The Church of Our Lady of Springs on Anjediva Island is one of the oldest Christian churches associated with Goa and is often described as the first church of the Latin Rite in the East. Its story begins in the earliest years of Portuguese presence on the island and continues through later rebuildings, repairs, and modern restrictions on access.
Basic profile
- Location: Anjediva Island, Goa.
- Dedication: Our Lady of Springs.
- Portuguese name: Nossa Senhora das Brotas.
- Popular name: The Anjediva Church.
- Feast day: 2 February.
History
The original church is believed to have begun in 1502 as a thatched chapel, built soon after Portuguese arrival on the island. By 1506, it had been turned into a more permanent church, making it one of the earliest Catholic places of worship in the region.
The church was rebuilt in 1682 and the present building was constructed in 1729. At one time, the site also had a seminary and a college attached to it, which shows its former importance as a religious centre.
Over the centuries, the island’s population changed and most Catholics eventually moved to Binaga on the mainland. The church remained connected pastorally to Binaga, especially after the Diocese of Belgaum and later the Diocese of Karwar took over ecclesiastical care in the area.
Parish life
Although Anjediva itself no longer has a large resident Catholic population, the church continues to be a place of memory and devotion for people from nearby areas such as Karwar and Binaga. For a long time, pilgrims visited the church especially on its feast day.
The church is now under the custody of the Indian Navy, which has restricted access to the island because of the Sea Bird naval base. Even so, the church remains an important symbol of early Catholic history in India.
Its pastoral role is therefore limited today, but its devotional and historical importance is still very strong.
Feast and devotion
The feast of Our Lady of Springs is celebrated on 2 February each year. It is the central day of devotion associated with the church and remains the main reason many people remember the site.
The title “Our Lady of Springs†is linked to the island’s freshwater springs and to the early maritime history of the place. Devotion to the church has long attracted pilgrims from Goa and coastal Karnataka.
Note: The church is frequently described as one of the oldest Catholic churches in India outside Kerala, and some traditions regard it as the oldest Latin Rite church in the East.
Church building
The present church building dates from 1729, though it stands on a site with much earlier sacred history. Earlier rebuildings in 1682 and the 18th-century form give it a layered architectural past.
The church stands near Fort Anjediva on the island and is one of the most historically significant monuments in the area. Repair work by the Navy in the early 2000s helped preserve the structure.
Its isolated island setting makes it both remote and memorable, with a strong sense of antiquity.
Address
- Address: Church of Our Lady of Springs, Anjediva Island, Goa.
Present significance
Today, the Church of Our Lady of Springs at Anjediva remains a landmark of early Christian history in India. Its 1502/1506 origins, 1682 rebuilding, 1729 structure, and later naval custody make it a unique and complex heritage site.
For historians, pilgrims, and Goans, it stands as a powerful reminder of the earliest Portuguese Christian presence on the western coast.