Our Lady of Immaculate Conception Church, Mt. Poinsur
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Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception Church, Mount Poinsur
, Borivali (West)
has been a Catholic Parish from 1547 to 1739 and again from 1912 onwards. It is presently operated by the clergy Fr. Franklyn Mathias (PP), Fr. Suren Abreu,
Fr. Nelson Saldanha, Fr. Ashlyn Chand, Fr. Oscar Mendonca.
missionary
, Padre Antonio do Porto was the founder of this church in 1544, ten years after the Bombay-Baçaim coastal tracts were ceded
by the Sultan of Cambay, Bahadur Shah
, to Portugal
by the Treaty of Baçaim. Fr. Meersman however holds that although Porto was its founder, the foundation could only have taken place shortly after his arrival in these parts in 1547.
By October 1548, he and his companion Joao de Goa had made a number of converts and had founded a 'devout hermitage' at Mount Poinsur. In October 1549, Meersman described the church of Nossa Senhora da Piedade (Our Lady of Piety):
During the time of the same Padre Porto, the village of Mount Poinsur was granted to the Franciscans by the Governor of Baçaim Jorge de Cabral in the name of King John III of Portugal
, for the maintenance of their work. The Franciscans bought the two neighboring villages of Pare
and Erangal around 1556-1559. Adjoining the church, they also built a Royal College
in 1549, the ruins of which are still standing close to the present church. Over the years, the four hundred villagers converted by Padre Antonio do Porto grew in number and soon a settlement for them was built around or opposite the church (records Padre Paulo da Trinidade). Around 1630, the parish counted some 1500 parishioners in the villages of Mount Poinsur, Dhainsa
, Simpor, Canaria and Cassor, with a chapel dedicated to St. Michael the Archangel in Canaria. It was also around this time that the name of the church at Mount Poinsur was changed to Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception.
During the Maratha invasion of 1739, Mount Poinsur was captured, the Friars dispersed, and the church, friary and college
pillaged and left in ruins. Then for a century and a half, time and nature abetted by the local people who used the ruins as a quarry for stones did their destructive work, so that what had been spared by the Marathas fell into still deeper ruin. Adjoining and beneath the church are the Mandapeshwar Caves
, the habitation of Hindu
ascetics until the Franciscans took over and converted them into a crypt
for the church which they built over them. After 1739, the Marathas reconverted the caves to Hindu usage. When these lands were ceded by the Marathas to England
by the Treaty of Salbai
in 1774, the caves under the dilapidated church were repossessed by the predominantly Catholic people of Mt. Poinsur to serve as a chapel
, and functioned in this manner for a little more than a century. From 1739-1912, it appears that there was no resident Vicar
of Poinsur. In 1888, through the efforts of the people of the City of Bandra and under the guidance of the Archdiocese of Goa's Vicar-General of the North, Padre Joao Braz Fernandes, the old parish church was rebuilt on the hillock above the caves and has since functioned as the parish church.
The church has had its own Vicar only from 1912 onwards, thus Humbert (J. Humbert, S.J., Catholic Bombay, Her Priests and Their Training, Catholic Press, Ranchi
, Bihar
, 1964. Vol. II, pg 219). The church underwent major repairs and renovations in 1912. As for the caves, they have been taken over by the Government of India in the 1960s and are designated as protected archaeological monuments under the Archaeological Survey of India
(A.S.I.), although the Hindus are permitted to worship in them. Mount Poinsur remained loyal to the Archdiocese of Goa, Daman and Diu during the Padroado
, as part of the Vicariate of the North (O Norte), and was later made part of the Diocese of Damaõ, 1886-1928, which revived the parish and assigned it to Brother Paulus Moritz
and his newly founded Franciscan congregation. In 1928, most of the Diocese of Damaõ, including the parish of Mount Poinsur, was integrated into the Archdiocese of Bombay, under its first Portuguese Archbishop
Joachim da Lima, S.J.
In the 1980s and 1990s, the parish started expanding, initially gradually and then with increasing speed as people from the island city and southern suburbs started moving to Borivali, attracted by its peaceful surroundings and convenient public transport and other facilities. Over the last two decades till the current year, 2010, the parish has grown into one of Mumbai’s largest with a vibrant involvement in liturgical and community activities.
On the feast day at Mount Poinsur, 8 December, people from all over Mumbai come in large numbers, following a tradition passed down over the centuries that has seen this Church as a centre for pilgrimage.
