St. Philomena Cathedral - Believed to be the 2nd biggest Asian Church, the Catholic church of St. Philomena is a spectacular religious construction standing in Mysuru since the 1950s. With a deeper legend of as old as the 3rd Century associated with Philomena, the Church along with its physical aesthetics is a magnificent site to be visited in the country. It surely counts among the best places to visit in Mysuru. It was built by the prominent Mysuru rulers, the Wadiyars as a part of their lineage as the eminent KrishnarajaWadiyar the 3rd gave away the land for the Church while his successor re-built the expanded church to as huge as it stands today.

Major Attractions

Being a key attraction in almost all Mysuru packages, the Mysuru church is said to be built on the inspiration of the world-renowned site of Germany, the majestic Cologne Cathedral. With its new European Gothic style of building carried out by the gifted Rev. R. Feuge. The twin gorgeous spires remind tourists of the famous and equally magnificent Church of New York, St. Patrick's. The towers measure up to a whopping height of 175 feet making it a key location of Mysuru both among the locals and the tourists considering the ever-increasing Christian population of the city.

Legend

Her name simply means the "daughter of light" which comes from the legends doing rounds among the Christians of the world. The story of her devotion to Jesus has been the reason why her martyrdom is celebrated across the world. She refused the proposal of King Diocletian and as a result, she was mercilessly beheaded by him. Her belief in the almighty gave her, the gifted and extremely beautiful daughter of a small Greek monarch, the strength to refuse the proposal of a prominent ruler. Her merciless beheading in Rome made her story of faith in the lord and her respectful sainthood spread like fire. St. Philomena of Mysuru is one of the several churches of the world built in her respect.

More Attractions

Apart from the breathtaking building style and the unthinkable height of the church towers, the famous festival held on the auspicious date of 11^th of August every year is a great attraction of the Church. The ancient statue of the saint has been installed within the church which was brought over straight from the artistic lands of France which is a prime attraction here because of the unmatched beauty of Philomena. Apart from this, the floor of the church itself forms across which is a highlight of its architecture.

The beauty for the enormous Church with over a capacity of 800 devotees is enhanced by the tainted glass paintings covering the entire church from the inside with the life events of Jesus are beautifully painted on the window panes in all kind of hues which become a great attraction for not just the religious devotees but also for art lovers and even kids. Surprisingly, the ground beneath holds a catacomb of her as well.