Mangaluru: Preserving grave stones inside Milagres Church

Mangaluru: Preserving grave stones inside Milagres Church

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, July 10, 2022: One most prominent historic ancient Catholic church in Hampankatta, the heart of Mangaluru city, is ’Milagres’,  It serves needs of thousands of Konkani Christians of the area and beyond with many peripheral institutions, interests and commercial infrastructure has been facing safety and preservation issues lately.  In 2022 there has been a lot of rain and the ’Smart city project works’  have caused all kinds of issues and environmental disturbances. The church floor level is down a few feet in comparison to the concrete roads and footpaths raised around.  Consequently, there may has been shifting/consolidating of loose earth strata layers in this century plus old Milagres church structure, causing  the ornamental flooring tiles and grave stones to spontaneously cave-in at various places due to the settling of old grave soil and  casket disintegration inside the church. Significant issues with graves can be observed inside other churches too and in various cemeteries.  In  early times,  prominent members of the church used to be routinely buried inside the church , the practice is now  banned by law.  About 110 graves exist, spread over say 40% of the floor area, the graves settling and sinking with lapse in time and several causes.  It is surely causing destabilisation of the construction structure and superstructure which can not be casually estimated, this poses a serious hazard and safety is compromised, people who use and congregate for prayers/rituals day in and day out are at high risk.  With the spell of torrential monsoon rains since in 2022, several spots of the inside church floor are visibly caving in and causing serious concern and risk to all responsible. The pros and cons can not be envisged and proper considered technical remidies and steps have to be taken immediately to prevent a holocaust of unknown measure in the short term and future.  The church authorities and council are taking due careful view and action to extnd every support to the cause of sacred sentimnet of preserving the memory of the dead.

Milagres Church: Founded in the later half of  1600s AD  by Bishop Thomas de Castro, a Goan who had been appointed by the Holy See as the first Vicar Apostolic of Canara and Malabar.  Being the seat of the Bishop, the new church could have been considered a cathedral. However, following Bishop de Castro’s death in 1684, no new Vicar Apostolic was appointed, and Canara remained under Goa till 1837 when it was officially transferred to the jurisdiction of Verapoly, and was made an independent Pro-Vicariate in 1845, the seat of the administration being Rosario Church, which was declared a cathedral about this time. Bishop de Castro was buried inside the earlier church that he built – this was actually on the site of the present Milagres cemetery,  this church underwent at least 4 reconstructions, before the fifth one presently standing was built in its present location.  During the 18th century.  During the 15 year captivity era (1784-99), Tippu Sultan is said to have pulled down the church and used the stones to construct a mosque atop Lighthouse Hill.  Following the return of the captives after 1799, Milagres Church was rebuilt, in 1811, the major benefactors being the Coelho, Mascarenhas and Vas families, all of Falnir, and the  Gonsalves family of Dongarkeri. Just as 19th century Rosario parish covered the entire western half of Mangalore, so did 19th century Milagres parish cover the eastern half. Just as in Rosario parish, small chapels were sometimes built to serve distant localities of Milagres parish. At present, Milagres parish is essentially restricted to the thickly populated Falnir area. 

Graves inside church :  A   knowledgeable and prominent community genealogist of Mangalore, Dr. Michael Lobo,  gave some relevant points in an email,  very strongly  advocated the flooring should not be disturbed, but the latest situation now is precarious and life and limb could be at stake. Milagres Church is the final resting place of  many eminent Mangaloreans,  the idea of uprooting the tombstones is nothing short of a sacrilege.   The gravesare regularly walked upon with pews placed on them. Painful experiences, at  Bendore, Urwa and Valencia, etc is cited by Mr.Lobo.  The present condition of the flooring in churches is such that almost all inscriptions are fading or have faded altogether.  Dr.Lobo  had made  notes  of all the original memorial slabs back in the 1990s when he had just commenced this project of genealogical research, only he was able to identify all the persons buried within the church.  This identification is important; shortly he will soon be bringing out a book entitled “Catholic Heritage Tombstones of Mangalore”, wherein all the major tombstones in the churches and cemeteries of Mangalore are being catalogued, with detailed notes on the families and descendants of the deceased persons so that these descendants will have no trouble in locating the tombstones of their departed ancestors, provided they are undisturbed. It is 1,600 pages and  will probably be in two volumes.. Our own Mangalore bishop, Dr Peter Paul Saldanha, has written the Foreword to this book.  Each memorial slab in our churches and each monument in our cemeteries form part of our heritage, each tombstone an important link with our past.  The inscription on each tombstone has a story to tell.

At this crucial juncture, let us glance  the general scenario of connected issues :  Particularly among the rich it may be seen that very few of the younger folks of those whose ascendants graves are here, are at the helm of  affairs in and around Mangalore with most living overseas and not involved at all with most matters at home , in a very short time the situation will be even more serious with migrations. It may be said that when the older people are ill and unable to look after themselves, they are usually placed in ’Homes’, of which there is a rapid proliferation around this region. The economic power of many is the catalyst and care is entrusted to third parties who in turn  ’outsource’ the actual caring to people far removed from the right motives and capabilities of caring for the dear ones. When death occurs there is a big do of the funeral which is beamed to all parts of the world and a very rosy picture presents,  but when the older persons are in suffering there is no sign of the roses and are at the mercy of caregivers whose motives are far removed. Glittering graves are later built in grandeur and remotely maintained but no real affection is showered practically perhaps. Considering the  old community traditions they are all ’outsourced’  and ’remotely operated’  the entire sentiment and feeling is only external it seems. Just a handful may have little interest in relationships but most below age 50 years are unaware and uninterested. 

