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{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2018}}
{{Infobox church
| denomination = [[Roman Catholic]]
| name = St. Mary's Basilica
| native_name = {{ubl

|ಸೇಂಟ್ ಮೇರಿಸ್ ಬೆಸಿಲಿಕಾ
}}
| image = St.Mary%27s_Basilica.jpg
| imagesize = 260px
| caption =
| coordinates =
| country = India
| location = [[Bangalore, Karnataka]]
| previous denomination =
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| founder = Fr. Jean-Antoine Dubois
| dedication = [[Mary (mother of Jesus)|St. Mary]]
| dedicated date =
| consecrated date = 8 September 1882
| cult =
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| status = [[Minor Basilica]]
| functional status = Active
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| style = [[Gothic architecture|Gothic]]
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| deanery = Basilica Deanery
| archdeaconry =
| archdiocese = [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Bangalore|Archdiocese of Bangalore]]
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| archbishop = Archbishop [[Peter Machado]]
| bishop =
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| vicar = S. Jaynathan & Msgr. C. Francis
| provost-rector =
| provost =
| viceprovost =
| rector = Fr. Martin Kumar
| dean = Fr. Martin Ananda Kumar.
| subdean =
| precentor =
| canon =
| canonpastor =
| prebendary =
| priestincharge =
| priest = Fr. Martin Kumar
| asstpriest = Fr. Joe Prem Britto
| honpriest =
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| assistant =
| seniorpastor = Fr. Micheal Antony
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}}

'''St. Mary's Basilica''' is a [[shrine]] located in [[Shivajinagar, Bangalore|Shivajinagar (Blackpally)]] locality of [[Karnataka, India]]. It is among the oldest churches at [[Bangalore]] and the first church in the state that has been elevated to the status of a [[Basilicas_in_the_Catholic_Church|minor basilica]].<ref name="Chandramouli">{{cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/thehindu/mp/2002/08/29/stories/2002082900270200.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030309121105/http://thehindu.com/thehindu/mp/2002/08/29/stories/2002082900270200.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=9 March 2003|title=Home to all faiths|date=29 August 2002|issue=Bangalore|last1=Chandramouli|first1=K|work=[[The Hindu]]|access-date=7 January 2015}}</ref><ref name="book">{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zzWFvPc2xP0C&q=%22st+mary's+basilica%22+%22is+the+only+church%22&pg=PA15|title=Bangalore:An Expat Survival Guide|publisher=Chillibreeze publication|first1=Preethi | last1=Sharma | first2=Nishi | last2=Vishwanathan|isbn=9788190405522|access-date=2007-08-15}}</ref><ref name=Smriti>{{cite book|last1=Srinivas|first1=Smriti|title=Landscapes of Urban Memory: The Sacred and the Civic in India's High-Tech City|date=2001|publisher=University of Minnesota Press|location=Minneapolis|isbn=1452904898|page=18|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RmOvKsagbAgC&q=cantonment+market%2C+bangalore&pg=PA18|access-date=19 January 2015}}</ref> It is famous for festivities held during the St. Mary's Feast in the month of September each year, attracting devotees from the entire [[metropolitan area]] of [[Bangalore]].

==History==
'''St. Mary's Basilica''' had a humble beginning as a thatched hut in the 17th century, built by [[Christianity in Tamil Nadu|Tamil Christian]] migrants from [[Gingee]]. The Shrine was then known as 'Chapel of Kanikkai Madha' and was located in their village where rice was grown. The rice grown in the village had a distinct white colour, and hence the settlement came to known as ''Bili Akki Palli'' or colloquiallyly could have been named after John Blakiston (1785-1867), who designed the layout of the Bangalore Cantonment.<ref name=Black>{{cite news|last1=Aruni|first1=S K|title=Tracing the architect of the Cantonment|url=http://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/history-and-culture/tracing-the-architect-of-the-cantonment/article2946227.ece|access-date=19 January 2015|issue=Bangalore|work=The Hindu|date=29 February 2012}}</ref>

