History buffs will love these ancient churches of Mangalore

Jan 18, 2021

4 MIN READ

Mangalore, a beautiful port city, nestled along the coast of the Arabian Sea with the Western Ghats flanking it, is a picturesque getaway for beach lovers and those wanting a do-nothing kind of holiday. Popular sightseeing spots include Thannirbhavi Beach, Pilikula Nisarga Dhama, and the Kadri Temple. History buffs, however, will love the old churches of Mangalore, some going as far back as the 1500s.

The Rosario Cathedral – 1568 AD

The Rosario Cathedral was among the three churches established by the Portuguese in 1568. Once called the Nossa Senhora de Rosario (Our Lady of Rosary) church, it was destroyed by Arab traders and then rebuilt. The current façade of the church was constructed in 1915. The dome is modeled on the St Peter’s Basilica in Rome. The Church has several interesting artifacts like the wooden statue of Mary that was found in the nearby water body. Look for the 1629 tombstone of Captain Domingo and the granite emblem dedicated to the Portuguese King Joao V dating back to 1712 AD at the church.
Don’t Miss – The high dome that is modeled on St Peter’s Basilica in Rome.

Our Lady of Miracles, Milagres – 1680 AD

Portuguese power was declining around the 1600s when the British East India Company established itself. Portuguese and Goan priests were being recalled to Goa and no one was left to celebrate mass. In 1658, a Carmelite missionary, who visited the Christians of this region, reported to Rome the lack of leadership. Bishop Thomas de Castro was immediately sent to Mangalore, where he built his home on land granted by Keladi Chennamma of Bednore. With it, he also built a church in 1680. Politics and resultant destruction led to the church being destroyed and rebuilt in 1756 and 1811. A century later, the façade of the church collapsed during torrential rains and the present façade erected. Don’t Miss Bishop Castro’s tombstone in the cemetery – a granite structure by the St Monica Chapel.

St Francis of Assisi Church, Farangipete – 1568 AD

When the Portuguese captured Goa in 1510, they established three churches around Mangalore, one of which was the St Francis of Assisi Church. It is also known as Monte Mariano (Mount Mary) considering the little hill on which it is set. Portuguese traders who came via the Netravati River route would stop for mass here. Years later, the first parish priest Fr. Joachim Miranda was on good terms with Hyder Ali, the ruling king of Mysore (around 1760) who governed the region. The king gifted the priest a copper platter that authorized the land on which the church was built, for worship. This is what saved the church from plunder when Hyder Ali’s successor, Tippu Sultan’s soldiers came thundering through. Don’t Miss the The Monti Fest or Nativity of Mother Mary celebrations on September 8th each year at this church

Holy Cross Church, Cordel – 1873 AD

The Christians of the region suffered many atrocities under Tippu Sultan who incarcerated over 60,000 people in Srirangapatnam between 1784 and 1799. What remained of the community returned to Mangalore after Tippu’s defeat and death. In 1865, Rev. Fr. Alexander Dubois was the parish priest of Milagres and he heard of a community of Catholics living in Cordel forest, near Kulshekar, worshiping a hidden cross. He brought the cross to Kulashekar and laid the foundation of the church in 1873, dedicating it to the Holy Cross. Do not miss the majestic bells installed in the church brought in by Fr. Dubois.

St Aloysius Chapel – 1885 AD

St Aloysius Chapel was built as a replica of the Sistine Chapel in Rome in 1885 AD by Rev. Fr. Joseph Willy. The chapel comprises a large hall, with two aisles on either side of the central aisle. The altar rests within the raised platform that is called the sanctuary. The walls are covered with frescoes and the ceiling with oil painted canvases, all hand done over two years by Brother Antonio Moscheni. Don’t miss the largest painting at the back of the chapel, facing the altar depicting Jesus as a friend of children.

Note: Several other churches across Mangalore date back over a century. St Joseph’s Church, Bajpe (1867), St Joseph’s Chapel, Jeppu (1879) St Anthony’s Ashram Chapel (1898), Infant Mary Chapel (1879), are a few of them.