imported>Spokoyni: removed Category:Gothic Revival architecture in India; added Category:Gothic Revival church buildings in India using HotCat

2021-08-19T11:25:16Z

removed Category:Gothic Revival architecture in India; added Category:Gothic Revival church buildings in India using HotCat

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{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2015}}
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2015}}
{{Infobox church
| name = Santa Cruz Cathedral Basilica
| fullname = Basílica Catedral da Santa Cruz
| image = Kathedralbasilika Santa Cruz 2018-04-04a.jpg
| imagesize = 200px

| caption = Front of the Basilica
| pushpin map = India Kerala

| coordinates = {{Coord|9.965|76.243|type:landmark_region:IN|display=title,inline}}
| osgridref =
| location = {{Flagicon|India}}, [[Fort Kochi]], [[Kochi]], [[Kerala]]
| country = [[India]]
| denomination = [[Catholic Church|Roman Catholic (Latin)]]
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| website = [http://www.santacruzcathedralbasilica.org www.santacruzcathedralbasilica.org]<br>[https://web.archive.org/web/20110905212609/http://www.dioceseofcochin.org/pages/parishes1.php www.dioceseofcochin.org]
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| founded date = 3 May 1505
| founder = [[Francisco de Almeida]]
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| status = [[Basilica]]
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| style = [[Gothic architecture|Gothic]]
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| archdiocese = [[Archdiocese of Verapoly]]
| diocese = [[Diocese of Cochin]]
| province = [[Archdiocese of Verapoly|Verapoly]]
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| archbishop =Dr. Joseph Kalathiparambil
| bishop = [[Joseph Kariyil]]
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The '''Santa Cruz Cathedral Basilica''' (also known as '''കോട്ടേപള്ളി''' / Kottepalli) at [[Fort Kochi]], [[Kochi]] is one of the nine [[Basilica]]s in [[Kerala]]. Counted as one of the heritage [[edifice]]s of [[Kerala]], this church is one of the finest and most impressive churches in India and visited by tourists the whole year round. It is a place of devotion as well as a center of historic significance, endowed with architectural and artistic grandeur and colours of the [[gothic style]].

The basilica serves as the [[Cathedral church]] of the [[Diocese of Cochin]].

It was built originally by the [[Portugal|Portuguese]] and elevated to a [[Cathedral]] by [[Pope Paul IV]] in 1558, was spared by the [[Dutch people|Dutch]] conquerors who destroyed many Catholic buildings. Later the [[British people|British]] demolished the structure and {{ill|João Gomes Ferreira|pt|vertical-align=sup}} commissioned a new building in 1887. Consecrated in 1905, Santa Cruz was proclaimed a [[Basilica]] by [[Pope John Paul II]] in 1984.

==History==

=== Portuguese missionaries and Santa Cruz Church : 1505 - 1558 ===
The history of Santa Cruz Cathedral Basilica begins with the arrival of Portuguese missionaries along with the second Portuguese fleet under [[Pedro Álvares Cabral]] on 24 December 1500. The King Unni Goda Varma Tirumulpadu (Trimumpara Raja ) of [[Kingdom of Cochin]] received them very warmly. This caused the [[Zamorin|Zamorin of Calicut]] to declare war against [[Kingdom of Cochin]]. But the Portuguese army under Commander Dom [[Afonso de Albuquerque]] who reached Cochin in 1503, defeated the enemies of the King of Cochin and in return he gave them permission to build a fort in Kochi.

In 1505, Dom [[Francisco de Almeida]] the first Portuguese Viceroy got permission from the Kochi Raja to build a church edifice using stones and mortar which was unheard of at that time as the local prejudices were against such a structure for any purpose other than a royal palace or a temple. The foundation stone of the Santa Cruz church was laid on 3 May 1505, the feast day of the '''''[[Feast of the Holy Cross#May 3|Invention of the Holy Cross]]''''', hence the magnificent edifice when completed was named ''Santa Cruz''. This church was located on the eastern side of the present [http://glocode.com/9.96774,76.24264 Children’s Park, Fort Cochin]. The basilica hosts the Relic of The Holy Cross of Our Lord Jesus Christ for a long time. This is at the Right side of the church.

