Milagres Church (Mangalore)

This article is about the Milagres Church in Hampankatta, Mangalore. For the other Milagres Church in Kallianpur, Udupi district, see Milagres Church (Kallianpur).

Coordinates: 13°23′44″N 74°44′10″E / 13.39556°N 74.73611°E / 13.39556; 74.73611

Milagres Church (Mangalore)
Former names	Igreja Nossa Senhora do Milagres
Alternative names	Church of Our Lady of Miracles
General information
Town or city	Hampankatta, Mangalore, Dakshina Kannada district,
Country	India
Completed	1680
Design and construction
Architect	Bishop Thomas de Castro

The Milagres Church (Portuguese: Igreja Nossa Senhora do Milagres, English: Church of Our Lady of Miracles) is a Roman Catholic Church situated in the Hampankatta locality of Mangalore. It was built in 1680 by Bishop Thomas de Castro, a Theatine priest from Divar, Goa. The original structure was constructed at the site of the present-day cemetery.

First Milagres Church (1680−1784)

The Idgah mosque in Mangalore (opposite St. Aloysius College), is believed to have been constructed by Tipu Sultan, according to oral tradition, with stones from the destroyed Milagres Church.^[1]

The 16th century marks an important event in the history of the community, as conversion to Christianity by Portuguese influence waned. The Goan Catholics who to Canara lacked priestly leadership, as many of the priests returned to Goa when the Portuguese withdrew from the region. In 1658, a Carmelite missionary visited the Canara Christians and reported their plight to Rome. The Holy See came to their aid, appointing Rev. Fr. Thomas de Castro, a Theatine Priest, Vicar Apostolic of Canara and Malabar in 1674.

Castro did not arrive until three years later in Mangalore, and a church was built soon after he landed. He died on 16 July 1684 and his grave in the Milagres cemetery may be identified as his by bronze slab next to the St. Monica Chapel.

Later, the Keladi Nayaka queen Chennamma (from whom the Church site was obtained in the first place) and king Basavappa repossessed the land. In around 1715, a Mangalorean priest Fr. Pinto secured the land again from Somashekara II. His nephew Fr. A. Pinto who succeeded him, built a new church at the site of the present church in 1756. In 1763, Canara fell under the suzerainty of Hyder Ali and then his son Tipu Sultan in 1782. Suspecting the loyalty of the Christians, on Ash Wednesday, 24 February 1784; Tipu Sultan captured about 60,000 Christians and herded them to his capital Seringapatam. In the same year, he also destroyed 27 churches including Milagres Church.

Reconstruction

Among those who returned to Mangalore from Seringapatam after the death of Tipu Sultan was one Lawrence Bello, (a baker to the Europeans) who built a chapel to replace the church completely demolished by Tipu, on the site of the present church at a cost of Rs. 400. Fr. Mendez, the Vicar secured the necessary furniture, etc., raised funds and secured a contribution of Rs. 600 from the Government with the help of Salvador Pinto (former Munshi under Tipu Sultan) and laid the foundation for a new spacious church in 1811.

Present structure

Close-up of Milagres Church

As stated, Fr. Mendez built a new church in 1811. Exactly 100 years later in 1911, the facade of the church collapsed. Fr. (later Msgr.) Frank Pereira the then Parish Priest, erected the present magnificent church with Fr. Diamanti S J (of Jeppu Seminary fame) as architect. This structure is the present church building except for the portico which was put up later.

Being located in the central part of Mangalore, the Parish claims some of the leading Catholic Institutions in the Dakshina Kannada district. Notable ones are Bishop’s House, St. Aloysius College, the Great Carmel, M.C.C. Bank Ltd., the Catholic Club, the Catholic educational Co-operative society, Catholic Association of the South Kanara, the Konkani Natak Sabha (Konkani Play Association) with its Don Bosco Hall the venue of periodical dramatic entertainments, meetings and weddings.^[2]

References

1. ^ Monteiro, John B. (2005-12-08). "Tippu Sultan’s Footprints in Tulunad". Daijiworld Media Pvt Ltd Mangalore. http://www.daijiworld.com/chan/exclusive_arch.asp?ex_id=189. Retrieved 2009-08-18. 
2. ^ "Church". Milagres Church, South Canara. http://milagreschurch.com/church.html. Retrieved 2009-04-28.