Our Lady of Rosary of Mangalore
Encyclopedia
Church of Our Lady of Rosary of Mangalore , or Rosario Cathedral at Bolar is a Roman Catholic cathedral
in Mangalore
, dedicated to Our Lady of the Rosary
. It was the first Roman Catholic church in the Canara
region. Historically, this was the only parish church in Mangalore reserved for the high-caste Mangalorean Catholics.
in 1568. Oral tradition states that the image of the Virgin Mary at the high altar was found by the fishermen at sea; when it got caught in their net. It was later brought to the church and installed there. The church was the main centre of devotion for the Bamonn
caste who revered the image of Our Lady of the Rosary on the high-altar. It was mentioned by the Italian traveller Pietro Della Valle
, when he visited Mangalore in 1623.
The church was desecrated and destroyed by Mysorean
ruler Tipu Sultan
in 1784. Reconstruction of the church later began in 1813. In 1910, the structure of the old cathedral was demolished and the present cathedral erected in its place. The church of Our Lady of Rosary is the only church in the Mangalore Diocese which has a dome crowning the spacious sanctuary. The cross on the cathedral's dome was traditionally lit every night to serve as a beacon for seafarers. The Roys stone emblem of the Portuguese King marking their landing at Mangalore lies at the entrance of the church.
Cathedral
A cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...
in Mangalore
Mangalore
Mangalore is the chief port city of the Indian state of Karnataka. It is located about west of the state capital, Bangalore. Mangalore lies between the Arabian Sea and the Western Ghat mountain ranges, and is the administrative headquarters of the Dakshina Kannada district in south western...
, dedicated to Our Lady of the Rosary
Our Lady of the Rosary
Our Lady of the Rosary is a title of the Blessed Virgin Mary in relation to the rosary....
. It was the first Roman Catholic church in the Canara
Kanara
The Kanara or Canara region comprises three coastal districts of Karnataka, namely Dakshina Kannada, Udupi and Uttara Kannada and Kasaragod district of Kerala in southwestern India. Kanara forms the southern part of the Konkan coast...
region. Historically, this was the only parish church in Mangalore reserved for the high-caste Mangalorean Catholics.
History
The church of Our Lady of Rosary of Mangalore was originally the church of the old Portuguese factory. It was built by the PortuguesePortuguese people
The Portuguese are a nation and ethnic group native to the country of Portugal, in the west of the Iberian peninsula of south-west Europe. Their language is Portuguese, and Roman Catholicism is the predominant religion....
in 1568. Oral tradition states that the image of the Virgin Mary at the high altar was found by the fishermen at sea; when it got caught in their net. It was later brought to the church and installed there. The church was the main centre of devotion for the Bamonn
Roman Catholic Brahmin
The Roman Catholic Brahmin, also referred to asBamonn in Konkani, is a caste among the Goan and Mangalorean Catholics, of modern-day descendants of Konkani Brahmin converts to Roman Catholicism.-Origins:In Goa, the Brahmins were originally engaged in the priestly occupation, but had taken up...
caste who revered the image of Our Lady of the Rosary on the high-altar. It was mentioned by the Italian traveller Pietro Della Valle
Pietro Della Valle
Pietro della Valle was an Italian who traveled throughout Asia during the Renaissance period. His travels took him to the Holy Land, the Middle East, Northern Africa, and as Far as India.-Biography:...
, when he visited Mangalore in 1623.
The church was desecrated and destroyed by Mysorean
Kingdom of Mysore
The Kingdom of Mysore was a kingdom of southern India, traditionally believed to have been founded in 1399 in the vicinity of the modern city of Mysore. The kingdom, which was ruled by the Wodeyar family, initially served as a vassal state of the Vijayanagara Empire...
ruler Tipu Sultan
Tipu Sultan
Tipu Sultan , also known as the Tiger of Mysore, was the de facto ruler of the Kingdom of Mysore. He was the son of Hyder Ali, at that time an officer in the Mysorean army, and his second wife, Fatima or Fakhr-un-Nissa...
in 1784. Reconstruction of the church later began in 1813. In 1910, the structure of the old cathedral was demolished and the present cathedral erected in its place. The church of Our Lady of Rosary is the only church in the Mangalore Diocese which has a dome crowning the spacious sanctuary. The cross on the cathedral's dome was traditionally lit every night to serve as a beacon for seafarers. The Roys stone emblem of the Portuguese King marking their landing at Mangalore lies at the entrance of the church.