Even the old Konkani dialect is now fading away and the diaspora has no interest or knowledge of language, tradition or relationships and respect for the same is failing rapidly.  Consider the very knowledgeable research of our protagonist Dr. Micheal Lobo, who has given up a lot to serve the community, has he really got his due for the collosal efforts he has made and still makes?  His tomes of publications on genealogy and other subjects, as many of the community world wide does not know,  a small number who may have these displayed in their book cabinets really have no use of them regularly and read - there is surely little time and opportunity in modern scenarios.  More so too the tmbstones that lie forlorn known and unknown.   Should safety and security of the people using the spaces be put at stake?  Someone mentioned that only those who have a stake in the tomb stones must have a say -but, where are they?  For all immediate matters the responsible people/bona fide representatives in the civil and religious bodies are fully empowered to take vital decisions within regulations and laws if any and act.  Apart from members of eminent families, many other distinguished Mangaloreans are also buried in Milagres Church two or thre  persons to a grave perhaps. Many illustrious members of Lobos, Coelohos, Saldanhas, Gonsalves, Noronhas, Mascarenhas, Pais, Mathias, Colaco, Lasrado, Tellis, Vas, Martis, Pintos and so on are to be found buried in Milagres church.  There was much concern regarding the redoing of the church flooring but sentiments will not now prevail due to the hazardous situations possible. Regarding preserving the tombstones, better options may be created with modern technology. 

The views of the Parish Priest and Councils by Rev Fr. Bonaventure Nazareth : A very respected and experienced priest has laid down that regarding the tombstones inside the Church and Church Flooring at Milagres Church and given options which are generous and note worthy:  

* It is not the desire to make the Church glitter or shine, or to have a project or to destroy the tombs.  But it is a necessity for the safety and security of the devotees and to preserve the historical beautiful structure of the Church building for posterity. ** The Engineers and Architects are  of the opinion that it is essential to take up this work due to the improper packing of landfill below the tiles which creates air pockets and loose void space causing sudden collapse of the floor.  **This has been noticed at least in seven places at the tomb locations, and increasing,  which may cause danger to the devotees during their movement and possibly to the Church structure itself . 

* We are also committed to retain the memory of our ancestors by replacing the tombstones with necessary details of the departed as suggested by the Architect, after due consultations.  ** We highly value the sacrifice of our ancestors and do preserve the heritage through the graves that are inside the Church and the stipulated bodies have already made a resolution to this effect.  Even the change of flooring keeping the Heritage is approved by the Bishop of Mangalore.

* The change of flooring is termed as “sacrilege” based on views expressed by someone. Please see the collapsed floor of the Church and the sunken graves facing danger to the devotees and the Church structure.  We do not want any of the visitors/devotees to sustain injuries and pose danger to their life and limb as it is already experienced by our electrician who had to be lifted from the pit due to the floor collapse. *** The sinking graves are more so on the left side of the main alter, near the Blessed Sacrament Adoration side alter,  leading to the left side entrance towards the cemetery main entrance.  ***Hollow sound and progressive damage is seen at tombs in several other parts of the church, it’s a question of time before worse occurs. It is clear action is called for without delay.

* The Parish Priest of Milagres has very considerately given 4 choices (A, B, C, D) for the concerned parish members. He has sent out a format to executee the  option  regarding the grave stones of their ancestors regarding the flooring change to be executed. The format is self explanatory and the options are : ’on Quote’
"*A. To replace the existing visible slabs; with uniform plaques with essential details of the dead. OR *B. To shift the remains of the mortal body to the family graves in the cemetery  and have a single family grave.   OR *C. To shift the remains of the mortal body to the niches and to retain the memory of our ancestors. OR *D. To shift and affix the existing slabs to the wall behind St.Monica;s Chael in the garden facing the cemetery."

Finally, carefully consider  the current scenario that most of the descendants of the prominent people of old have moved away from Mangalore and there is very little opportunity to visit and treasure sentiments towards the ascendants.  They will provide money etc but the first hand presence and concern is remote  and bleak.  It is already evident now that a trend is seen where well known people of the region are leaving instructions to hand over their mortal bodies for science use in Hospitals or opting for cremation.  So, what degree of value is accorded to the tomb stones; let me point  out that way back in 2009 or so one tomb stone was found near the rivers edge at Bolar of a Portuguese Captain who it is indicated died and was buried there in 1629,  historians said that the spot reveals the first sacred Christian Portuguese settlement and Church of Mangalore and reinforces various theories in this regard. Then in 2020 another similar tomb stone was unearthed just 100 feet from the above mentioned, of a Portuguese noble.  Now, consider the importance of this and the historical facts they prove and uphold, but   how are these stones preserved, studied and displayed?  How much are old historic tombs valued and treasured and how much will the future allow?  Let us not be overly impractical and  sentimental and proceed with a better balance that new age technology and real concern in action can provide.  Practicality, safety, aesthetics and environment need a proper blend with modern living on earth for the new age human and the envioroment.  

By I J Saldanha-Shet.