exposition of the same for public veneration.

Saint Philomena church

In his humble effort to spread the devotion of the Saint, T. Thumboo Chetty presented the relic to Rev. Father J. Cochet who was then in charge of St. Joseph’s Church, Mysore. He took charge of the Saint's relic and promised to help him in the effort to spread the devotion to St. Philomena.

A beautiful statue of Saint Philomena was received from Paris and stands resplendently in the sanctuary erected for the Saint. The Reliquacy in which the precious bone of the Saint is preserved was sent from Lourdes the world renowned place of pilgrimage. On the 10 of October 1927, the day of birth of T. Thumboo Chetty's little daughter, the Bishop of Mysore blessed the Statue and the Relic and for the first time exposed for public veneration.

Father Cochet received the relic of the Saint from Mr T. Thumboo Chetty, but it was Father Rene Feuga who decided and supervised the construction of the new church in honour of Saint Philomena which was completed by Father F. Audiau. The relic of Saint Philomena is preserved in a catacomb below the main altar.

I believe with deep conviction that religion is fundamental to the richest and strongest life of the nation. There are diverse religions in this land of ours, and frequently there exists a most irreligious hostility between them. But we have gradually been coming to understand that the unity is much deeper than the differences, that while in creed and custom we are far enough apart, in worship and in aspiration we are one. This being so, the creed and custom of each religion among us is surely worthy of reverent study by the followers of every other.

You have reminded me that your present church was built by my grandfather of revered memory ninety years ago, and it is interesting to recall the inscription that was put upon it then. It ran : -“In the name of that only God the Universal Lord, who creates, protects, and reigns over the Universe of Light, the mundane world and the assemblage of all created lives, this church is built 1843 years after the incarnation of Jesus Christ, the Enlightenment of the world, as man. 

Source : 

- Compte-rendu des travaux / Société des missions étrangères. Date : 1934. https://c.bnf.fr/C4L

- "The Indian Fiddler Queen." A short sketch of Philomena Thumboochetty.

- http://archives.mepasie.org/fiches-individuelles/servanton

- http://archives.mepasie.org/fiches-individuelles/feuga

- http://www.children-of-bangalore.com/sfxchrch.htm

- Source: translated from french. Vieilles-traditions-Bangalore-FX-MEP H. Bailleau. Mission de kumbakonam. 1926

- The Indian Fiddler Queen : A Short sketch of Philomena Thumboochetty, Author Kesari, K. N., Publisher Madras : At The Lodhra Press, 1937.

https://www.tamildigitallibrary.in/admin/assets/book/TVA_BOK_0035740/ACL-TNAL_01877_The_Indian_Fiddler_Queen.pdf

-Life Of St. Philomena T. Thumboo Chetty 1931by T. Thumboo Chetty,Topics Life Of Saint Philomena, T. Thumboo Chetty, 1931.

https://archive.org/details/booklifeofst.philomenat.thumboochetty1931