Our Lady of Springs Church, Anjediva, Goa

Our Lady of Springs Church, Anjediva, Goa is called ‘Nossa Senhora das Brotas em Anjediva, Goa’ in Portuguese. The original Our Lady of Springs Church, Anjediva on the island of Anjediva, is presumably the first church of the Latin Rite in the East, built in 1506 by Afonso de Albuquerque, four years before he conquered Goa. The Our Lady of Springs Church, Anjediva was rebuilt in 1682. The present building was constructed in 1729. At one time, there was a seminary as well as a college attached to it. By 1950, most of the Catholic population of the island had settled in the neighbouring parish of Binaga, on the mainland. The last few parish priests were in fact residing in Binaga, which was placed, additionally, under their pastoral care. With the creation of the diocese of Belgaum in 1953, Binaga, along with the other parishes of North Canara, was attached to the new diocese and, in a few years time, Anjediva ceased to have a parish priest. In 1976, the North Canara district of the Diocese of Belgaum was formed into the Diocese of Karwar. From then onwards, the Our Lady of Springs Church, Anjediva was entrusted to the pastoral care of the Parish priest of Binaga, of Karwar diocese. The island is now in the custody of the Indian Navy, which has set up their ‘Sea Bird’ Naval base over there.

The Feast of Our Lady of Springs Church, Anjediva, Goa is celebrated on 2nd February every year although the Indian Navy has denied access to Patrons to this church since 2000.