People of different faith, beliefs and religion live in Mumbai and also coexist peacefully. That is one of the reasons why the city is unique when it comes to exploration. If you are in Mumbai you will find so much to explore here and that would give you an idea about the culture of the city. One such location is the Mount Mary Church Mumbai. The Mount Mary Church is a hundred years old church but with a history that goes long back. The history attached to the Mount Mary Church Bandra is definitely one of the things that makes this church popular. That is also a reason why people from all faiths and religions from all over the city and outside visit here.
If you are in Mumbai then you need to go and visit the Mount Mary Church for sure. This will be a helpful read for you if you are interested to know what is so special about the Mount Mary Church in Mumbai. Keep on reading this article to know more about the church so that you can plan a trip to the location as soon as you can.
Mount Mary Church Mumbai
Location: Basilica of Our Lady of the Mount, Mount Mary, Bandra West, Bandra, Mumbai, Maharashtra
Timings: The Mount Mary Church timings are from 8 am to 1 pm and again from 2 pm to 8:30 pm on all days from Monday to Saturday. And Mount Mary Church Bandra Timings on Sunday is from 10:30 am to 8:30 pm.
Mount Mary Church Bandra Mass Timings
Weekday Mass at 6:30 am and 7:15 am (on weekdays there is no evening mass)
Sunday Mass at 6:30 am, 7:30 am, 8:30 am and 9:30 am (there is no evening mass on Sundays)
Evening Mass on First Fridays of the month at 6 pm (Holy Hour Service) and on first Saturdays of the month at 6 pm (Devotion prayer to Our Lady of Fatima Service)
Entry fee: There is no entry fee
How to reach
By air
The nearest airport to reach Mount Mary Church Mumbai is the Chhatrapati Shivaji International airport in Mumbai. From the airport the distance of the church is 10. 2 km. You can easily reach there in about 20 minutes. However, to reach conveniently you can easily take a taxi or take a cab to reach the church from the airport.
By train
If you are travelling by train then the nearest railway station to reach Mount Mary Church is the Bandra railway station which is a local railway station. Bandra Station to Mount Mary Church distance is 5.8 km and you can reach there in about 17 minutes. You can easily take a cab or even take local transport like auto rickshaws to reach the church from the railway station. And in case of major railway stations the Chhatrapati Shivaji Railway station and the Mumbai Central Railway Station are the nearest stations. From the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus railway station the church is 17.7 km away and it would take around 40 minutes to reach there. And from the Mumbai Central railway station the Mount Mary Church Mumbai is located at a distance of 13.8 km and you can reach the church from there in about 40 minutes.
By road
Mumbai is well connected through roadways and you can get buses from various locations to reach the Mount Mary Church as well. The nearest bus stop is the Bandra Bus Depot which is located only at a distance of 2.6 km and it would take 10 minutes to reach the church from there. You can however again take a bus from there going towards Land End. Then you need to get down at Mount Mary steps from where the church is located only at a 2 minutes distance.
Overview of Mount Mary Church
Located at 80 meters above sea level on a small hillock the Mount Mary Church Mumbai is one of the most beautiful churches in the city. What attracts more visitors here is the beautiful view that it offers as well. You will be able to enjoy a picturesque view from this church overlooking the Arabian Sea. Also the backyard of the church offers a gorgeous and a prominent view of the Mumbai skyline as well. Mount Mary Church or the Basilica of Our Lady of the Mount Church is a church dedicated to Virgin Mary. It is a Catholic Church which is almost 100 years old. And one of the best things about this church is that the doors of this church. The doors here are open to visitors from all faiths.
The local people in Mumbai who are predominantly Marathi Christians popularly call the Church as Maulicha Dongar. This literally translates to Hill of the Mother in Marathi. Here the shrine of Virgin Mary holds Baby Jesus. Mother Mary is called Pearl Mother here or Moti Mauli. Moti literally means Pearl and Mauli means Mother. The present day structure of the Mount Mary Church Mumbai is almost 100 years old. However the origin of this church goes long back to the 16th century. Also the original statue of Virgin Mary was old and a Jesuit Priest shipped it from Portugal. In 2016 Pope Francis declared the door of Mount Mary Church as the Holy Doors of Mercy. This is a popular sightseeing spot in Mumbai so you must visit here once.
