Church of Our Lady of Springs
The Church of Our Lady of Springs (Portuguese: Igreja de Nossa Senhora das Brotas) is located in the vicinity of the Fort Anjediva on the Anjadip Island, off the west Coast of India under the administrative control of Goa, India. Initially, in AD 1502, it was built as a small thatched chapel, but later, in AD 1506, was made into a more permanent structure. It was rebuilt in 1682 and subsequently refurbished in AD 1729. An Insignia awarded by Rome as the ‘Mother Church’ is seen in this church.
| Church of Our Lady of Springs | |
|---|---|
Igreja de Nossa Senhora das Brotas (Portuguese) | |
The Church with its altar | |
| General information | |
| Architectural style | Portuguese Baroque |
| Town or city | Anjediva Island, Goa |
| Country | India |
| Coordinates | 14.761°N 74.111°E |
| Construction started | AD 1502 |
| Completed | AD 1502, AD 1506, and AD 1729 |
This Church is stated to be the oldest Christian church in India, outside of Kerala and visited by devotees from Karwar, Binaga and other villages of Karnataka and Goa.
The ancient church was under the control of the Vicar of the diocese of Karwar, facing the city of Goa. The Church is now under the ownership of the Government of Goa but is administered by the Indian Navy who are in possession of the island to build a strategic naval base.