Nazareth is a town in the Thoothukudi district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.

Nazareth is connected to major cities in Tamil Nadu as well as to all the villages surrounding that area.

A short rainy season exists but the weather, for the most part, is hot and humid.

Paddy rice is mainly cultivated in and around the places of Nazareth on a large scale, followed by cereals green and black grams.

Nazareth is a Christian majority town, created by missionaries from the United Kingdom, primarily through the work of Canon Arthur Margoschis.

The town was previously known as 'Saann Pathu' and also as 'Therku Mudalur'[clarification needed] and was renamed by the residents.

[citation needed] Thiruchendur Co-operative Spinning Mills Limited, Nazareth which was the only spinning mill and was the livelihood for many people in that area for close to a century, was closed a decade ago in 2002-03 period due to financial crunch and lack of modernization.

[1] As the history of the church, a small village by name "Shanpathu" with 8 families became Christians in the year 1803 through Rev.

The development of Nazareth with the educational institutions, the orphanage and Art Industrial School, the hospital and the church is principally due to the result of the efforts of the missionary Canon A.

[citation needed] During decades of the 19th century, Nazareth was identified as a small hamlet situated near Valaiyadi or Vahuthankuppam and the people of Nazareth had to get things from the shops or the neighbouring villages crossing the sandy soil clustered with the bush and trees.

As he had the knowledge of medicine, he could do marvellous medical service, helping thousands of sick flocking even from 20 to 30 miles away.

Canon Arthur Margoschis built a small hut hundred yards away from his bungalow for the orphans in 1877.

As the number of orphans increased, he took efforts to put up a building for them and the same was built in 1878 in the place where the Art Industrial School is now.

He was made aware of his responsibilities and obligations towards the less-privileged and was very anxious to introduce teaching for them on industrial courses.

Carpentry, Black-smithy and sewing courses were started and then weaving section was introduced.

In those days the Art Industrial School, the brain-child of Canon Margoschis, was praised as the only one of its kind in the district and the oldest in the Presidency of Madras[citation needed].

He also stressed the need for good education to women and started kindergarten school.

Canon Arthur Margoschis adopted Nazareth as his "Child", and with the help of the orphans and hired labourers, he laid the metal road[clarification needed] from Nazareth to Valaiyadi and planted trees on both sides.

As a result of his efforts, the original plan to lay the railway line from Tirunelveli to Tiruchendur via.

Frequent bus services are available to Tiruchendur, Tirunelveli, Thoothukkudi, Sathankulam and Udangudi from here.

Also, buses to Uvari, Thisaiyanvilai, Madurai, Tiruchirappalli, Chennai, Coimbatore, Athur and Marthandam are available from here.

New buildings were added to the school at various periods to meet the need for additional classrooms, laboratories etc.

It was upgraded into St. John's Girls High School in 1886; many English missionaries Rev.

Camerar, Green, Swingler and Evans showed much interest in the development of the school and worked for it.