History of Mount Marcy Church
The Mount March Church Mumbai dates back to the sixteenth century. It was a time when a Jesuit Priest wanted the construction of an oratory dedicated to Mother Mary. Around 1570 therefore the first structure of the oratory came into existence. It was a mud structure on top of a hillock in Bandra. At that time this oratory was under the authority of Father Joao Diaz S J who was the then Parish of Santa Ana and also was the priest-in-charge of Bandra. On an altar they placed the statue of Mother God when it came from Portugal. Twice the chapel had to be rebuilt in 1640 and 1761 after the Marathas raided it.
Due to the increase in the number of devotees, first the oratory was transformed into a chapel in 1640. In 1740 a group of Muscat Arab Pirates ransacked the chapel. Their main aim was to rob the hidden treasures from here, if there were any. At that time there was a gilt lined object in the hand of the statue. The attackers cut off the right hand of the statue and also totally destroyed the chapel. Moreover they also wanted to burn the whole chapel but they did not succeed as a swarm of bees attacked them.
What’s more?
Later the authorities put away the broken statue in the lumber room and replaced it with a statue of Our Lady of Navigators. However after the renovations and rebuilding of the church in 1761 they again brought back the old broken statue of Our Lady of the Mount in its place and fixed it too. Along with that they also added a small detachable statue of Baby Jesus at the same place where the hand was cut off previously. Currently this is the same statue that you will get to see there and it is the same statue which is worshipped here.
Architecture of Mount Mary Church
In May 1902 the construction of this church started. Also a semi Gothic style of architecture is reflected in the construction. It is a four storey structure which is 65 feet in breadth. It also has deep rock foundations and therefore the structure is also very strong. You will be able to notice a deep influence of the Gothic style of architecture and the craftsmanship of the church is impressive. There are front towers in the church which are 98 feet in height. Along with that in breadth they are 18 feet.
One of the main attractions of this church is the huge door here which reflects Gothic style again. There is furthermore a stone arch here that protects the door from rain. Above the main gate you will also find a portal with an emblem of basilica. In Latin you will find initials of A. M here which is Ave Maria that is the prayer to Virgin Mary.
The walls of the church are further beautiful and have fiberglass murals in it. These murals depict the stories from Mary’s life. There is a central nave here which is 67 feet in length and 38 feet in breadth with a ceiling that is as tall as 42 feet. The ceiling is made of teakwood and on top of it there is a roof made of Mangalore Tiles. Then there is the Sanctum Sanctorum here that looks beautiful with white marble work. There the statue of Mother Mary stands on top of the altar with Baby Jesus.
Events in Mount Mary Church
Bandra Fair
The Mount Mary Church is very popular for the Bandra Fair which is a fair that the church committee organises. It is a weeklong festival that attracts a huge number of visitors. Moreover this fair is like a carnival that takes place as the post birthday celebrations of Virgin Mary. After 8th September usually the fair starts on the first Sunday and the festival is also popular as the Feast of Nativity. Overall this 8 day long festival packs a lot of entertainment. The fun includes eating, shopping, rides, street events and more.
Christmas Celebration
When this is about one of the most popular churches in the city there has to be an extravagant Christmas celebration too. However, the festival of Christmas starts early in the Mount Mary Church Mumbai with the pre Christmas celebrations. There are masses, Christmas carols, decorations and what not. On Christmas Eve there is a midnight mass here that a lot of people from around the city attend. You can definitely visit here during Christmas to enjoy a different vibe of the church.
Wrapping Up!
Now that you know everything about the Mount Mary Church Mumbai you need to plan a visit there soon. The Mount Mary church is also one of the most beautiful churches that you can find and visit in Mumbai. From the construction to the history attached to it, everything about the Mount Mary Church makes it a popular sightseeing spot. If you want to visit a location like this then you need to plan a trip to this beautiful church. Let me know if this article on Mount Mary Church is helpful for you in planning a trip to this beautiful church in Mumbai.
