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{{Infobox church
| denomination = [[Jesuit]]
| name = St. Paul’s Church
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| image = Eglise St Paul.jpg
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| country = [[India]]
| location = [[Diu, India|Diu]]
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| founded date = {{start date and age|1610}}
| founder = [[Portuguese people|Portuguese]]
| dedication = [[Paul of Tarsus|St. Paul]]
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| style = [[Baroque architecture|Baroque]]
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[[File:St. Paul's Church Panorama.jpg|thumb|View of the church with adjoining monastery]]
[[File:St. Paul's Church Inside.jpg|thumb|Interior view towards main altar]]
The '''St. Paul’s Church''' ({{lang-pt|Igreja de São Paulo}}), is situated on [[Diu Island]], on the west coast of India, a [[Union Territory]] of India. Diu came under the control of [[Portugal|Portuguese]] colonists in early 16th century.

The St. Paul’s Church, named after [[St. Paul]], the [[Twelve apostles|Apostle]] of [[Jesus]] also known as the Apostle to the Gentiles, is still a functioning church and one of the three churches in Diu built by the Portuguese. It is considered one of the best examples of [[baroque architecture]] (artistic style) in India.<ref name=tour>{{Cite web|url=http://www.damandiutourism.com/paul-church-diu-india.php|title= St. Paul's Church, Diu - India ...|accessdate=2009-10-18|publisher = Official Website of Daman and Diu Tourism Department}}</ref><ref name=Bradnock>{{Cite book|last=Bradnock|first=Roma|title= Footprint India|work=Diu town|pages=1171–72|accessdate=2009-10-18|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nWKaR6LbEGcC&pg=PA1271&dq=Diu+Fort#v=onepage&q=Diu%20Fort&f=false|publisher= Footprint Travel Guides|year=2004|isbn= 9781904777007}}</ref><ref name=tourism>{{Cite web|url=http://www.damantourism.com/ThePlacesofTouristInterest.htm|title= Diu|accessdate=2009-10-19|publisher = U.T. Of Daman & Diu Department Of Tourism, Daman}}</ref>

==History==
The church is located at the mouth of the [[Gulf of Cambay]] and its construction is dated to 1601 AD. Built in the style of a similar [[basilica]] [[Church (building)|church]] namely, the [[Basilica of Bom Jesus|Bom Jesus Basilica]] at [[Goa]], its construction was completed in 1610 AD and dedicated to [[Our Lady of Immaculate Conception]].<ref name=tourism/><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.google.com/search?q=History+of+St.+Paul's+Church,+Diu&hl=en&sa=G&tbs=tl:1&tbo=u&ei=jm7bStP2J4eOtAOdxLSEBg&oi=timeline_result&ct=title&resnum=11&ved=0CCEQ5wIwCg|title=Time Line|accessdate=2009-10-18}}</ref>

==Architecture==
The church, built in the [[Baroque architecture|Baroque architectural style]], exhibits strong similarity but with better workmanship and design than the ''Bom Jesus Basilica'' at Goa built in 1605 AD, which was also built by the Portuguese during their colonial rule of the territory. The interior of the church is decorated with intricately carved woodwork that is considered one of the most elaborate in any Portuguese church in India. Its interior has elaborate and impressive design with delicate [[volute]]s (spiral scroll-like ornament) and shell. The front elevation or facade is also said to be the most detailed of all Portuguese churches built in India.<ref name=tour/><ref name=tourism/> The altar, which has the image of [[St. Mary]], is carved out of a single piece of [[Burma|Burmese]] [[teak]] and is lined and lit up with 101 candles. Above the altar, there is a “blue-and–white barrel - vaulted nave adorned with priceless old paintings and [[statue]]s.<ref name=things>{{Cite web|url=http://www.thingsasian.com/stories-photos/20696|title=Diu Island: Portugal via Mumbai: Things Asian|accessdate=2009-10-19}}</ref>

