Milagres Church, Mangalore

It's a beautiful church. One can just appreciate its structure

A very peaceful church and it’s situated inside the city so it’s very convenient

Very beautiful and oldest church in mangalore

One of oldest church's of Mangalore. To be preise 343 years. Was a student of Milagress Church School in 1980. When it completed 300 years.

Beautiful... Visited during Christmas Eve .. Environment was so calm and serene

it is most famous church in Mangalore and it is very beautiful

Milagres Church -

Milagres Church is a Roman Catholic church dedicated to Our Lady of Miracles, situated in the heart of Mangalore city. Established in the year 1680 by Bishop Thomas de Castro it is one of the oldest churches in Dakshina Kannada.

A History
Of over 300 years -
This Church in the heart of the city stands tall; if it does so it is because of the industrious nature of its past parishioners and the Goan, European and Mangalorean priests who have rendered unstinted service to the church during the 339 years of its existence.
It is a magnificent piece of art; but there’s more to it than just art; it is a place where Mother Mary’s devotees come from far and near to venerate her.

The Early Churches of Mangalore -

The Portuguese Franciscan Missionaries who had pioneered into the Kanara coastal regions built three small churches at Bolar Fort (Rosario), Ullal-Panir and Arkula, later known as Omzoor and catered to the spiritual needs of those who were already Christians.

However, the Portuguese power declined and the Dutch appeared on the scene, who were not too kindly to any Catholic cause. The British East India Company was established in 1600 A.D. and soon they established their supremacy over the Arabian Sea and India which resulted in an era of uncertainty as the Portuguese and Goan priests were recalled to Goa. Subsequently, the faithful in Kanara were left with no sacraments and the sacrifice of the Holy Mass. However, the devotion of the holy rosary kept them united with Christ and they remained firm in their faith.

The birth of Milagres (First church) -
In 1658, a Carmelite missionary visited the Kanara Christians and reported their sorry plight to Rome. The Holy See lost no time in coming to their aid. It appointed Rev. Fr. Thomas de Castro, a Theatine Priest, Vicar Apostolic of Kanara and Malabar in 1674.

Bishop Thomas de Castro, who was born in Goa, but educated in Rome, came to Mangalore in 1678-80. Bishop de Castro made his residence at Milagres, got a grant of land from Queen Keladi Chennama of Bednore and built the first church in 1680 in the place of the present cemetery.

He died on 16th July 1684 and his grave in the Milagres cemetery may be identified by bronze slab next to the St. Monica Chapel.

Challenging Times
(Second church) -
Some time later, Queen Chennama (from whom the Church site was obtained in the first place) and King Bassappa resumed the land. In around 1715, a Mangalorean Priest Rev. Fr. Pinto secured the land again from King Somashekar II. His nephew Rev. Fr. A. Pinto who succeeded him, built a new church at the site of the present church in 1756.

In 1763 Kanara fell under the control of Hyder Ali and then his son Tippu Sultan in 1782. Suspecting the loyalty of the Christians, on Ash Wednesday, 24 February 1784, Tippu Sultan captured about 1,80,000 Christians and herded them to his capital Srirangapatnam. In the same year, they also destroyed 27 churches including Milagres Church, Mangalore.

This is the Most famous Church in Mangalore. Very beautiful to see from the outside. When we visited the place was under renovation but definitely worth visiting this church.