Basilica of Our Lady of the Mount, Bandra: Difference between revisions

| name = Mount St Mary Church
| fullname = Basilica of Our Lady of the Mount

| fullname image = Pontifical Shrine of SaintMount Mary ofChurch Bandra(Bombay).jpg

| image imagesize = Mount Mary Church (Bombay).jpg

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| location country = [[Bandra]], [[Archdiocese of BombayIndia]].

| country denomination = [[IndiaRoman Catholic]]

| previous denomination = [[Roman Catholic]]

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| founderdedication = [[St =Mary]]

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| cult relics = Marian

| relics events = [[Pope John Paul II]]

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| peoplestatus = [[Minor =Basilica]]

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| style groundbreaking = Gothic

| groundbreakingcompleted date = Rebuilt =1904

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| deaneryarchdiocese = [[Archdiocese of =Bombay]]

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| archdiocese province = Bombay

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| divisionarchbishop = [[Cardinal Oswald =Gracias]]

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| archbishopdean = [[Oswald Cardinal Gracias]]

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| subdeanrector = Rev Fr Vernon Aguiar =<br>

| provostvice rector = Rev Fr M Sunder =Albuquerque

| rector on staff = Bishop John Rodrigues <brRev />FatherFr Michael Goveas

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TheOfficially, the '''Basilica of Our Lady of the Mount Bandra''', also[[colloquial]]ly known as the'''Mount Bandra'''Pontifical Shrine ofand '''Mount SaintSt Mary Church'''; is a [[Romanbasilica]] Catholic([[shrine]]) minorof basilicathe [[Catholic Church|Roman Catholic Church]], located at the [[Bandra]] inneighbourhood of [[Bombay (Mumbai)]], India.<ref>{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TTcnDwAAQBAJ&dq=Mount+Bandra&pg=PT106 | title=DK Eyewitness Travel Guide India | isbn=9780241326244 | last1=Travel | first1=D. K. | date=7 September 2017 }}</ref>

The [[shrinefestival]] celebratesof the nativity of [[NativitySt ofMary]], thealso Blessedknown Virginas Mary[[Marymas|Holy Marymas]] or the [[Bandra Fest]], is celebrated here on the 8th day of September: 8.the Theauspicious annualoccasion feastof the birth of the [[Bandraperpetual Festvirginity|virgin-mother]] of [[Jesus Christ]]. The annual feast is celebratedfollowed onby thea closestweek-long [[Vigilfair]] Sundayor celebrated[[fête]] toknown in the nextnorthern Sunday[[Konkan completingregion]] aas grandthe total"Bandra fair"; it is thronged by [[lakhs]] of “eight[[tourist]]s, days”.[[pilgrim]]s and [[Catholic devotions|devotee]]s every year.<ref>[http://cities.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=255163 Mount St Mary fair begins today]{{dead link|date=July 2017February 2023|bot=InternetArchiveBot medic}}{{cbignore|fix-attemptedbot=yes medic}} ''[[Indian Express]]'', 8 September 2007.</ref><ref>[http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report_devotees-throng-to-bandra-fair-on-opening-day-as-stall-owners-protest_1437121 Devotees throng to Bandra Fest on the opening day as stall owners protest] ''[[DNA (newspaper)]]'', 13 September 2010.</ref><ref name="CT2018"/> Many visitors come to Mount St Mary Church in order to make their ''[[mannat]]'' (wish) come true.<ref name="CT2018"/>

[[Pope Pius XII]] granted a decree of [[pontificalcanonical coronation]] to itsthe veneratedshrine's reverenced Marian image[[icon]] on 21 October 1954, both signed and notarised by Cardinal [[Giovanni Battista Montini]] of the [[Sacred Congregation of Rites]]. The formerstatue of the [[ArchbishopMadonna of Bombay(art)|Madonna]], Cardinaland the [[Valerianinfant GraciasJesus|Prince of peace]] executedwas thecrowned ritein ofa coronationceremony on 5 December 1954., [[Pope Benedict XVI]] gifted towardsby the Marianlate shrine a blood relic ofCardinal [[PopeValerian John Paul IIGracias]], who made an Apostolic Visit in 1986.