Bangalore was not a big city in 1648 when [[Christianity]] entered [[Seringapatam]], the capital of the then the [[Mysore Kingdom]]. But during [[Hyder Ali]]'s tenure in 1724–25, Bangalore saw its first Church, [[Fort Church, Bangalore|Drummers' Chapel]], in the Kalasipalya locality. When [[Tippu Sultan]] ascended the throne, [[Christian missionaries]] had to flee [[Mysore]]; thus the history of [[Christianity]] in [[Mysore]] was murky until 1799. With the [[Third Anglo-Mysore War]] Bangalore was seized from the tyranny of [[Tipu Sultan]], who was defeated. The French [[Missions Etrangères de Paris|MEP]] priest [[Jean-Antoine Dubois]] arrived at Bangalore and began restoring the [[Catholic]] religion. He went around Somanahalli, Kamanahalli, Begur, Gunjam, Palahalli, Doranahalli, Garenahalli, Shettyhalli, and beyond, visiting the [[Catholic]] families there and ministering to their spiritual needs. He was one of the first to introduce vaccination into India; he also wrote the famous book ''Hindu Manners, Customs and Ceremonies''.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/hindumannerscust1906dubo|title=Hindu manners, customs and ceremonies|last1=Dubois|first1=J. A. (Jean Antoine)|last2=Beauchamp|first2=Henry K. (Henry King)|last3=Dubois|first3=J. A. (Jean Antoine)|date=1906|publisher=Oxford : Clarendon Press}}</ref> The Mass vestments worn by Fr Jean-Antoine Dubois are still preserved in the church at Palahalli near [[Srirangapattana]].

Dubois built a chapel with a thatched roof in 1803 at ''Bili Akki Palli,'' or colloquially ''Blackpally'' and offered Mass there.<ref name="hist1">{{cite news|url=http://www.hindu.com/2006/08/30/stories/2006083024010300.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090825143002/http://www.hindu.com/2006/08/30/stories/2006083024010300.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=2009-08-25|title=Annual St. Mary's Feast begins|date=2006-08-30|location=Chennai, India|work=[[The Hindu]]|access-date=2007-08-15}}</ref> The structure was called Kaanike Mathe Devalaya, which in Kannada means the Church of [[Our Lady of the Presentation]]. That small prayer house is the location where the basilica currently stands. When [[Bangalore Cantonment]] was established, a Mass was regularly held by Dubois and attended by both [[Europe]]an and [[India]]n Catholics. In 1811 Dubois built a small chapel with a [[Clergy house|rectory]] for priests. In 1813, with the help of the British, he modified and enhanced the chapel and renamed it the Church of the Purification of Our Lady, Blackpalli. Until recently the engraving of the year '1813' was seen in the front nave of the old church where the miraculous statue is housed.

Fr Andreas, a priest from [[Puducherry (city)|Pondicherry]] of Indian origin, succeeded Dubois and expanded the church building in the shape of a cross. But it was destroyed during the communal riots of 1832, and troops had to be called in to protect the settlement for many months.<ref name="Chandramouli" /><ref name="St. Mary's Basilica">{{cite web|url=http://www.stmarysbasilica.in/history.htm|title=St. Mary's Basilica - History|publisher=St. Mary's Basilica|last1=St. Mary's Basilica}}</ref><ref name="autogenerated1">{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zzWFvPc2xP0C&q=%22st+mary's+basilica%22+%22is+the+only+church%22&pg=PA15|title=Bangalore:An Expat Survival Guide|publisher=Chillibreeze publication|isbn=978-81-904055-2-2|access-date=2009-03-20|author=Preethi Sharma|author2=Nishi Vishwanathan}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.hindu.com/2006/08/30/stories/2006083024010300.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090825143002/http://www.hindu.com/2006/08/30/stories/2006083024010300.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=2009-08-25|title=Annual St. Mary's Feast begins|date=2006-08-30|location=Chennai, India|work=[[The Hindu]]|access-date=2009-03-20}}</ref>

The church was rebuilt during the years 1856–1882 under its original name, the Church of our Lady of the Presentation. The current form of the majestic Gothic-style church (pictured) is credited to Rev L E Kleiner. It was consecrated on 8 September 1882 by Bishop Jean-Yves-Marie Coadou, the [[vicar apostolic|Vicar Apostolic]] of [[Mysore]], in the presence of 35 priests and 4,000 [[Catholics]] of [[Bangalore]]. The total amount spent on the construction of the new church. including the pulpit and the statues, was Rs. 29,659.

