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Stationed on a hillock in the suburbs of Mumbai, at an elevation of 80 m above sea level, Mother Mary Church dates back to the year 1640 by the Portuguese but was later reconstructed in 1761. The church is a Roman Catholic and is also known by a name Basilica of Our Lady of the Mount. The statue of ‘Our Lady’ situated inside the church dates back to the 16th century. The church is nestles in Sunderban Bandra.
It is believed that the Church was destroyed in 1738, during a Maratha raid. Soon shortly, Mother Marys statue was recovered from the Arabian Sea by local fishermen and was kept in the church St. Andrews, before being placed at the Mount Mary Church. Marathi community calls Mother Mary as – Math Mauli.
The Basilica is one of the most visited religious places in the city. One of the main attractions of this church is its September feast that is celebrated annually. The feast is celebrated as for the Blessed Virgin Mary on the first Sunday, falling after the 8th of September. A week long fête known as Bandra fair thousands of people gather here.
The fair exhibits a variety of stalls selling Goan sweets, wax idols of Mother Mary, and collection of candles in the shape of hands, feet and different other parts of the body. The people of under the weather situations light candles in the Church to seek the blessings of the Virgin Mary to cure their illness.
Dedicated to Mother Mary, Mount Mary Church welcomes people from all religions. People from far off places come to visit the shrine and receive the blessings of Virgin Mary. The church is 100 years old and is also a fine example of India’s stunning architectural style influenced by the British. The church also imitates Mumbai’s feature of unity in diversity as a large number of devotees come up to seek the blessings of Virgin Mary. With time, the Mount Mary church has become one of the popular tourist attractions. The picturesque site of the church renders it a wonderful view of the sunset over the Arabian Sea.
How to Reach Mount Mary Church Mumbai You can board buses or trains, or can even hire autos or taxis from the city centre.