Mount Poinsur
Mount Poinsur is located in the suburbs of Bombay, and the site of St. Francis of Assisi Church, Mt. Poinsur...
, Borivali (West)
Borivali
Borivali or Borivli a suburban area located in the north-west section of Mumbai island. Borivali is approximately from Mumbai Airport and from Churchgate Railway Station...
has been a Catholic Parish from 1547 to 1739 and again from 1912 onwards. It is presently operated by the clergy Fr. Franklyn Mathias (PP), Fr. Suren Abreu,
Fr. Nelson Saldanha, Fr. Ashlyn Chand, Fr. Oscar Mendonca.
History
According to tradition, the intrepid FranciscanFranciscan
Most Franciscans are members of Roman Catholic religious orders founded by Saint Francis of Assisi. Besides Roman Catholic communities, there are also Old Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, ecumenical and Non-denominational Franciscan communities....
missionary
Missionary
A missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. The word "mission" originates from 1598 when the Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin...
, Padre Antonio do Porto was the founder of this church in 1544, ten years after the Bombay-Baçaim coastal tracts were ceded
Cession
The act of Cession, or to cede, is the assignment of property to another entity. In international law it commonly refers to land transferred by treaty...
by the Sultan of Cambay, Bahadur Shah
Bahadur Shah of Gujarat
Sultan Qutb-ud-Din Bahadur Shah , who reigned 1526-1535 and 1536-1537, was a sultan of Gujarat Sultanate, a late medieval independent kingdom in India.-Early years:...
, to Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
by the Treaty of Baçaim. Fr. Meersman however holds that although Porto was its founder, the foundation could only have taken place shortly after his arrival in these parts in 1547.
By October 1548, he and his companion Joao de Goa had made a number of converts and had founded a 'devout hermitage' at Mount Poinsur. In October 1549, Meersman described the church of Nossa Senhora da Piedade (Our Lady of Piety):
During the time of the same Padre Porto, the village of Mount Poinsur was granted to the Franciscans by the Governor of Baçaim Jorge de Cabral in the name of King John III of Portugal
John III of Portugal
John III , nicknamed o Piedoso , was the fifteenth King of Portugal and the Algarves. He was the son of King Manuel I and Maria of Aragon, the third daughter of King Ferdinand II of Aragon and Queen Isabella I of Castile...
, for the maintenance of their work. The Franciscans bought the two neighboring villages of Pare
Pare
The Pare people are members of an ethnic group indigenous to the Pare Mountains of northern Tanzania, which are part of the Kilimanjaro Region of Tanzania. Pareland is also known as Vuasu...
and Erangal around 1556-1559. Adjoining the church, they also built a Royal College
Royal College
A Royal College in some Commonwealth countries is technically a college which has received permission to use the prefix Royal. Permission is usually granted through a Royal Charter. The charter normally confers a constitution with perpetual succession and the right to sue or be sued independently...
in 1549, the ruins of which are still standing close to the present church. Over the years, the four hundred villagers converted by Padre Antonio do Porto grew in number and soon a settlement for them was built around or opposite the church (records Padre Paulo da Trinidade). Around 1630, the parish counted some 1500 parishioners in the villages of Mount Poinsur, Dhainsa
Dahisar
Dahisar is a suburb of Mumbai. It is also the name of a railway station on the Mumbai suburban railway on the Western Railway railway line, situated in Dahisar suburb. Located on the city limits of Mumbai, Dahisar is the last suburb and railway station within the Mumbai Suburban District; past...
, Simpor, Canaria and Cassor, with a chapel dedicated to St. Michael the Archangel in Canaria. It was also around this time that the name of the church at Mount Poinsur was changed to Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception.
During the Maratha invasion of 1739, Mount Poinsur was captured, the Friars dispersed, and the church, friary and college
College
A college is an educational institution or a constituent part of an educational institution. Usage varies in English-speaking nations...
pillaged and left in ruins. Then for a century and a half, time and nature abetted by the local people who used the ruins as a quarry for stones did their destructive work, so that what had been spared by the Marathas fell into still deeper ruin. Adjoining and beneath the church are the Mandapeshwar Caves
Mandapeshwar Caves
The Mandapeshwar Caves is an 8th Century rock-cut shrine dedicated to Shiva located near Mount Poinsur in Borivali, a suburb of Mumbai in Maharashtra, India.-Location:...
