BASILICA HISTORY
ORIGINAL ORATORY
1570 With the Jesuit Fathers beginning to take care of ministry in Bandra with headquarters at Santa
Ana Church (near the old slaughter house), a simple Oratory made of mud emerges at the Mount
near Lands End, for private devotion only. A wooden statue of Our Lady, depicted as the Mother
of God was brought by the Jesuits from Portugal and placed on the main altar. This could
be considered as the first edifice, which immediately begins to attract a large number of devotees.
1573 The Priest-in-charge of Bandra area was Fr. Joao Diaz SJ.
1587 The Mount Mary Oratory is placed under the authority of the Parish of Santa Ana.
1616 The increase of Christian population required the bifurcation of the old parish of Santa Ana.
The parish of St. Andrew was thus created and the Mount Mary Oratory was placed under
the authority of the new Parish of St. Andrew’s.
CHAPEL
1640 The Mount Mary Oratory is enlarged into a Chapel (2nd edifice) for use of the increasing
number of devotees, as well as for the Portuguese garrison stationed in the Fort at Lands End.
1665 Bombay island is handed over to the British by the Portuguese.
1700 Bandra was invaded by a pirate army of the Muscat Arabs who, hoping to find treasure, attempted
to ransack the Shrine. When disappointed in their expectations, they chopped of the right
forearm of the statue, thinking it was of gold! They also intended to set fire to the church, when
a huge army of bees attacked them so cruelly that they were forced to abandon their evil
intentions and leave. As the statue was damaged, it was probably stored in the lumber room,
and, in order not to disappoint the pilgrims, the statue of Our Lady of Navigators from the side
altar of St. Andrew’s Church was brought to the Mount.
1739 The last Jesuit Vicar of St Andrew’s, Fr Thomas Villanova SJ leaves Bandra, and a local Priest,
Fr. Paulo Dias, took charge of St. Andrew’s Parish and the Mount Mary Chapel.
1741-61 Public devotion at the Mount comes to a standstill because of political instability and a lack
of priests to look after the Shrine.
CHURCH
1761 Mount Mary Chapel was rebuilt for the third time. The broken statue of Our Lady of the Mount
was repaired by placing a detachable Child Jesus on it; the statue that was brought from
St. Andrew’s Church was returned to its original place. This same year, the Archbishop of Goa,
Dom Antonio Taveira de Neiva Brum da Silveira, established the Confraternity of Nossa Senhora
de Monte attached to the Chapel.
1848 Fr. Antonio Joaquim da Silva, curate of St Andrew’s since 1839, was known as “Chaplain of
Nossa Senhora de Monte” he now lies buried in the sacristy of St Andrew’s.
1848-52 With financial aid from Sir Jamsetjee Jejeebhoy and family, in gratitude for favours received,
a road was constructed from the Bandra end of the newly-built Mahim Causeway to Mount
Mary Church.
1869-79 Fr Ersamo Francisco Xavier who was now Chaplain renovated and embellished the chapel.
He probably added a glass portico in front of the chapel.
1882 The Chaplain, Fr Elias Hypolito Fernandes (from Chuim), renovated the Chapel yet again.
1885 Mahim causeway came to be built, as well as the linking of the railway line, causing a greater
influx of pilgrims to the shrine.
1895 A major devastating plague broke out in Mumbai.
MINOR BASILICA
1902 Despite the plague the Fathers of St Andrew’s go ahead with the project of building a better
edifice on the Mount. The project is taken up by Fr Placid Hilary Henriques (Vicar of St Andrew’s)
with the help of Fr Elias Braz Dias and Fr Pedro Antonio Fernandes. This foundation stone was only
laid on 11th May 1902 by His Grace Archbishop D. Sebastiao Jose Pereira of Damaun (who lies buried in
the shrine).
The Architect was Mr. S. N. Chandabhoy, and most of the materials were brought by sea,
and lifted up with the help of bullock carts and donkeys.
1904 The present Church, the fourth edifice, is completed and thrown open to pilgrims, on the
occasion of the Golden Jubilee of the Promulgation of the Dogma of the Immaculate Conception.
1943 Archbishop Thomas Roberts gave the shrine an independent status under a Rector of its own,
in the person of Msgr. Dominic de Sa. (1st Rector of the shrine)
Tombstone of Msgr. Dominic De Sa, located in St. Andrew's Church, Bandra
1950 Msgr. Placidus Edward Fernandes constructed the Rectory “Marianella”.
1954 Inauguration of Oratory of Our Lady of Fatima, on 5th Dec., opposite the Church.
This was the occasion of the Marian Year when for the first time the statue of Our Lady of
the Mount was taken on a pilgrimage to all the parishes of the city, suburbs and Vasai.
On 2nd Dec the statue was brought back with pomp to the Shrine, where Cardinal Valerian
Gracias warmly welcomed this beloved Mot Mavli back in its abode.
On 5th December, the Cardinal crowned the statue of Our Lady and the Child Jesus with gold crowns.
That same day the Church was given the status of a Minor Basilica by Pope Pius XII.
1964 Pope Paul VI, on a visit to Bombay for the International Eucharistic Congress, graced this
beautiful Basilica with a visit.
1986 Pope John Paul II, on a visit to India, visited the Basilica.