Over time, the church of St Mary's at Blackpally had become a parish and has since overseen the construction of other churches in Bangalore, most prominently St Francis Xavier's Cathedral (1851), St Joseph's Church (1867), and Sacred Heart Church, Ashoknagar ([[Austin Town, Bengaluru|Austin Town]]) (1867). The church was elevated to the status of a minor basilica in 1973 through an edict issued by [[Pope Paul VI]]. It was the sixth church in India to be elevated to this status. An annual nine-day [[novena]] is held between 30 August and 7 September, with Mass being offered in English, Kannada, Malayalam and Tamil.<ref name="St. Mary's Basilica" /> The area of Blackpally is now known as Shivajinagar.

==Architecture==
[[File:Mass, St Mary's Basilica Bangalore.jpg|thumb]]
The basilica has been built in the Gothic style with arches, ornamental [[Motif (visual arts)|motif]]s, and [[stained glass]] windows.<ref name="hist4">{{cite news|url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2005-10-16/bangalore/27838029_1_references-church-blessing|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121017232618/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2005-10-16/bangalore/27838029_1_references-church-blessing|url-status=dead|archive-date=2012-10-17|author=Anita Rao Kashi|title=Blessing faithful, soothing the eye|access-date=2007-08-16|work=[[The Times of India]]|date=2005-10-16}}</ref> Multiple columns with rich [[Corinthian order|Corinthian]] capitals support the stately arches of the church. The columns and tall spires of the basilica can be seen from far away. The stained glass windows were removed during [[World War II]] and were subsequently restored in 1947.

==St. Mary's feast==
St. Mary's Feast which celebrates the birth of [[Mother Mary]] is the most important festival celebrated in the basilica and is attended by 500,000 people.{{clarify|date=August 2014|text=Bangalore has two million christians, yet, more than five hundred thousands attended that church especially Hindus and Muslims.}} Held in the month of September, the festivities go on for 10 days culminating in a grand chariot procession on the last day.<ref name="hist1"/> The festivities begin with the hoisting of a traditional flag. A [[Novena]] is held on the first nine days from 29 August to 7 September. September 8, the day on which Mother Mary was born, is celebrated as a Holy feast. Mass is offered in different languages and mass marriages are conducted for the poor and needy. A thanksgiving Mass is also organized for couples who have completed 50 years of marriage. [[Eucharistic]] celebrations are held on the day of the feast and a decorated chariot with the image of Mother Mary is drawn by devotees along the various streets of Bangalore.

==Mass times==

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Weekdays
! Saturday
! Sunday
|-
|
06:00 English 
07:00 Tamil 
09:00 Kannada 
11:00 Tamil 
18:00 Mon, Tue & Fri Tamil 
18:00 Wed Kannada 
18:00 Thu English 
|
06:00 English 
07:00 Tamil 
9:00 Kannada 
10:00 English 
11:00 Tamil 
18:00 Tamil 
|
06:00 English 
07:00 Tamil 
08:00 Tamil 
09:15 Kannada 
11:00 Tamil 
18:00 English
|}
{{clear}}

==Gallery==
<gallery mode=packed>
Image:St. Mary's Basilica Bangalore.jpg|The church
Image:St. Mary's Basilica Bangalore Inside.jpg|Nave
Image:St. Mary's Basilica Bangalore alter.jpg|Altar
Image:St. Mary's Basilica Bangalore front.jpg|Front view from the road
</gallery>
<gallery mode=packed>
Image:St. Mary's Basilica Bangalore pillar.jpg|Pillars inside the church
Image:St. Mary's Basilica Bangalore gate.jpg|Church gate
Image:St. Mary's Basilica, Bangalore at Night.jpg|At night
</gallery>

==References==
{{reflist}}
{{coord|12|59|3.1|N|77|36|13.99|E|type:landmark_region:IN|display=title}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
* [http://www.stmarysbangalore.com Official website]

{{Basilicas in India}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Saint Marys Basilica, Bangalore}}
[[Category:Roman Catholic churches completed in 1882]]
[[Category:19th-century Roman Catholic church buildings in India]]
[[Category:Basilica churches in Karnataka]]
[[Category:Roman Catholic church buildings in Bengaluru]]

St. Mary's Basilica, Bengaluru - Revision history

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