St. Michael's Church (Simrita Lobo)

History

The Franciscans, the first missionaries in Bombay, built St. Michael’s the first church in Upper Mahim was built before 1585.

The exact date of the foundation of St. Michael’s church is unknown. Various dates have been assigned to the foundation of this church namely 1510, 1534 and 1540. John Burnell the early English traveler says that the church of St. Michael’s, Mahim, is said to have been built in 1534 by Antonio do Porto, a great builder, of the Franciscan Order. According to Dom Antonio Pedro da Costa, Archbishop of Daman St. Michael’s Church was built in 1510 and it was the first church that the Portuguese built in Bombay.

Acording to the Gazetteer of Bombay City and Island, “The San Miguel Church of Upper Mahim, was built probably in 1540” built at the northern extremity of the island, very near the creek that separated Mahim from Bandra”.

According to Fr Meersman, the Franciscan historian (1957:61), “the Church of St. Michael appears in 1585 as a fully functioning mission station, when in the year a ‘Pai dos Christaos’, i.e. Father of the Christians was appointed to look after the increasing number of catechumens and converts”.

Our Mother of Perpetual Succour.

Our Lady of Perpetual Succour

History of the Devotion

The devotion to the picture of Our Lady of Perpetual Succour is an ancient origin. It was first venerated in the island of Crete near Greece from whence it was carried to Italy and placed in the Church of St. Mathew in Apostle in Rome between the Basilicas of St. Mary Major and St. John Lateran then in charge of the Augustinian Brothers. The Madonna in the picture, it would appear, had called herself, "Holy Mary of Perpetual Succour", while in Crete it was known as "Our Lady of the Angels". This was in 1499, it seems to have been painted in 1455 or even earlier and was restored or re-painted in the 19th Century, making it appear as it is at present.

In 1798 the Church of St. Mathew was destroyed and the Picture passed into oblivion till the year 1866 when it came into the hands of the Redemptorists at the express command of Pope Pius IX. Since then the Redemptorist Fathers have been the propagators of the devotion of Our Lady of Perpetual Succour wherever they preach retreats and Missions.

In India, however, the devotion to Our Lady of Perpetual Succour is more ancient than the origin of the Redemptorist Fathers. Already in the 16th Century we find a Church constructed and a village named after Our Lady of Perpetual Succour in Goa; and in 1595 a church was dedicated to Our Lady of Perpetual Succour at Manori, in the Archdiocese of Bombay.

The advent of the Redemptorist Fathers in India gave a fresh impetus to this devotion; and the Chruch of Michael's Mahim, may be considered as the pivotal point from which it has spread all over the East and even Africa. The origin of this devotion at this church clearly indicates the workings of Divine Providence in giving this great boon to the city.

In the year 1948, Fr. Edward Placidus Fernandes returning from a trip to Europe, and seeing the wonderful devotion to Our Lady of Perpetual Succour at Belfast, Ireland brought with him a picture touched to the original Picture at Rome. On the 8th of September, 1948, the Birthday of Our Lady - which happened to be a Wednesday that year - after a triduum of preparation by the Redemptorist Father the first Novena services were held in the Church of St. Michael's Mahim, of which Fr. Fernandes was the vicar. Only two services were held every Wednesday and it took three months before the devotion could take deep roots among the people. It was a very modest beginning. Rapidly the devotion grew and captured the enthusiasm of the people that in a sort time the services not only increased in number but the crowds that attended them far exceeded the good priest's Fr. Fernandes sanguine expectations.

The Feast day, June 27, is an occasion to celebrate not just for the devotees but for the whole of Mahim. More Christians participate in the Feast of Our Lady of Perpetual Succour. Some attend the nine day Novena and Masses with great fervour.

Today from 8:30 in the morning to 10:30 at night the unceasing streams of devotees for the thirteen services held in English, Konkani, Marathi, Tamil and Hindi. The devotees that come for novenas on Wednesday include people from all religions and strata’s of life. Some devotees include celebrities like Jay Bachchan, Rekha, Helen, Sanjay Dutt and Rakhi Sawant.

Fr. Blaise says, “I feel privileged to be apart of the Wednesday novenas. Blessing the devotees of novenas is an important part of my ministry. People in today’s times are desperate as they face a lot of problems. They come for novenas to pray believing that Mother Mary will help them. The best part of Wednesday novenas is that I get to see great devotion among the devotees ”.

Mrs. Fernandes, a housewife and parishioner said, “I am blessed to have come to this parish since marriage 28 years ago, attended every Wednesday novena. The Solemnity of prayers, the Benediction and the awesome presence of the thousands of devotees that transform the town of Mahim is the best part of the Wednesday novenas. Hasty prayers of uncaring priests who give preference to the homilies instead and rush the devotional prayers and hymns is what I dislike about the novenas”.

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Reference:


Sr Menona P V Sodder RSCJ (2010). The Mahim Story. Mumbai.


(2003). The Perpetual Novena of Our Lady of Perpetual Help. Mumbai: Vicar, St. Michael’s Church, Mahim.