Catholic Heritage India: A Pilgrimage Guide for Filipino Travel Agents
Most Filipino travellers know India for the Taj Mahal. Far fewer know that India has one of the oldest Christian communities in the world — and some of the most important Catholic shrines in Asia.
For parish groups, Catholic schools, family reunions and devotional travellers from the Philippines, a pilgrimage to India is something genuinely new: deeply meaningful, very different from Europe or the Holy Land, and easy to combine with India's famous sights.
Why India for a Catholic pilgrimage
Christianity reached India early. Tradition holds that St Thomas the Apostle arrived on the coast of Kerala in AD 52 and was martyred near present-day Chennai. Centuries later, St Francis Xavier — the great Jesuit missionary to Asia — worked in Goa, where his body rests today.
India is also where St Teresa of Calcutta (Mother Teresa) served the poorest of the poor. Her Missionaries of Charity are still based in Kolkata.
Today India has around 20 million Catholics, beautiful Portuguese-era churches and shrines that draw millions of pilgrims every year.
Goa: the Basilica of Bom Jesus and Old Goa
Old Goa was once called "the Rome of the East". Its Churches and Convents of Goa are a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
- Basilica of Bom Jesus — holds the body of St Francis Xavier in a silver casket. The basilica is a place of prayer every day of the year, and the saint's feast on 3 December brings pilgrims from across India.
- Se Cathedral — one of the largest churches in Asia, dedicated to St Catherine of Alexandria and famous for its "Golden Bell".
- Church of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception, Panaji — the white church on the hill, one of Goa's best-known landmarks.
Goa also gives groups time to relax: beaches, seafood, Portuguese-style villages and good hotels at every level.
Velankanni: the "Lourdes of the East"
On the Bay of Bengal in Tamil Nadu stands the Basilica of Our Lady of Good Health, Velankanni — one of the most visited Marian shrines in Asia. It grew from accounts of apparitions of Our Lady and the rescue of Portuguese sailors from a storm, and it has been a minor basilica since 1962.
Pilgrims of all faiths come here to pray, light candles and give thanks for healing. The great annual feast runs from 29 August to 8 September (the Nativity of Mary) — a powerful experience, but very crowded. For a calmer visit, we suggest November to February.
Chennai: the tomb of St Thomas the Apostle
The San Thome Cathedral Basilica in Chennai is built over the tomb of St Thomas the Apostle — one of only a few churches in the world built over the tomb of one of the Twelve Apostles.
Nearby, St Thomas Mount and Little Mount are linked by tradition to the saint's last days and martyrdom. Chennai is also the natural gateway for Velankanni.
More shrines to add
- Kolkata — the Mother House of the Missionaries of Charity and the tomb of St Teresa of Calcutta.
- Kerala — the St Thomas Christian tradition, Santa Cruz Cathedral Basilica and St Francis Church in Fort Kochi, plus the backwaters for a peaceful final stay.
- Mumbai — Mount Mary Basilica in Bandra, especially during its September feast.
A sample 9-night Catholic heritage itinerary
- Days 1–3: Goa — Old Goa's Basilica of Bom Jesus and Se Cathedral, Panaji's Immaculate Conception church, and time to rest.
- Days 4–5: Chennai — San Thome Cathedral Basilica, St Thomas Mount and Little Mount.
- Days 6–8: Velankanni — the Basilica of Our Lady of Good Health, the shrine's holy places and evening prayers.
- Days 9–10: Chennai — a final day for shopping, then departure.
Groups can also start in Delhi and add the Golden Triangle — Delhi, Agra and the Taj Mahal, Jaipur — before flying south. See our India page and our fixed departures from Manila.
Practical notes for agents
- Visa: Philippine passport holders need an Indian e-Tourist Visa, applied for online before travel. There is currently no fee for the 30-day e-Tourist Visa for Philippine passport holders (fees are set by the Government of India and may change). Our team helps your clients with the application free of charge.
- Mass: English Masses are held at the major shrines. On request we can try to arrange a group Mass with the parish, subject to their timings, and a priest travelling with your group is always welcome.
- Dress: modest clothing in churches — shoulders and knees covered.
- Best time: November to February for comfortable weather. Plan around the big feasts (3 December in Goa, late August to early September in Velankanni) either to join them or to avoid the crowds.
- Food: rice-based meals, seafood and familiar dishes are easy to find in Goa, Chennai and Kerala; we brief hotels on your group's preferences.
Plan a pilgrimage with Incredible Luxury Holidays
Incredible Luxury Holidays is an India-based tour operator approved by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, a member of IATO and ITATOA, and an allied member of NAITAS (Philippines). We handle hotels, transport, guides, shrine visits and 24-hour support while your group is in India.
Travel agents in the Philippines — send us your group's dates and size, and we will reply with a tailor-made Catholic heritage programme within 24 hours.
