Visit St. Michael’s Church : One of the Oldest Catholic Churches in Mahim, Mumbai (2024)
St. Michael’s Church is in Mahim and is one of the oldest Catholic Churches in the city. The Church is a place of religious and cultural importance. Like the Bandra Church and the Borivali Church, the locals call it the Mahim Church. If you intend to visit this St. Michael’s Church in Mahim, read this article to know more.
History of St. Michael’s Church
The original structure of St. Michael’s Church in Mahim dates to the early 1500s. The struggle between the Portuguese and the Marathas saw some destruction. Whatever remains today is a rebuilt that took place in 1973.
The St. Michael’s Church in Mahim is one of the most important places of worship for Catholics, and people of other religions maintain its sanctity as well.
St. Michael’s Church is smaller than most of the famous Churches that we see. Compared to the Churches in the rural areas, you will see that most Churches in urban Mumbai end up being smaller. The red cross that is at the facade and faces the main road is one of the iconic sights in Mumbai.
The St. Michael’s Church Experience
The architecture in the Church is staid. Apart from a couple of stained glass decorations, you don’t see a lot of other decorations. The structure has a large internal hall and a small upper area that is sitting. The pews are contemporary as well. To put it in a nutshell, the Mahim Church, its architecture, and furniture is a perfect picture of modern-day urban architecture and other aspects of Christian buildings.
The Crucifix in the Church, the image denoting the Cruxification of Jesus Christ is unique, as the skin tone of Jesus is a bit towards the browner side. Traditionally, crucifixes in Churches depict Christ in skin tone. The entire pulpit is of marble. You will also see a life size statue of Jesus Christ in a glass enclosure and some other individuals of religious importance.
Every religion has its beliefs, and even the Catholic has its own. For example, people believe in the Novenas, the specific prayer that consists of prayer for nine days. At Saint Michael’s, the novena prayer takes place every Wednesday, and that is the day when devotees and believers throng the location, apart from Sunday when most Catholics attend mass.
Saint Michael’s Church is also important because it is the host of the painting of Our Lady of Perpetual Succour, a hand-painted version of the original icon in Rome. That image is possibly the most popular and well-known image in Christianity.
St. Michaels is also famous for the Christmas celebrations that take place during Christmas. Only some other Churches like the Bandra Church and the IC Church in Borivali, have such extended celebrations.
You will be able to spend half an hour in the Church if you are not planning to attend the Novenas or the Mass. A typical Mass takes about forty-five minutes to finish. You also need to be careful about your dressing style when visiting a Church. For a few years now, the Parish Priests request both men and women to dress appropriately while attending Church.
Keep in mind that there are some places that you can visit and some places that are out of bounds for laypeople. The priests are in a constant state of meditation and stay away from social gatherings as much as they can.
Places To Visit Near St. Michael’s Church
Once you complete your visit, you will have almost the whole day to visit other places in Mumbai. If you would like to visit locations of religious interest, you have the Mahalaxmi Temple in Mahalaxmi, the Walkeshwar Temple, and other destinations nearer the North of Mumbai. If you wish to visit places of Catholic religious interest, you can visit the Bandra Church in Bandra and the IC Church, further down North, in Borivali. If you wish to visit further South, you can go to Churchgate and visit several other places, like the Gateway of India and the places in its vicinity.
There are several places in Mumbai for those looking to chill for a while as well. If you are in the Bandra area, you can go to Juhu Beach and get a taste of the economic tourist life in Mumbai. The beach is the hub of tourist and beach activity, so you will be able to taste some of the most authentic street food in Mumbai.
How to Reach St. Michael’s Church in Mahim?
Address: Lady Jamshedji Rd, Mahim West, Mahim, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400016
St. Michaels Church is in Mahim, Mumbai. To reach this Church, you need to first come to Mahim, which is a railways station on the South side of Mumbai. So, board a train that goes towards Churchgate on the South. It is a walkable distance from the Mahim station.
You can also reach the Church by bus. Some buses ply the length of Mumbai, from Borivali to Churchgate. You will need to check which bus number plies directly on this route. Do this only on a weekend when there’s lesser traffic on the roads. On a typical day, you might get caught in traffic.