St. Philomena's Church

St. Philomena's Church, also known as St. Joseph’s Church, is a colossal church which is over 200 years old. It was Maharaja Krishnaraja Wodeyar III, who laid the foundation for St. Philomena's Church in 1933, on the site of a small church built by his father. The construction of St. Philomena's Church was completed in the year 1941.

St. Philomena's Church, which is built in the Gothic Style, preserves the 3rd century relic of St. Philomena in a catacomb below the main altar. The floor plan of St. Philomena's Church is based on the Holy Cross. The ‘nave’ of the cross is the Congregation Hall, the two arms are the transepts and the crossing consists of altar and the choir.

The idols of St. Philomena and Holy Christ are placed on the marble altar in the Sanctum sanctorum. There are stained glass windows above the Sanctum sanctorum with paintings depicting the birth of Jesus Christ, the Last Supper, the Crucifixion, the Resurrection and the Ascension of Christ.

The most attractive feature of St. Philomena's Church is the spires. There are two towers or spires that are about 54 meters tall, which resemble the spires of St. Patrick's Church of New York.  

St. Philomena's Church is considered to be one among the largest Cathedrals of South Asia. Located at a distance of about 2 km from Mysore Palace, St. Philomena's Church has become a major tourist attraction of Mysore.