Where is Bendel Church Situated History

My Life I went first time this Historical Place and Holy Place 

History of the Church

The Basilica of the Holy Rosary (commonly known as Bandel Church) is one of the oldest Christian churches in West Bengal, India. Situated in Bandel, Hooghly district of West Bengal, it stands as a memorial to the Portuguese settlement in Bengal. Founded in 1599, it is dedicated to Nossa Senhora do Rosário, Our Lady of the Rosary. It is also a parish church, part of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Calcutta.It is one of the most prominent historical churches in West Bengal as well as in India.

Portuguese became barbaric by the end of 16th century. They started robbing others and also sold women and children as slaves. When Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan came to know about this, he attacked the Hooghly port by sending an army under the command of Qasim Khan Juvayni Nawab. There were five priests out of which four were killed.

Tiago tried to carry the statue of Mother Mary but could not succeed and the statue sank in the river. The church was also destroyed in the attack. The fifth priest Joan da Cruz was captured and was taken as prisoner along with his followers.

Death sentence was given to them as punishment in which they have to be trampled below the feet of the elephants but one elephant raised the priest and put him on his back which amazed the emperor. So he freed the priest and the prisoners and sent them back to Hooghly. He also gave 311 acres of land to rebuild the church which was built in 1660.

Statue of Mother Mary

Statue of Mother Mary sank in the river. One day Father Joan da Cruz heard the voice of Tiago saying that Mother Mary is coming but he neglected it. Next day he found the statue on the bank of the river. The fishermen brought it back and put it on the bank. They celebrated the return of the statue of Mother Mary.

Meanwhile, a Portuguese ship landed at the Bandel port and the captain said that they have faced a storm. The captain also said that he prayed to God that if they survive they will give the ship mast to the first church that they will see. As they have seen the Bandel church first, so they donated the ship mast to the church.

Around the middle of the 16th century, the Portuguese began using Bandel as a port. During or around 1571, they were given permission by Akbar, the Mughal emperor, to build a town in Hooghly. As they began settling around the area, their priests began to baptise the natives - by 1598, Catholics in Hooghly numbered around five thousand, including natives and mixed races.

In 1579, the Portuguese built a port on the banks of the Hooghly, as well as a fort named Fort Ugolim, and enlisted the services of a band of Augustinian Friars, then the largest religious body in Goa. The following year, Captain Pedro Tavares obtained the emperor's full permission to preach the Catholic faith publicly, and erect churches. Thus the Bandel Church came to be constructed in 1599.

This first church was burnt down during the sacking of Hooghly by the Moors in 1632. A newer church, constructed by Gomez de Soto (also spelt John Comes de Soto), was built over the ruin in 1660. The keystone of the older church can still be seen on the eastern gate of the monastery, bearing the date 1599.

On November 25, 1988, Pope John Paul II declared the sanctuary a minor basilica.

Petitions to the Holy See were submitted by several Priors in the past to have the Shrine elevated to Minor Basilica. The Vatican did not grant the requests considering the poor construction of the Church -building and the lack of Catholic population at Bandel. 

H.E. Henry D' Souza , Arcgbusgio of Calcutta personally visited the Minor Basilica. In the meantime, the church building was renewed and beautified and Catholic settlements were established to fulfil the main conditions of the Holy See. The Decree granting the tile of Basilica is dated November 25th 1988. The public proclamation was made on the Feast of Our Lady of Bandel on May 7th 1989 by H.E. Arch . Agostino Cacciavillan. Pro-Nunzio of the Holy See in India. 

The story of Bandel Church begins with the first Portuguese settlements in Bengal. Most historians agree that in 1537 an Admiral Sampoya entered the river Hooghly with nine Portuguese vessels; to support Mahmud Shah. the Pathan Nawab of Gaur who being hard pressed by the famous Sher Khan . had asked the Portuguese representative in Goa for assistance. As a reward for their efforts, the Nawab allowed the Portuguese to set up a factory at a spot close to the present Hooghly Jail. 

IN 1579 the Portuguese constructed a port on the bank of the river Hooghly. It became a centre of trade and commerce. To protect their interests they built a fort. They soon secured the services of a small band of Augustinian Friars, then the largest religious body in Goa. About the year 1580 a certain caption Pedro Tavares, a great favourite of the Mughul Emperor Akbar, obtained from him full liberty to preach the Christian faith publicly and to erect churches. 

IN 1599 a monastery was established at Badel, a village about a mile from the factory. In a short time two other churches were built within the limits of a factory  a military chapel was added to the fort and an alms-house under the title of "Santa Casa'da Misericordia" which provided help to the poor was also used as a school. 

Bandel Shrine Basilica beautiful play ground

                Bandel Shrine Basilica Our Lady of Bandel  

  Bandel Shrine Basilica beautiful play ground                                                         

Only for Bandel Church train  

Our Lady of Happy Voyage Shrine, rooftop Bandel Basilica. Inida WestBengal 

It is one of the most prominent historical churches in West Bengal as well as in India.

Bandel Shrine Basilica's historical Ship's mast. A ship's mast stands in front of the church; it was presented to the church by the captain of a vessel that had encountered a storm in the Bay of Bengal, and its rescue was attributed to Mary.

The church has three 

altars, several tombstones, an organ, and a shrine to Mary