===Jesuit architecture===

The Church is stated to be an innovative design of [[Jesuit]] [[architecture]], typical to India. The unique aspect is the facade, which has intricate decoration vis-a-vis its plain walls. Although the frontal elevation of the church is a replica of the [[Bom Jesus Basilica]], the church dispenses with an additional third storey and also the compartments created by the buttresses, as seen in the Bom Jesus Church.<ref name= Nunez>{{Cite book|last= Nunez|first= Cesar Guillen|title= Macao's Church of Saint Paul: A Glimmer of the Baroque in China|work=Church of the Holy Spirit|pages=48–49|accessdate=2009-10-18|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4jp04a448dEC&pg=PA48&dq=St.+Paul%27s+Church+Diu&lr=#v=onepage&q=&f=false|publisher=Hong Kong University Press|year= 2009|isbn=9789622099227}}</ref>

The church has extravagant carved decorations in white [[stucco]], mainly attributed to the craftsmanship of the Indian artisans, which is typical of most churches in Goa. It is inferred that the Indian silversmiths known for their exquisite workmanship have influenced the decor in the facade. This has been attributed to a fact that the Jesuits in India could not find native artists who could recreate the original Jesuit architectural designs. Hence, the religious images made in ivory and the objects made in silver have strong local flavour.<ref name= Nunez/>

== Music==
In Goan churches, which included churches in Diu, “lavish singing with many voices and sung masses were part of the elaborate ceremonies and processions that the Jesuits staged there”. The two ceremonies that are held at the Diu church are the Feast of the Eleven Thousand Virgins to mark the commencement of the school year and the other is on 25 January to mark the conversion of St. Paul, which were largely attended when Portuguese ruled the area and also now.<ref name= Nunez/>

==Congregation==
It is the largest and the only functioning church in Diu catering to the small [[Christians|Christian]] [[community]] of about 450 Christians who remain after the Diu territory merged with India after the end of [[Portugal|Portuguese]] [[colonial rule]] on December 11, 1961.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hauyAAAAIAAJ&q=St.+Paul%E2%80%99s+Church+at+Diu&dq=St.+Paul%E2%80%99s+Church+at+Diu&lr|title= India perspectives, Volume 18|work= St. Paul’s Church at Diu|page=32|accessdate=2009-10-19|author=Indian. Ministry of External Affairs|publisher= PTI for the Ministry of External Affairs|year=2005}}</ref>

==Visitor information==
The church is easily accessible from the main land from the village of Ghoghla in the east or from [[Veraval]] or [[Somnath]] in the west. It is well connected by roads with rest of the country. There are no railway lines within Diu but the nearest railway station is on the [[metre gauge]] line at [[Delvada]] {{convert|80|km|mi}} from the fort. [[Diu Airport]] provides regular air links to [[Mumbai]]. The church is located {{convert|844|km|mi}} north west of Mumbai by road. Diu is also approachable from [[Una, Gujarat|Una]], which is {{convert|10|km|mi}} from the Gujarat border. <ref name=travel>{{Cite web|url=http://www.rediff.com/travel/dec/30diu.htm|title= Dazzling Diu|accessdate=2009-10-19|publisher=Rediff.com}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[List of Jesuit sites]]

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

==External links==
* {{commonscat-inline|St. Paul's Church, Diu}}
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9ys6ljHpx4 Singing in St. Paul's Church, Diu, India]

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Saint Pauls Church, Diu}}
[[Category:Roman Catholic churches in India]]
[[Category:Churches in Daman and Diu]]
[[Category:Jesuit churches in India]]
[[Category:17th-century Roman Catholic church buildings in India]]
[[Category:Roman Catholic churches completed in 1610]]
[[Category:1610 establishments in India]]
[[Category:1610s establishments in Portuguese India]]
[[Category:Baroque architecture in India]]
[[Category:Portuguese Colonial architecture in India]]
[[Category:Diu, India]]
[[Category:Tourist attractions in Diu district]]

St. Paul's Church, Diu - Revision history

imported>MPGuy2824: Added coords