Abhiramapuram

Our Lady of Visitation Church.

89, St. Mary's Road, Abhiramapuram
Chennai - 600 004.
Phone : 044 24934264


A Brief History
This Church was known as Descanco Church, as it is situated in the place known as Descanco, a Portuguese word meaning rest. In Tamil it was known as Yellapattri Madha Kovil denoting that our Lady rested at Elizabeth's house.
During the 17th Century, the Portuguese and the local pilgrims used to rest at this place on their way to St. Thomas Mount and Little Mount while traveling from San Thome It is also said that St. Thomas used to rest here in course of his journey between the Mounts and Santhome.
Due to the invasions of Tipu Sultan and Hyder Ali, this church which was built during the period 1650-1683 was destroyed and ruined. On 29th May 1783, the Bishop of Mylapore who was also the Episcopal Governor, considered the petition of the Catholics there and exhorted everyone to rebuild that Holy Place. It was a sub-station of Mae-de-Deus for sometime and later of Luz Parish.
It was established as a separate Parish in 1976. The First Parish Priest was Fr. J.N. Rodriguez.