Church of Saint Francis, Kochi

Saint Francis CSI Church, Fort Kochi
Front side of the Church
Map
9°57′57″N 76°14′28″E / 9.965945°N 76.241102°E / 9.965945; 76.241102
LocationKochi, Kerala
CountryIndia
DenominationChurch of South India
History
Consecrated1506
Architecture
Completed1516
Administration
DioceseKochi Diocese

Saint Francis Church, in Fort Kochi, Kochi, originally built in 1503, is one of the oldest European churches in India[1] and has historical significance as a witness to the European colonial ambitions in the subcontinent.[2][3] The Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama died in Kochi in 1524 when he was on his third visit to India. His body was originally buried in this church, but after fourteen years his remains were relocated to Lisbon and is now interred at Jerónimos Monastery.[4][5]

History

Vasco da Gama, who discovered the sea route from Europe to India, landed at Kappad near Kozhikode in 1498.[4] He was followed by Pedro Álvares Cabral[4] and Afonso de Albuquerque. They built Fort Emmanuel at the Fort Kochi Beach with permission from the Raja of Cochin. Within the fort, they built a church with a wooden structure, which was dedicated to St. Bartholomew. The neighbourhood is now known as Fort Kochi. Francisco de Almeida, the Portuguese viceroy, was allowed, in 1506, by the Raja of Cochin to reconstruct wooden buildings in stone and masonry.[4]

The Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama died in Kochi in 1524 on his third visit to India. His body was originally buried in this church, but after fourteen years his remains were moved to Lisbon.[4][5]

Towards the entrance in front of St Francis Church
Front view of the church

The Franciscans retained control over the church till the Dutch captured Kochi in 1663. While the Portuguese were Roman Catholics, and the Netherlands had Catholic and Protestant citizens, the Dutch government and Colonialists were Protestant. They demolished all the churches except this one. They reconditioned it and converted it into a government church.[4]

See also

References

  1. ^ "National Portal of India". Govt Of India. Archived from the original on 21 July 2011. Retrieved 9 January 2010.
  2. ^ "St. Francis Church, Kochi". Wonderful Kerala. Retrieved 21 February 2008.
  3. ^ Missick, Stephen Andrew. "Mar Thoma: The Apostolic Foundation of the Assyrian Church and the Christians of St. Thomas in India" (PDF). Ancient Indian Christianity. Journal of Assyrian Academic Studies Vol. XIV, no. 2, 2000. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 February 2008. Retrieved 21 February 2008.
  4. ^ a b c d e f "St. Francis Church". webindia123. Retrieved 21 February 2008.
  5. ^ a b Ayub, Akber (ed), Kerala: Maps & More, Fort Kochi, 2006 edition 2007 reprint, pp. 20–24, Stark World Publishing, Bangalore, ISBN 81-902505-2-3
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