https://en.bharatpedia.org/w/index.php?action=history&feed=atom&title=St._Francis_Xavier_Church%2C_MangaluruSt. Francis Xavier Church, Mangaluru - Revision history2026-08-19T01:45:30ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.43.6https://en.bharatpedia.org/w/index.php?title=St._Francis_Xavier_Church,_Mangaluru&diff=537331&oldid=prevAyushAmar: added first details initial version2026-03-15T15:23:51Z<p>added first details initial version</p>
<p><b>New page</b></p><div>{{Short description|Roman Catholic Church in Mangaluru, India}}<br />
{{EngvarB|date=January 2014}}<br />
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2025}}<br />
<br />
[[File:St. Fancis Xavier Church Bejai 1.jpg|thumb|Bejai Church]]<br />
'''St. Francis Xavier Church''', commonly referred to as '''Bejai Church''', is a historic Roman [[Catholic Church]] situated in the [[Bejai]] locality of [[Mangaluru]]. The church was built in 1869 on a plot of land measuring 5.37 acres at Bejai, which was obtained from the [[Presidencies and provinces of British India|British government]] on 21 November 1869. The original structure was a chapel from which [[Mass (liturgy)#Time of celebration of Mass|Sunday masses]] were offered.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://bejaichurch.com/index.php?action=aboutus |title=St Francis Xavier Church&nbsp;– Bejai |publisher=Bejaichurch.com |accessdate=19 January 2012}}</ref><br />
<br />
==History==<br />
The area of Bejai was covered by the Cathedral parish for around two centuries. The construction of the chapel in Bejai was organised to reduce the inconvenience to [[Mangalorean Catholic]] residents of that area, who otherwise would have to travel a large distance to attend Mass. Sunday masses were offered by priests from the cathedral.<br />
<br />
On 22 March 1912, the chapel was provided with a resident chaplain, Fr. Sebastian Noronha, by Bishop Paul Perini [[Society of Jesus|S. J.]] Fr. Sebastian undertook the effort to establish a primary school for Mangalorean Catholic youth, namely the St. Francis Xavier School for Boys and Lourdes Girls School, in the year 1915. He was succeeded by Fr. Joseph Peter Fernandes, who built a portion of the [[Presbytery (residence)|presbytery]] in 1920. The present church was built by Fr. A. E. C. Colaco in 1928. He also completed the presbytery, constructed the school building and planned the [[Bell tower|belfry]], which was completed by Fr. Leo Saldana in 1937. In 1963, a girls high school was opened by the Ursuline Franciscan sisters with the assistance of the very Rev. Mgr. F. J. M. Pinto, which provided education up to the 10th Standard. After 1963, there was a relative lack of development.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.churchnewssite.com/portal/?p=60434 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140221053038/http://www.churchnewssite.com/portal/?p=60434 |url-status=usurped |archive-date=21 February 2014 |title=St. Francis Xavier Church&nbsp;– Bejai, Mangalore |publisher=Church News Site |accessdate=19 January 2012}}</ref><br />
<br />
===1995–2003===<br />
[[File:Bejai Church 2.jpg|thumb|The church decorated for a festival]]<br />
Fr. Bernard L. D'Souza came to Bejai church as a [[Priesthood (Catholic Church)|parish priest]] in 1995, and soon commenced developmental activities. The extreme western portion of the cemetery was levelled, permanent graves were shifted to a higher area, the ground was levelled and a community hall in an area of 35 cents was raised with 52 cents parking place. The hall was built within a period of one year and was inaugurated in December 1997. Bejai Church Hall currently has a capacity of 1000 seats, a stage, a gallery of 100 seats, a veranda and in the basement a mini hall with a sound system and [[seating capacity]] of 200 seats behind the stage. The total cost of construction was 7.5&nbsp;million [[Indian rupee|rupees]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.daijiworld.com/chan/exclusive_arch.asp?ex_id=1660&ex_title=Bejai+Church%3A+100+Years+-+To+Rejoice%2C+Celebrate+and+Dedicate+ |title=Bejai Church: 100 Years&nbsp;– To Rejoice, Celebrate and Dedicate |work=Daiji World |accessdate=19 January 2012}}</ref><br />
<br />
===2003 onwards===<br />
The next major development conducted by Fr. Bernard was the Bejai Church Commercial Complex in 1998, which has become a hub of economic activity in the area. In May 2003, Fr. Joseph Peter Tauro was appointed parish priest of Bejai and manager of Lourdes Central School. Shortly afterwards the school was approved for affiliation with the [[Central Board of Secondary Education|CBSE]] in [[New Delhi]].<br />
<br />
The Bejai Church parish celebrated its centenary year in 2011. It currently serves 1,250 families, and a total of around 6000 Catholics in Bejai.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-08-03/mangalore/29845887_1_parish-centenary-year-mangalore-catholic-diocese |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120707005059/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-08-03/mangalore/29845887_1_parish-centenary-year-mangalore-catholic-diocese |url-status=dead |archive-date=7 July 2012 |title=Bejai parish set to celebrate 100 years|date=3 August 2011 |work=The Times of India |accessdate=19 January 2012}}</ref><br />
<br />
==References==<br />
<references /><br />
<br />
==External links==<br />
* [http://bejaichurch.com Official website]<br />
<br />
{{coord missing|Karnataka}}<br />
<br />
{{DEFAULTSORT:Saint Francis Xavier Church, Mangalore}}<br />
[[Category:Churches in Mangalore Diocese]]<br />
[[Category:Catholic Church in India]]<br />
[[Category:Roman Catholic church buildings in Mangalore]]<br />
[[Category:Roman Catholic churches completed in 1869]]</div>AyushAmar