This unique church of the sacred heart of Jesus was built in 1894 AD by a French missionary Fr.

Although the sacred heart shrine at Idaikattur is a replica of the Rheims cathedral in France, It has some unique features It is constructed with 200 different types of moulded bricks and tiles in lime martyr.

The inner Gothic arches rest over the columns embedded with ribs its corner rising up to the vaulted roof.

Since south India is a tropical country utilization of the hallow bricks in the construction reduces the heat and also there is a vacuum gap between inner vaulted roof makes an air-conditioned system below the shelter of the wall.

The stucco figures and the statues of saint, angels and the sacred heart of Jesus, his foster father St. Joseph and the Holy family statue with golden gilt and the mother of sorrows are of great beauty and symbol of ancient French art work.

Historical events of the conversion given by St. John de Britto to Kattayadevan, son-in-law of Kilavan Sethupathi king from Hinduism to Christianity and de Britto's sentence of death by king Kilavan Sethupathi are depicted in stained glass work on northern and southern entrance facade.

The main altar of the church is more beautiful with gigantic Gothic facade of 45 feet high with stucco figures of God the father holding His only crucified son Jesus by his hands and the holy spirit proceeding from his chest surrounded by angels in clouds and in the glittering gold rays of the sun around the whole work are relief from the wall.

This main altar depicts the doctrine of the Christianity i.e., the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are in one and the same clearly shown to all people who look at it.

The whole drama was scripted from Bible by a group of uneducated villagers, called " ANNAVIYAR" and the dialogues are never changed for this 3 generations which coincide anywhere and anytime in the common life.

It is easy to zip past ‘Muthanendal’, a non-descript bus stop & a few shops after a curve without noticing it.