01.  RAMANATHAPURAM (1840)

Patron                                                  :           Our Lady of Rosary

Parish Priest                                         :           Fr.

Asst.                                                    :           Fr.

Address                                               :           Holy Rosary Church, 

                                                                        Ramanathapuram   - 623 501

                                                                        Ramnad (Dt)

Cellphone                                            :          

Catholics                                              :           8,000

Non-Catholics                                      :           2,00,000

Vocation          : Priests                                    :           13

                        : Sisters                                    :           21

Institutions                                           :           1. Brothers of Sacred Heart, Ramnad

                                                                        2. Sisters of Immaculate Conception, Ramnad

                                                                        3. St. Joseph's Middle School, Ramnad

                                                                        4. Raja M. Dinakar Middle School, Ramnad

                                                                        5. Louis Leveil Matriculation School, Ramnad

                                                                        6. St. Joseph's Middle School, Mattiarendal                                                                              

History

            St. John de Britto underwent imprisonment and endured hunger and degrading torment within the confines of Ramanathapuram palace barracks before meeting a martyr's fate in Oriyur. During that period, these regions were off-limits to missionaries. It was only around 1804, with the assistance of Colonel Martins, that the church of the Holy Rosary was established in this area. Prior to 1830, the spiritual needs of the Christians were overseen by Goanese priests, later succeeded by missionaries from Pondicherry. From 1838 onward, the Jesuits of the New Madurai Mission took charge of the faithful here.

In 1865, a modest brick chapel was constructed, and by 1880, the Raja of Ramanathapuram and his brother participated in a procession honoring Blessed John de Britto, much to the delight of the Catholic community gathered from near and far. The current church, a splendid example of Gothic architecture, was inaugurated on 11th August 1895. Additionally, in 1944, Fr. L. Leveil established a school and a convent.

The status of this parish was elevated to a vicariate center in 1968, with Fr. G. Zacharias serving as its first Vicar Forane. Keelakarai, a significant substation of this parish, is currently overseen by a resident priest who tends to the spiritual needs of the local populace.