Church of Our Lady of Hope

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Roman Catholic Church of Our Lady of Hope, Vypeen
Romano Cathólica Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Esperança, Vaipim (Portuguese)
Eccleasia de domina spei, Vypeen (Latin)
പ്രത്യാശമാതാ ദേവാലയം, വൈപ്പിൻ
Roman Catholic Church of Our Lady of Hope, Vypeen is located in Kerala
Roman Catholic Church of Our Lady of Hope, Vypeen
Roman Catholic Church of Our Lady of Hope, Vypeen
9°58′25″N 76°14′34″E / 9.9737°N 76.2429°E / 9.9737; 76.2429Coordinates: 9°58′25″N 76°14′34″E / 9.9737°N 76.2429°E / 9.9737; 76.2429
LocationFort Vypeen, Vypeen, Kochi, Kerala
DenominationRoman catholic, Latin church
Websitearchdiocese.verapoly.in
History
Former name(s)Capela de Nossa Senhora da Esperança
Founded1605 CE
Architecture
StyleGothic
Administration
ParishOur Lady of Hope Parish
ArchdioceseArchdiocese of Verapoly
ProvinceVerapoly
DistrictErnakulam
Clergy
ArchbishopJoseph Kalathiparambil

Church of Our Lady of Hope ( Malayalam: പ്രത്യാശമാതാ ദേവാലയം, Cochin Portuguese: Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Esperança ) is a Latin church in the Archdiocese of Verapoly. It is located at Fort Vypin in the island of Vypeen, the point where the Vembanad Lake merges with the Arabian Sea, with Fort Cochin on the other side.

The church, with an area of 10 km2 (3.9 sq mi), occupying southern end of Vypeen Island. It is a Roman Catholic, Latin church which follows Roman rite. The patron of the church is Our Lady of Hope a form in which Our Lady of Mount Carmel is venerated as the patron of Fishermen and navigators, pointing to why the emblem of church is an anchor. It happens to be one of the oldest churches in Kochi, built by the Portuguese in 1605 A.D. It was part of Diocese of Cochin and is now under the administration of Archdiocese of Verapoly. A significant Anglo Indian population is found within the parish's borders. The church is home to the famous statue of Ecce Homo, meaning 'Behold the man' (Malayalam: കൈകെട്ടിയ രൂപം ) a statue of our lord in chains and is kept for public veneration on the 4th Sunday of lent every year. The parish remains as one of the only parishes which has more than one confraternity. The three major confraternity feasts celebrated in addition to the of are the feast of Infant Jesus, feast of St Peter and St Paul and the feast of St Sebastian

History[]

During the Age of Discovery, the Roman Catholic Church established a number of Missions in the New World in order to spread Christianity. The missionaries of the different orders (Franciscans, Dominicans, Jesuits, Augustinians, etc.) flocked out and began at once to build churches along the coast districts wherever the Portuguese power made itself felt.

This church was built by the Portuguese missionaries and blessed in 1605 A.D by Bishop Dom Andrea de Santa Maria O.F.M., the then Bishop of Cochin

The Dutch who conquered Cochin in 1663, destroyed all Catholic buildings in Cochin. Only the St. Francis Church, Santa Cruz Basilica, and St. Louis Church Mundamveli (2nd Parish Church) escaped this fate. The original wooden altar and screen of St Francis church were moved to this church when the Dutch took possession of St Francis church.

This imposing church was renovated in 2005 as part of its fourth centenary celebrations. The fourth centenary of her erection was celebrated on 19 November 2005.

See also[]

  • Archdiocese of Verapoly
  • Archdiocese of Goa
  • Diocese of Cochin
  • Christianity in India
  • Roman Catholicism in India
  • List of Roman Catholic dioceses in India
  • List of Roman Catholic dioceses (structured_view)-Episcopal Conference of India

References[]

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