About Vembar Holy Ghost Church in Nimbayampathi, Vembar

Vembar Holy Spirit parish is one of the ancient parishes of the Pearl Fishery Coast in India (since 1604). St. Xavier, who came to the Pearl Fishery Coast in 1542, visited Vembar several times and had given reference about this village in his letters. The Jesuit Record of 1570 notes that a large beautiful church was at Vembar. In 1708 Vembar and Vaipar were a single parish. We come to know that the present church’s foundation was laid in 1903 in the time of Fr. Swaminather and its work was completed in 1915. Since 1876 Vembar had been a big mission with 25 substations in the time of the Jesuit priest Fr. Pankaru. 1908 onwards substations of Vembar were joined with Thoothukudi one by one. This church has 250 catholic families. There is a grotto dedicated to St. Sebastian, St. Joseph and Our Lady of Fatima.