Marian Basilica (Bangalore)
The Marienbasilika ( English St. Mary's Basilica ) or Annai Arokiammarie Basilica is a Roman Catholic church in Bangalore , the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka . The Church of the Archdiocese of Bangalore is Maria consecrated and carries the title of minor basilica . It is one of the oldest churches in Bangalore and the first church in the state to be elevated to a minor basilica.
history
The Marian Basilica had a humble beginning in the 17th century as a thatched hut built by Gingee Tamil Christian migrants. The sanctuary was then known as the Chapel of Kanikkai Madha and was located in a village of rice farmers. Bangalore was not a big city in 1648 when Christianity found its way into Shrirangapattana , the capital of the then province of Mysore , with the help of first Italian Jesuits from the Malabar Mission and later French Jesuits. When Tipu Sultan ascended the throne, Christian missionaries had to flee Mysore. In 1799 the British captured Shrirangapattana from Tipu Sultan. The French missionary Jean-Antoine Dubois arrived in Bangalore and began to restore the Catholic community. In 1803 Dubois built a thatched roof chapel at Bili Akki Palli, or colloquially Blackpally. In 1811 Dubois built a small chapel with a rectory for priests. In 1813 he rebuilt the chapel with the help of the British. Brother Andreas, a priest from Pondicherry of Indian origin, built the church building in a cross shape as his successor. However, it was destroyed during the local riots of 1832, and troops had to be deployed for several months to protect the settlement.
The current church was rebuilt between 1856 and 1882 under its original name, the Church of Our Lady of the Presentation. The current form of the neo-Gothic church is attributed to L. Kleiner. The church was consecrated on September 8, 1882 by Bishop Jean-Yves-Marie Coadou, Vicar Apostolic of Mysore, in the presence of 35 priests and 4,000 Catholics from Bangalore.
In the course of time, St. Mary's Church in Blackpally became the seat of a parish in which other churches were built, in particular the Cathedral of St. Francis Xavier (1851), St. Joseph (1867) and the Church of the Sacred Heart Ashoknagar ( 1867). The Marienkirche was in 1973 by Pope Paul VI. with the name Annai Arokiammarie Basilica raised to the rank of minor basilica. It was the sixth church in India to receive this status.
architecture
The basilica was built in the neo-Gothic style with arches, ornamental motifs and stained glass windows. Several columns with rich Corinthian capitals support the stately arches of the church. The pillars and the 48 meter high tower of the basilica can be seen from afar. The church is 52 meters long and 15 meters wide. The stained glass windows were removed during World War II and restored in 1947.
Web links
- The parish website (English)
Individual evidence
- ↑ St. Mary's Basilica at gcatholic.org
- ↑ History of the Church (English)
Coordinates: 12 ° 59 ′ 3.9 " N , 77 ° 36 ′ 15.3" E