===Raising to Cathedral and demolition : 1558 - 1795 ===
In 1558, [[Pope Paul IV]], raised the Santa Cruz Church to the status of a [[Cathedral]] along with the erection of the second diocese in India - [[Diocese of Cochin]],<ref name=AR>[http://oce.catholic.com/index.php?title=Diocese_of_Cochin Diocese of Cochin erected | Original Catholic Encyclopedia] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151127005217/http://oce.catholic.com/index.php?title=Diocese_of_Cochin |date=27 November 2015 }}</ref><ref name=AS>[http://www.gcatholic.org/dioceses/diocese/coch1.htm www.gcatholic.org | Diocese of Cochin]</ref><ref name=AT>[http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/diocese/dcchn.html www.catholic-hierarchy.org | Diocese of Cochin]</ref> [[suffragan diocese|suffragan]] (other being [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Malacca-Johor|Diocese of Malacca]]) to the [[Archdiocese of Goa]].<ref name=JJ>[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/06602a.htm Archdiocese of Goa - suffragan sees of Cochin and Malacca]</ref>
[[File:Outside the church.jpg|thumb|right|Inscription Outside the Church]]

The Dutch who conquered Cochin in 1663, destroyed all Catholic buildings. Only the [[St. Francis Church, Kochi|St. Francis Church]] and the Cathedral escaped this fate. The Dutch made the cathedral their arms storehouse. Later it fell into the hands of the British who demolished it when they took over Cochin in 1795. One of the decorative granite pillars of the destroyed Cathedral is still kept as a monument at the southeastern corner of the present Basilica premises.

===Erection of the present day Santa Cruz Basilica : 1886 - present ===
About 100 years later, Bishop João Gomes Ferreira (1887–1897), a missionary and the Bishop of Cochin, took initiative to re-erect the Cathedral and commenced the plan of its construction. But it was the next Bishop, [[Mateus de Oliveira Xavier]] (1897–1908) who completed the edifice. The cathedral was consecrated on 19 November 1905 by Bishop Sebastião José Pereira, [[Bishop of Damao]]. Considering its antiquity, artistic dignity and historical importance, Pope John Paul II through a special Decree "Constat Sane Templum Sanctae Cruci" of 23 August 1984, raised the Santa Cruz Cathedral to the status of Basilica.
[[File:Inscription near golden tower.jpg|thumb|right|Inscription at the bottom of the tower]]

The church has two lofty spires and a remarkably bright, white-washed exterior and a pastel-colored interior. The interiors of the church are mostly Gothic, with the main altar decorated by the famous Italian painter Fra [[Antonio Moscheni]], [[Society of Jesus|S.J.]], and his disciple De Gama of [[Mangalore]]. Unfortunately, Fra Antonio Moscheni died here on 15 November 1905, four days before the newly built Church was consecrated. The columns decorated with frescoes and murals, the seven large canvas paintings on the passion and death on the Cross, especially the painting of the [[Last Supper]], modelled on the famous painting of [[Leonardo da Vinci]] and the beautiful [[stained glass]] windows add to the artistic grandeur of the place. The paintings that adorn the ceiling depict scenes from the [[Via Crucis]] of Christ.

[[File:Kathedralbasilika Santa Cruz 2018-04-04f.jpg|thumb|Inside Santa Cruz Basilica Fort Cochin]]
[[File:Santa Cruz Basilica Cochin ceiling paintings.jpg|thumb|Ceiling paintings]]

==See also==
*[[Diocese of Cochin]]
*[[Christianity in India]]
*[[Roman Catholicism in India]]
*[[List of Roman Catholic dioceses in India]]
*[[List of Roman Catholic dioceses (structured view)#Episcopal Conference of India|List of Roman Catholic dioceses (structured_view)-Episcopal Conference of India]]

==Notes==
{{Reflist}}

==References==
* [http://www.santacruzcathedralbasilica.org Basilica home page]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20110905212609/http://www.dioceseofcochin.org/pages/parishes1.php www.dioceseofcochin.org - Santa Cruz Basilica]
* [http://www.gcatholic.org/dioceses/diocese/coch1.htm Giga-Catholic Information]
* [http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/diocese/dcchn.html Catholic Hierarchy]
* [http://www.ernakulamarchdiocese.org/ Ernakulam Archdiocese]
* [http://www.come2india.org/indian-basilicas.html Updated List of Basilicas in India]
* [http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/04076a.htm Catholic Encyclopedia - Diocese of Cochin]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20110926225112/http://www.ucanews.com/diocesan-directory/html/dps-ia_cochin.php Diocesan directory | www.ucanews.com]

==External links==
{{commons category|Santa Cruz Basilica}}

{{Basilicas in India}}
{{Churches of Kerala}}
{{Christianity in Kerala}}

[[Category:Basilica churches in Kerala]]
[[Category:Colonial Kerala]]
[[Category:Roman Catholic churches in Kochi]]
[[Category:Roman Catholic churches completed in 1905]]
[[Category:Religious organizations established in the 1550s]]
[[Category:1550s establishments in Portuguese India]]
[[Category:Portuguese in Kerala]]
[[Category:British colonial architecture in India]]
[[Category:Gothic Revival church buildings in India]]
[[Category:1505 establishments in Portuguese India]]
[[Category:Monuments of National Importance in Kerala]]
[[Category:20th-century Roman Catholic church buildings in India]]

Santa Cruz Cathedral Basilica, Kochi - Revision history

imported>Spokoyni: removed Category:Gothic Revival architecture in India; added Category:Gothic Revival church buildings in India using HotCat