==The Basilicabasilica==

The basilica stands on a [[hillock]], about 80 metres above [[sea level]] overlooking the [[Arabian Sea]]. It draws [[lakh]]sthousands of devotees and pilgrims annually., Manyespecially ofduring the faithfulBandra Fest. Many visitors attest to the miraculous[[miracle]]s powersworked ofby the Blessed[[supernatural Virginpower]] of [[St Mary]] at Mount Bandra. The shrine attracts people from all faiths who prayplead tofor thefavours, Virginwith Maryothers forcoming back expressing their gratitude or requesting favours. The church was [[Raid (military)|raid]]ed and destroyed in 1738 during the [[Mahratta Invasion of Bassein]], led by the [[Peshva]] Brahmin [[Chimaji Appa]]. It was rebuilt in the [[British Bombay]] era.

During the Bandra Fair, the entire area is decorated with festoons and buntings. Many pitch up stalls to sell religious articles, roasted gramsflowers, snacks and sweets. [[Wax figuresfigure]]s of the Virgin Mary along with an assortment of candles shaped like hands, feet and various other parts of the body are sold at kiosks. The sick and the suffering choose a candle or wax figure that corresponds to their ailment or request and light it ininside Church,the church with the pious hope that Mother Mary will considerheed their appeals for help.<ref name="CT2018">{{cite web |title=Mount St Mary Church In Bandra Is Believed To Make All Your Wishes Come True |url=https://curlytales.com/mount-mary-church-bandra-believed-make-wishes-come-true/ |publisher=Fork Media |access-date=29 May 2020 |language=en |date=31 January 2018}}</ref>

==MarianStatue cultof andthe venerationVirgin Mary==

[[File:MountMother Mary Church, Bandra 10mary.jpg|thumb|The veneratedleft|A statue of the [[BlessedMary of Nazareth|Virgin Mother Mary]] vernacularly called, ''Moti Saibini''. in the [[Bombay East Indian dialect]] and [[Konkani language|Konkani]] vernaculars, outside Mount Mary Church, Bandra]]

Although the current structure and edifice of the shrine is just 100 years old and was rebuilt in [[British Bombay]];, the history behind the current statue of the [[Blessed Virgin Mary]], goes back to the 16th century, when [[Jesuit]] priests brought the statue and constructed a [[chapel]] in what was then, the [[Portuguese East Indies]]. In 1700, [[Trucial States|Sunni Muslim Arab piratespirate]]s raiding the area tookwere interestinterested in the goldengilt-lined object held byin the image,hand soand that they vandalized[[desecrate]]d the statue by cutting off the right hand.

In 1760, the church was rebuilt andafter the broken[[Maratha–Portuguese War (1683–1684)|Mahratta invasion of Goa and Bombay]], and the statue was temporarily substituted with a statue of “OurOur Lady of Navigators”Navigators in the SaingSt Andrew's Church nearby. Legend has it that a [[Koli Christian]] fisherman dreamt of the statue floating in the sea, and as prophesied in the dream the statue was indeed found the next day, floating in the sea. A Jesuit Annualannual Letterletter dated to 1669 and published in the book ''St Andrew's Church, Bandra'' (1616&ndash;1966) supports this claim. The Koli Fishermenfishermen call the statue as Mot Mauli, literally meaning the "Pearl Mother or the Mother of the Mount,"; ''Mot'' could be a corruption of the [[Indo-Portuguese]] word ''monte'' for "mount"; ''Maoli'' is a [[Marathi-Konkani]] word for "mother". The previous statue is now restored and is enshrined in a [[place of honor|place of honour]] in the basilica. Most [[Bombay East Indians]] and some Hindus visit this shrine often, making the place a prominent feature of [[religious pluralism|intercommunal harmony]] and [[interfaith dialogue]] in Mumbai.<ref>[http://www.asianews.it/news-en/Hindu-nationalist-BJP-leader-LK-Advani-prays-at-Marian-shrine-22615.html A Hindu nationalist leader at the Marian Shrine] ''[[AsiaNews]]'', 12 September 2011.</ref>

[[File:Mountmary.jpg|right|thumb|300px| Inner ViewInterior of Thethe Churchchurch]]