, the habitation of Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
ascetics until the Franciscans took over and converted them into a crypt
Crypt
In architecture, a crypt is a stone chamber or vault beneath the floor of a burial vault possibly containing sarcophagi, coffins or relics....
for the church which they built over them. After 1739, the Marathas reconverted the caves to Hindu usage. When these lands were ceded by the Marathas to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
by the Treaty of Salbai
Treaty of Salbai
The Treaty of Salbai was signed on May 17, 1782, by representatives of the Maratha Empire and the British East India Company after long negotiations to settle the outcome of the First Anglo-Maratha War. Under its terms, the Company retained control of Salsette and acquired guarantees that the...
in 1774, the caves under the dilapidated church were repossessed by the predominantly Catholic people of Mt. Poinsur to serve as a chapel
Chapel
A chapel is a building used by Christians as a place of fellowship and worship. It may be part of a larger structure or complex, such as a church, college, hospital, palace, prison or funeral home, located on board a military or commercial ship, or it may be an entirely free-standing building,...
, and functioned in this manner for a little more than a century. From 1739-1912, it appears that there was no resident Vicar
Vicar
In the broadest sense, a vicar is a representative, deputy or substitute; anyone acting "in the person of" or agent for a superior . In this sense, the title is comparable to lieutenant...
of Poinsur. In 1888, through the efforts of the people of the City of Bandra and under the guidance of the Archdiocese of Goa's Vicar-General of the North, Padre Joao Braz Fernandes, the old parish church was rebuilt on the hillock above the caves and has since functioned as the parish church.
The church has had its own Vicar only from 1912 onwards, thus Humbert (J. Humbert, S.J., Catholic Bombay, Her Priests and Their Training, Catholic Press, Ranchi
Ranchi
-Climate:Ranchi has a humid subtropical climate. However, due to its position and the forests around the city, it is known for its pleasant climate. Its climate is the primary reason why Ranchi was once the summer capital of the undivided State of Bihar...
, Bihar
Bihar
Bihar is a state in eastern India. It is the 12th largest state in terms of geographical size at and 3rd largest by population. Almost 58% of Biharis are below the age of 25, which is the highest proportion in India....
, 1964. Vol. II, pg 219). The church underwent major repairs and renovations in 1912. As for the caves, they have been taken over by the Government of India in the 1960s and are designated as protected archaeological monuments under the Archaeological Survey of India
Archaeological Survey of India
The Archaeological Survey of India is a department of the Government of India, attached to the Ministry of Culture . The ASI is responsible for archaeological studies and the preservation of archaeological heritage of the country in accordance with the various acts of the Indian Parliament...
(A.S.I.), although the Hindus are permitted to worship in them. Mount Poinsur remained loyal to the Archdiocese of Goa, Daman and Diu during the Padroado
Padroado
The Padroado , was an arrangement between the Holy See and the kingdom of Portugal, affirmed by a series of treaties, by which the Vatican delegated to the kings of Spain and Portugal the administration of the local Churches...
, as part of the Vicariate of the North (O Norte), and was later made part of the Diocese of Damaõ, 1886-1928, which revived the parish and assigned it to Brother Paulus Moritz
Paulus Moritz
Paulus Moritz was a German Roman Catholic cleric and founder of a minor branch of the Franciscan order.Moritz was born in Königsberg, Prussia, to Jewish parents and was named Heymann Hermann Moritz...
and his newly founded Franciscan congregation. In 1928, most of the Diocese of Damaõ, including the parish of Mount Poinsur, was integrated into the Archdiocese of Bombay, under its first Portuguese Archbishop
Archbishop
An archbishop is a bishop of higher rank, but not of higher sacramental order above that of the three orders of deacon, priest , and bishop...
Joachim da Lima, S.J.
In the 1980s and 1990s, the parish started expanding, initially gradually and then with increasing speed as people from the island city and southern suburbs started moving to Borivali, attracted by its peaceful surroundings and convenient public transport and other facilities. Over the last two decades till the current year, 2010, the parish has grown into one of Mumbai’s largest with a vibrant involvement in liturgical and community activities.
On the feast day at Mount Poinsur, 8 December, people from all over Mumbai come in large numbers, following a tradition passed down over the centuries that has seen this Church as a centre for pilgrimage.