Little Mount Shrine

Little Mount Shrine is a historic Catholic shrine located on a small hillock in Saidapet, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, near the Adyar River. Dedicated to St. Thomas the Apostle, it marks the cave where he is believed to have lived, prayed and hidden before his martyrdom in 72 AD. Built by the Portuguese in 1551 and later expanded, the complex includes a cave chapel, an old Portuguese church and a newer circular church, attracting pilgrims and visitors for its religious and historical importance.

Visitors can expect a small hillock complex with a cave chapel accessed by steps, an old Portuguese-era church and a modern circular church above. Inside the cave are the narrow rock-cut shelter, footprints attributed to St. Thomas, and a perennial spring. The site offers quiet prayer halls, religious statues and views over Saidapet and the Adyar River. The surroundings are urban with road access, and visitors can explore the chapel interiors, cave and courtyard areas.

Traditionally associated with St. Thomas the Apostle, who is believed to have lived and prayed in the cave at Little Mount between 58-72 AD before his martyrdom at St. Thomas Mount. The Portuguese built a chapel over the cave in 1551 after discovering it, making it one of the earliest Christian sites in Chennai. The site preserves the cave, footprint and spring linked to the apostle's stay.

An important Catholic pilgrimage centre in Chennai under the Archdiocese of Madras-Mylapore, dedicated to St. Thomas the Apostle, patron of India. The shrine is venerated by Christians and visited by people of other faiths, with annual feast celebrations in December around the apostle's martyrdom anniversary and regular novenas and prayers.