Christmas in Oldest Churches in Mumbai

8/14/2019 Christmas in Oldest Churches in Mumbai

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Christmas in Oldest Churches in Mumbai

I was in Mumbai during last week of December 2006. On 22nd December TheTimes of India carried a special report on celebrations planned for Christmas by oldest

churches in city .I was living in Colaba area so decided to visit two Cathedral namely

St.Thomas Cathedral and Holy Name Cathedral and share photos with fellow membersof mangalorean.com. Complete article by Anahita Mukherji can be seen at below

mentioned URL.

http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Archive/skins/pastissues2/navigator.asp?login=ramesh_lal

wani&AW=1167840629625

The Portuguese and the British, the two colonial powers who came and

stayed in Mumbai, gave the city its oldest churches. Since the CatholicPortuguese preceded the Anglican British, the oldest churches were theirs,

says Historic Churches of Bombay author Ragavendra Kannan. That is also

why this article about some of the citys oldest Christian places ofworship mainly features Catholic churches. Anahita Mukherji | TNN

MOUNT MARYS BASILICA, BANDRA

Was pulled down after a plague

The first avtar of the church was built in 1570. There is a dispute about whether it stood onthe same site as it does now or a little farther off. It remains one of the most popular basilicas.It has been pulled down and rebuilt a number of times. One instance when it was pulled downwas after the 1896 plague. The present building came up in 1904.
http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Archive/skins/pastissues2/navigator.asp?login=ramesh_lalwani&AW=1167840629625http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Archive/skins/pastissues2/navigator.asp?login=ramesh_lalwani&AW=1167840629625http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Archive/skins/pastissues2/navigator.asp?login=ramesh_lalwani&AW=1167840629625http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Archive/skins/pastissues2/navigator.asp?login=ramesh_lalwani&AW=1167840629625


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Confess and clean your souls

The basilica will be illuminatedby thousands of bulbs by Christmas eve. And, with the onset of the season, sermons have

started stressing on the importance of overcoming ones pride and ego, spreading kindnessand love and mending ones ways. People have been asked to go for a special confession tocleanse their souls.

OUR LADY OF EXPECTATIONS (NOW HOLY NAME CATHEDRAL, COLABA)

Change of locale

The church was originally built in 1570 at the exact location where Victoria Terminus standstoday. But the chapel was demolished in 1760 to build walls around the fort and was relocatedto Azad Maidan. But this chapel, too, was pulled down in the 1940s and then relocated toBhuleshwar. The new chapel, however, was also destroyed. Holy Name Cathedral in Colaba islooked upon as the successor of the old church.

Bridging the gap

A few days before Christmas, youngsters will sing carols on the streets of Colaba and a truckwill carry a tableau depicting a scene from Jesuss life. There will also be an inter-faith prayermeeting at the church.


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GLORIA CHURCH, BYCULLA

An eventful past

Originally called the Nossa Senhora da Gloria (Our Lady of Glory) Church, it was built in 1590in Mazgaon. But disputes between the Pedroado and Propaganda, two factions that ruledCatholic churches at the time, led to another church (Our Lady of the Rosary) being built nearthe original church. The government planned to build a railway line, where the church stood,in 1913 and the building was pulled down. The government funded the rebuilding of thechurch at Byculla.

Cribs with a message

A huge star is placed outside the church every Christmas. Crib competitions this year willconcentrate on a message for families.


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ST MICHAELS CHURCH, MAHIM

There since 1565

Travellers accounts say the church was built in the early sixteenth century but documented reports saythe church was in existence since 1565. In 1854, when Bishop Hartmann lost control of the church, heraised funds and built Our Lady of Victory Church near St Michaels. Both churches are still in

existence. The current structure of StMichaels Church was rebuilt in 1973.

A party for domestic workers

The youth from the parish will organise a dinner and dance programme along with an orchestra onDecember 29 . The social service wing of the church will organise a party for domestic workers in orderto celebrate Christmas.


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ST ANDREWS CHURCH, BANDRA

Turn of the centuryThis popular Bandra church was built in 1600.

Giving joy to the homeless

Parishioners will gather in church and buy and sell items of use such as Christmas decorations.A little skit on the birth of Christ was performed on Thursday. A party for nearly 100 streetchildren has been planned for the social outreach programme.


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OUR LADY OF SALVATION (PORTUGUESE) CHURCH, DADAR

Designed anew

The church was originally built in 1610 but was rebuilt a couple of times since then. Thestructure, as we see it today, was designed by Charles Correa in 1973.

Helping the poor

One of the programmes this Christmas will involve feeding poor people in different zones.There will also be a Christmas party for children. A couple of days ago, there was a party forpoor parishioners; they were given gift hampers with utility items.


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ST THOMASS CATHEDRAL, FORT

An anniversary

The church opened its gates, for the first time, on Christmas day in 1718. The same structurestands today. The construction began in the 1670s, a decade after the British acquiredMumbai. But the construction was stalled when the city was attacked by the Siddis. H E CoxsStory of St Thomass Cathedral says: ``The derelict building became a gathering place forbadmashes and beggars. But construction began again at a later date and was completed by1718.

I first visited St. Thomas Cathedral in Fort area on 24th morning. Here is a picture

gallery of this church.

St. Thomas Cathedral Fort


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St. Thomas Cathedral another view

Inside View


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Coir practice in progress

Main Entrance


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Stained Glass 1


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Stained Glass2

Stained Glass 3

HOLY NAME CATHEDRAL

The second Cathedral I visited was in Colaba. As mentioned in TOI report it was shiftedfrom Victoria Terminus and renamed as Holy Name Cathedral. Here are some photos

showing interior.


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Holy Name Cathedral Stained Glass


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Alter


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Holy Name2

Christmas Decoration

All photos copy right Ramesh Lalwani

04.01.07

Christmas in Oldest Churches in Mumbai

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