The parish is located 10 km West of Madurai in Nagamalai (towards Melakuilkudi Road). Formerly, it was the substation of Bastin Nagar Parish and prior to that Gnanaolivupuram parish. The construction of the Church building began in 1985 (17.03.1985) and got completed on 18.07.1989. Archbishop Most. Rev. Justin Diraviam funded the building. Most Rev. Arockiasamy exalted the substation to the status of the parish in 1989.
The Church bell was installed by the efforts of Rev. Fr. Jesuraja and presbytery was raised during the tenure of Rev. Fr. Gnanaprakasam. The Bible Hall was added at the time of Rev. Fr. Divyanandam. Rev.Fr. James Paulraj provided the church with a new generator around 1996. The nearby lands were purchased in order to extend the church campus on the south and to provide housing plots for the parishioners. The number of Catholic families are 140. Since Most of the parishioners are government servants and teachers, the catholic population of this parish is floating due to transfers & retirements.
Though this parish does not have any substation, parishioner live scattered in the nearby pulluthu (boys town) and kilaneri villages. To mention the historical importance of kilaneri, it is supposed to be an ancient Christian center frequented by Jesuit Missionary Robert de Nobili. He describes this village as full of paddy fields and water sources and calls it “Alagia gramam”. The early Christians of this village were konars (Shepherd caste). Due to scanty spiritual Ministry during the 19th centuary the offsprings of the early Christians migrated to Northern parts of Madurai Dist. The Jesuit letters, describing the faith in this village, are available in the provincial archives of the Jesuits in Shembaganur. Rev. Fr. D. Gnanaprakasam 1989-96, Rev. Fr. Jesuraja 1996-98, Rev. Fr. John Selvaraj 1998-2002, Rev. Fr. James paulraj 2002-2004, Rev. Fr. Divyanandam 2004-2009 served as parish priests and developed the parish. Presently Rev. Fr Antony Packiam serves as parish priest 2009 July – till date.
SUBSTATIONS WITH CHAPELS:
In Kilaneri, a small chapel, Our Lady of Lourdes. In pulluthu
there is a chapel, Our Lady of Good Health.
Contact:
Mary Queen of Peace (Nagamalai Pudukottai),
Melakuilkudi Road,
Madurai – 19.
Tel: +91 452 2458720
For more information please visit:
http://www.archdioceseofmadurai.org/mary-queen-of-peace-nagamalai-pudukottai/
Keyword: Mary Queen of Peace church, Nagamalai Pudukottai church, Madurai, Catholic Churches, Roman Catholic Churches, RC Churches, Churches in Madurai, Churches in Tamilnadu, Churches in India
