According to tradition, St. Thomas the Apostle arrived in India in AD 52 and was martyred near Chennai in AD 72. His remains were interred here. A church was first built over his tomb in the 16th century by the Portuguese. In 1893, the British rebuilt it as a neo-Gothic cathedral, which stands today. It was raised to the status of a Minor Basilica in 1956 by Pope Pius XII. The cathedral stands as a testament to the enduring faith and history of Christianity in India, attracting pilgrims and history enthusiasts alike. Excavations have revealed remnants of the earlier Portuguese church beneath the current structure.