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{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=May 2018}}
{{Infobox church
|name = Our Lady of Angels Church
|fullname =
|image = Karaikal Church.jpg
|caption = Front view of the church
|pushpin map = India Tamil Nadu
|pushpin label position =
|pushpin map alt =
|pushpin mapsize =
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|coordinates = {{coord|10|55|01|N|79|50|03|E|display=inline,title}}
|location = [[Karaikal]]
|country = [[India]]
|denomination = [[Catholic]]
|website =
|bull date =
|founded date = {{start date|df=yes|1828}}
|founder =
|dedication =
|dedicated date =
|consecrated date =
|cult =
|relics =
|events =
|status = [[Parish church]]
|functional status = Active
|architect =
|architectural type = [[Chapel]]
|style = [[Neo-Gothic architecture]]
|groundbreaking =
|completed date =
|demolished date =
|capacity =
|parish =
|archdiocese = Independent diocese
|archbishop =
|priestincharge =
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|logo =
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}}
'''Our Lady of Angels Church''' (also called '''Karaikal Church''') is the oldest church in [[Karaikal]] in the [[Union territory of Puducherry|Union territory of Pondicherry]], in [[South India|Southern India]]. The current structure was built in [[Neo-Gothic architecture]] by the [[French Colonial Empire]] in 1822. The original structure is believed to have been built during 1739 and was destroyed by the [[British Raj|British]]. The church has the tallest structure for any building in Karaikal, raising to a height of {{convert|133|ft|m|abbr=on}}, built during 1891.

Our Lady of Angels Church is a working church with hourly prayer and daily services and follows [[Roman Catholic]] sect of [[Christianity]]. The Thetheravu Matha festival is a ten-day festival celebrated in the Church every year on 15 August when the festive image of Mary is taken in a chariot around the streets of the Church. The Church is one of the most prominent landmarks in Karaikal and faces the [[Bay of Bengal]].

==Architecture==
[[File:Karikal rue de l'Église.jpg|200px|thumb|left|Historical view of Karaikal with the tower of the Church seen in the centre]]
The Church is located in Church street in Karaikal, which is believed to be named after the Church.
The church is built in Neo-Gothic architecture with the main chapel, a {{convert|133|ft|m|abbr=on}} tower approached through a structure with doom shaped roof and a worship hall. The top of the tower is a cone with an octagonal base and the cone houses three clocks.<ref name=oct/> There are five huge bells, the sound of which can be heard as far as {{convert|5|km|mi|abbr=on}} from its location. The Church has stained glass windows and marble altars, believed to have been added during 1739. The shrine faces the East facing the sea towards [[Bay of Bengal]]. The altar is originally believed to have a statue of Our Lady of Angels, but houses a Holy Cross in modern times.<ref name=govt/> The church also houses an orphanage where 40 boys are taken care.<ref>{{cite report|title=Statistics of Pondicherry|url=https://statistics.py.gov.in/sites/default/files/cs-tables-v-social-welfare.pdf|page=55|publisher=Government of Pondicherry|date=28 May 2017|access-date=25 October 2020}}</ref> The temple is one of the major landmarks in the town and one of the major tourist destination.<ref>{{cite web|title=Karaikal tourist places|url=http://itestweb.in/pdy11n/places-interest|publisher=District Collectorate, Karaikal|date=28 May 2017|access-date=25 October 2020}}</ref>

==History==
[[Karaikal]] was bought as a colony by the [[French Colonial Empire|French]] in 1750. It changed hands between [[British Raj|British]] and the French like [[Puducherry (city)|Pondicherry]].<ref name=govt>{{cite web|title=Our lady of Angel's church|url=http://karaikal.gov.in/GovtOffices/TOURISM/church.htm|publisher=Government of Puducherry|year=2011|access-date=25 November 2015}}</ref> The French surrendered the town to the British in 1761 and once more subsequently. The Church was built by the French during 1739 and the original structure was believed to have been built during 1739, which was destroyed by the British. When Karaikal came to the hands of the French completely by 1816 after the [[Treaty of Paris (1815)|Treaty of Paris]], the Church was rebuilt in 1828.<ref>{{cite book|title=Glimpses of Pondicherry|publisher=Busy Bee Books|year=2005|last1=P.|first1=Raja|last2=Keshari|first2=Rita Nath|isbn=9788187619093}}</ref><ref name=business>{{cite news|title=Beaches and blessings|url=http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/news/variety/beaches-and-blessings/article4051187.ece|publisher=Business Line|last=Srinivasa|first=Kavita|date=1 November 2012|access-date=25 November 2015}}</ref> While the original structure was built during 1822, the tower was erected during 1891.<ref name=oct>{{cite book|title=Southern India: A Guide to Monuments Sites & Museums|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GdBbBAAAQBAJ&q=karaikal+church&pg=PT388|publisher=Roli Books Private Limited|year=2013|isbn=9788174369031|last=Michell|first=George}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=This charming town by the Bay of Bengal is famous for its churches and dargahs|url=https://www.outlookindia.com/outlooktraveller/explore/story/55809/puducherry-quick-guide-karaikal|publisher=Outlook India|date=28 May 2017|access-date=25 October 2020|last=Soni|first=Charu}}</ref>

==Culture==
Our Lady of Angels Church has the tallest structure in [[Karaikal]] and is one of the most prominent landmarks in the town.<ref name=hindu>{{cite news|title=Plan to augment Karaikal power plant capacity|url=https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-tamilnadu/plan-to-augment-karaikal-power-plant-capacity/article27645020.ece |location=Karaikal|date=26 July 2004|work=[[The Hindu]]|access-date=25 November 2015}}</ref> The Church is locally called Thetheravu Matha Kovil, meaning the "temple of the mother who consoles the desolate ".<ref name=govt/> The church is a working church with hourly prayer and daily services and follows [[Roman Catholic]] sect of [[Christianity]]. The priests in the church were originally French, but during modern times, Tamil people replaced them. During 15 August every year, the Thetheravu Matha festival is celebrated in the Church, with a flag hoisting on 6 August. During the festival, the festival image of Mary is taking round the streets of Karaikal in a chariot. The event is one of the most prominent festival in the region.<ref name=govt/> Christianity in large numbers during the earlier part of the 19th century. Many of them and their families visited [[France]] and were socially and economically uplifted on account of education offered to the community by the Church.<ref>{{cite book|title=Global Encyclopaedia of the South Indian Dalit's Ethnography, Volume 1|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Xcpa_T-7oVQC&q=karaikal+church+%2B+the+hindu&pg=PA823|page=819=822|publisher=Global Vision Pub House|last=Singh|first= Nagendra Kr.|isbn=9788182201682|year=2006}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://catholicchurches.in/directory/pondicherry-churches/our-lady-of-angels-church-karaikal.htm Our Lady of Angels]

[[Category:Roman Catholic church buildings in Puducherry]]
[[Category:Karaikal]]
[[Category:Roman Catholic churches completed in 1822]]
[[Category:1822 establishments in the French colonial empire]]
[[Category:Church buildings with domes]]
[[Category:19th-century Roman Catholic church buildings in India]]

Our Lady of Angels Church, Karaikal - Revision history

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