Now, this church has a long and fascinating history. It all started back in 1500 when Portuguese missionaries arrived here in Kochi. The King of Cochin was so excited to see them that he welcomed them with open arms. Well, that caused a bit of a ruckus with the Zamorin of Calicut, who declared war against the Kingdom of Cochin. Drama, right?
But don't worry. The Portuguese army came to the rescue and defeated the enemies. As a token of gratitude, the King of Cochin allowed them to build a fort in Kochi. And guess what? They decided to build a church using stones and mortar, even though that was a bit unconventional at the time. They laid the foundation stone on the feast day of the Invention of the Holy Cross, so they named the church Santa Cruz.
Fast forward to 1558, when Pope Paul IV elevated the Santa Cruz Church to a cathedral and established the Diocese of Cochin. Talk about a promotion! Unfortunately, when the Dutch came and conquered Cochin in 1663, they destroyed most of the Catholic buildings. But guess what? Our cathedral and the St. Francis Church managed to escape their wrath.
Then, the British took over Cochin in 1795 and decided to demolish the cathedral. I guess they didn't appreciate its beauty like we do. But fear not, because Bishop João Gomes Ferreira and Bishop Mateus de Oliveira Xavier came to the rescue. They took it upon themselves to re-erect the cathedral and bring it back to its former glory. It was finally consecrated in 1905.
Now, here's something tragic and fascinating. The famous Italian painter Fra Antonio Moscheni decorated the main altar of the newly built church. But sadly, he passed away just four days before the consecration. His disciple De Gama of Mangalore completed the work, though.
The Santa Cruz Cathedral Basilica was proclaimed a basilica by Pope John Paul II in 1984. And let me tell you, it's a sight to behold. You'll notice the two lofty spires and the bright, white-washed exterior. And when you step inside, the pastel-colored interior will take your breath away. It's mostly Gothic, thanks to Fra Antonio Moscheni's artistic touch.
Oh, and before I forget, the basilica houses the Relic of The Holy Cross of Our Lord Jesus Christ. You can find it on the right side of the church. Pretty amazing, isn't it?
Well, my friend, I hope you enjoyed this little journey through the history of the Santa Cruz Cathedral Basilica. Let's move on to our next stop and see what awaits us there!
