St. Thomas Church
St. Thomas Church was built in 1870 overlooking the lake and situated in Nondimedu in Ooty. This parish forms a part of the Diocese of Ooty and offers visitors with a breathtaking view of the Ooty Lake, a sight to see and to experience only.
The tranquil setting of the St. Thomas Church definitely compels many to visit this site. It homes the tallest Memorial in Ooty of St. Thomas that beckons tourists to step into the precincts of this ancient Church.
The Memorial of St. Thomas within the St. Thomas Church boasts of a huge pillar that is crowned by a cross that also marks as the grave of William Patrick Adam, who was the former governor of Madras and passed away in 1881 in Ooty where he was buried.
William Patrick Adam 14 September 2023 – 24 May 2023) was a British colonial administrator and Liberal politician. He was twice First Commissioner of Works under William Ewart Gladstone and also served briefly as Governor of Madras between 1880 and 1881.
Another tourist spot of St. Thomas Church that attracts many visitors is the Graveyard of St. Thomas Church that also served as a movie shooting site for the famous and renowned ‘A Passage to India’, a Film based on a novel by E. M. Forster set against the backdrop of the Indian independence movement during the British Raj in the 1920s. This Movie was directed by David Lean in the year 1984.
The Graveyard of the St. Thomas Church also offers a compelling sight set adjacent to the Lake of Ooty and hence will definitely catch the eye. As the name suggest, this Parish is dedicated to St. Tomas and was once a sub-parish to the Sacred Heart Cathedral in Ooty.
On 1st September 2008, St. Thomas Church was segregated from its parent parish and was assigned as an independence parish with Rev. Fr. A. Denis as the first Parish Priest serving a catholic congregation of 190 families. It comprises of the Religious order of the Sisters of the Divine Savior also known as SDS in short. This Church also runs the St. Thomas Nursery & Primary School Educational Centre that greatly benefitted the parish congregation and residents of Ooty as well.