Attractions

• Architecture: Gothic style
• Cross shaped building
• The magnificent Cathedral tower
• St.Mary's shrine
• Statue of Our Lady
• Exqusite stained glass windows
• Pointed Arches
• English Mass: 6 am and 6 pm on Sundays
• Event: St.Mary's feast in September

Pictures of Mother Mary's Feast 2013 - courtesy : Sudeep

St.Mary's Basilica

  was started as a thatched hut and known as Chapel of Kanikkai Madha ( Church of Our Lady of Presentation), catering largely to Christian migrants from from Ginjee, Tamil Nadu, who cultivated white rice and set up a village Bili Akki Pally which in due course of time distorted to Black Pally ( today's Shivaji Nagar area). The other theory is that the name Black Pally was due to the fact that this was the worst hit area during Black Plague, when prayers to Mother Marie were believed to have miraculously eradicated plague in the neighbourhood. Over the years, this church has been rebuilt a number of times.

Fr.Jean Dubois who came in 1799 with the English troops during the seige of Seringapatnam, built a small chapel in 1811. Later, Rev. Fr. Andreas from Pondicherry expanded the Church building, in the shape of Cross ( see Google map at bottom of this page). The church was however destroyed during the communal riots in 1832.

The present Church of St. Mary’s built between 1875 - 1882 by Parish Priest Rev. Fr. E.L.Kleiner, was consecrated on 8th September 1882. All the other parishes of Bangalore were born out of this ancient parish. In 1973 ths church was awarded the status of a Basilica by Pope John Paul VI, who titled it Annai Arockiamarie Basilica ( St.Mary's Basilica) making it the sixth Basilica in India. A Basilica is a church that is more than 100 years old.

During 2005-2007 the church was completely renovated by Msgr.T.Jebamalai, Parish Priest & the then Vicar General of Archdiocese Bangalore. On 8th of September 2007, this Basilica was officially declared and honoured by the Archbishop as the Diocesan Shrine.

St. Mary’s Basilica is a spacious Gothic style Church, designed by a French architect and built in the form of a cross. It is 172 ft long and 50 ft broad. The magnificent tower is 160 ft high. A beautiful 6 ft high statue of Mother Mary clad in Sari ( Indian dress), holding Child Jesus in her arms, is set up in an attractive shrine just outside the Church building. It is believed that in 1875, when the new church was built, people were unable to move this statue to the main church. There is a smaller Statue of Our Lady near the entrance; Legend has it that, during the communal riots of 1832, miscreants who tried to pull this small statue down were struck blind.

The main feast is celebrated with all grandeur on the 8th of September. Before the feast, a flag is hoisted everyday, for 9 days of Novena. Throughout the feast devotees are attired in Saffron ( light orange) clothing. On the day of feast, people travel from distant places without any distinction of caste, creed or religion. In the evening, an illuminated chariot carrying the 6 ft statue of Mother Mary, is carried in a procession around the streets of Shivajinagar.