Top 5 Christian Pilgrimage Destinations In India You Should Visit

Christianity has quite a good presence in India. Ever since its early years, Christianity has had its roots in India. If we are to rely on a tradition, India came in contact with Christianity very early. In fact tradition credits the Disciple Thomas himself with evangelizing India. 

Christian tradition has it that India’s first brush with Christianity took place during the reign of  Gondophares (founder of the Indo-Parthian Kingdom) by the efforts of the Christian apostle St. Thomas who is said to have visited his empire.

According to Roman Catholics, tomb of St. Thomas was buried in the cathedral at Mailapur or Mylapore in the southern part of Chennai.

If we have to put aside the legend, the first definite historical evidence to the Christian activity can be found in the Topografia Christiana (Christian Topography) of Cosmas Indicopleustes, an adventurous Alexendrian monk of the 6th century AD. Cosmas Indicopleustes, literally meaning who sailed to India, left a voluminous account of his travels. Indicopleustes saw churches in Kerala.  

Below are the five must-visit Christian pilgrimage destinations in India that one should visit in 2026.

Basilica of Bom Jesus (The Church of Francis Xavier), Goa

Basilica of Bom Jesus Goa / Image Credit

Situated in Old Goa, Basilica of Bom Jesus was built between 1594 and 1605. The basilica is home to the tomb and mortal remains of St Francis Xavier, the venerated saint of Goa. The renowned sixteenth-century Spanish missionary Francis Xavier is considered to be one of the original seven founders of the Jesuit order. He is credited with executing most of the conversions that took place in 16th century AD.  The mortal remains of the patron saint lies in a glass-topped silver casket. 

The exposition of St. Francis Xavier’s sacred relics is held every 10 years. The latest exposition of the body of St. Francis Xavier took place from November 21, 2024, to January 5, 2025. 

Basilica of Bom Jesus is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. 

The Shrine Basilica, Vailankanni

The Shrine Basilica, Vailankanni / Image Credit

Fourteen kilometers from Nagapattinam on the shores of Bay of Bengal, Velankanni in Tamil Nadu is a top pilgrimage destination for Christians worldwide for its renowned Basilica of Our Lady of Health. The Gothic style of architecture is a unique feature of the Church. The church itself is an imposing building with inspiring architecture. The Museum situated opposite to the Basilica has a very rich variety of exhibits that tell of the numerous miracles that have taken place, after praying in this church. The precious offerings made by the devotees are on display here. Biblical incidents are depicted on both sidewalls.

Se Cathedral

Se Cathedral / Image Credit

The largest church in Goa, the Se Cathedral is one of the earliest churches of Goa. Dedicated to St. Catherine the Se Cathedral was built to commemorate the conquest of the Portuguese under Afonso de Albuquerque over the ruler of Adil Shahi dynasty of Bijapur, resulting in the annexation of Goa in February 1510. 

Built in the Portuguese-Gothic style in Old Goa, Se Cathedral has a Corinthian interior and Tuscan exterior.The main highlight of the cathedral is the Cross of Miracles that attracts a large number of visitors. The bell of Se Cathedral is one of the oldest in the sate and is known as the Golden Bell. 

Bandel Basilica

Bandel Basilica / Image Credit

The famous church of Bandel in Hooghly was built by the Portuguese. Mughal emperor Shah Jahan was harbouring a grudge against the Portuguese as the latter did not side with him when he rebelled against his father Jahangir in 1622. 

Added to this, the casus belli for the sack of Hooghly by Shah Jahan in 1932 was the abduction of two slave girls of his consort Mumtaz Mahal by the Portuguese in 1624 during the reign of Jahangir. The Portuguese, on the other hand, became involved with the slave trade. This was rankling in Shah Jahan's mind. Hence he ordered Bengal governor Qasim Khan to crush the Portuguese. In 1632 Qasim Khan captured Hooghly after three months. The Bandel church was burnt down during the sacking of Hooghly.   

The church was later built by the Portuguese. 

St Paul’s Cathedral, Kolkata

St Paul’s Cathedral Kolkata / Image Credit

A fine specimen of Indo-Gothic architecture modelled after the Canterbury Cathedral, St Paul’s Cathedral in Kolkata is billed as one of the most important churches of India. Located east of the Victoria Memorial, the church houses the best stained glass window in the country. Built in 1847, St Paul’s Cathedral underwent redesigning and reconstruction after the damage to the structure in 1897 earthquake.