The Mangalore Diocese will be celebrating the centenary of the construction of Rosario Cathedral in Bolar.
Being the first church of Mangalore Diocese covering regions from Karwar to Kasaragod, this church gained the status of Cathedral on April 15, 1850.
The present building of the Cathedral was constructed using Byzantine and Roman architecture by Fr. Henry I Buzzoni. A key feature of this building is its central dome and 45 small arches.
“It took five years to construct this building, which continues to be solid,” said J.B. Crasta, the Parish Priest of the Cathedral.
The history of this cathedral goes back to 1568 when a church was built by the Portuguese to serve their garrison of 200 men and 35 families working for the factory set up in the name of Saint Sebestiano.
This church, with the idol of Our Lady of Rosario, was burnt to ashes following attacks by Arabs in 1685 and also during the rule of Tipu Sultan.
The church was rebuilt in 1813 and Jesuits took control of this to raise it to the status of Cathedral. This Cathedral is now the official seat of the Mangalore Diocese that has 162 parishes and 3.5 lakh Catholic followers.
This was the Cathedral where Joseph Vaz, recently ordained as saint, stayed at between 1681 and 1684. It was from here that he, who was the Vicar Apostolic of Canara at the time, extended missionary activities to Gangolli, Kundapura and Ullal Panir.
Fr. Crasta said that this church was revered among the devotees of the region of its motherly characteristics. Patroness of the Cathedral has been regarded as Ruzar Mai among Catholics from the coastal region. There are songs in Konkani’s Gumtan songs where references are made to Ruzar Mai settling down at Bolar after coming from Goa. “For non-Christians the patroness becomes mother of the sand,” Fr. Crasta said.
The centenary celebration will begin on April 9 when there will be a prayer for the departed Bishops, Pastors and Lay Faithful. It will end on April 12 when sound and light programme will be held.
