India GOChurches in Mumbai
Mumbai's best-known church is the Basilica of Our Lady of the Mount, or Mount Mary, on a hill in Bandra, where a week-long fair follows the feast of Mary's birth every September. In the old city, St Thomas' Cathedral (1718) is the first Anglican church of Bombay, and the Afghan Church in Colaba is a Gothic memorial to the soldiers of the First Anglo-Afghan War.
Four churches worth the trip
Three of them have cards in the list above; Gloria Church is easy to add to a day in Byculla.
Basilica of Our Lady of the Mount (Mount Mary), Bandra
A Catholic basilica on a hillock about 80 metres above the Arabian Sea, near Land's End. People of every faith come here to ask for a favour or give thanks. The present building is about a hundred years old, but the statue of Mary goes back to a chapel the Jesuits built here in the 16th century. More on the basilica's own page.
St Thomas' Cathedral, Fort
The cathedral of the Church of North India diocese of Mumbai, at Horniman Circle. The foundation stone was laid in 1676 and the church opened on Christmas Day 1718, the first Anglican church inside the walls of British Bombay. Inside it is cool, white and quiet, with memorial tablets from the East India Company years. More on the cathedral's page.
Afghan Church (St John the Evangelist), Colaba
Built between 1847 and 1858 in memory of the dead of the First Anglo-Afghan War and the 1842 retreat from Kabul, in buff basalt and limestone, with a spire about 60 metres high and regimental plaques along the walls. A restoration by World Monuments Fund India brought back the stained glass, the roof and the bell tower. It stands inside the naval area of Navy Nagar.
Gloria Church (Our Lady of Glory), Byculla
An English Gothic church of 1911–13 on one of the oldest Catholic sites in the city: its predecessor was built by Portuguese Franciscans in 1632. Its restoration won a UNESCO Asia-Pacific heritage award, and film fans may know it from Amar Akbar Anthony (1977).
Mount Mary, the statue and the Bandra Fair
The story of the statue is the one people ask about. Jesuit priests brought it to Bandra in the 16th century, when the area was Portuguese. In 1700 raiders cut off its right hand, and when the church was rebuilt in 1760 the statue was replaced by one of Our Lady of Navigators from St Andrew's Church nearby. By legend, a Koli fisherman dreamt of a statue floating in the sea and found it the next day; the original statue was later restored and now has a place of honour in the basilica. Koli fisherfolk call her Mot Maoli, "Mother of the Mount".
The feast of the Nativity of Mary falls on 8 September, and on the Sunday after it the Bandra Fair begins: a week of stalls along the steps and the street below the basilica, selling religious articles and sweets such as guava cheese and chikki. Next fair: 12–19 September 2027 (expected). Wax candles shaped like hands, feet and other parts of the body are sold at the stalls: people choose the one that matches their illness or request and offer it at the basilica with a prayer. Lakhs of visitors come during the fair, so expect crowds around Bandra that week. Opening hours are in the basilica's card above.
Portuguese Bandra, British Fort: two church histories
Mumbai's churches come from two different worlds. Bandra and Mazagaon were Portuguese, and their churches are Catholic and older in origin: the first chapel on Mount Bandra and the first Gloria Church (1632) date from that time. The church at Mount Bandra was destroyed in 1738 during the Maratha campaign against Bassein and later rebuilt.
The Fort, the walled British settlement at the southern end of the islands, got its Anglican church after Bombay passed to England in 1661 as part of Catherine of Braganza's dowry. The foundation stone of St Thomas' was laid in 1676, under Governor Gerald Aungier; it became a cathedral in 1837. One of the fort's three gates led to the church and was called Churchgate, which is why the station and the district carry the name today. The cathedral also marks colonial Bombay's zero point, from which the milestones north were measured.
Before you go in
These are working churches with congregations, not museums.
- Dress for a place of worship — Covered shoulders and knees are the safe choice in any church, and keep your voice down during a service.
- The Afghan Church needs planning — It sits inside the naval cantonment at Navy Nagar and has a small congregation of residents. Visitors can ask the custodian on site to see the interior; check the opening hours in its card before going.
- Christmas and Holy Week — Mount Mary posts its Christmas Eve Mass and Holy Week services on its website. Christmas: 25 December 2026; Easter: 28 March 2027.
Other sacred places in the city
Mumbai's churches stand alongside temples, a dargah and a synagogue that are often within one trip: Banganga Tank on Malabar Hill, Haji Ali Dargah in the bay, the Keneseth Eliyahoo Synagogue in Kala Ghoda and Mumbai's temples.
FAQ
What is the story behind the Mount Mary statue?
Jesuits brought the statue to Bandra in the 16th century. Raiders cut off its right hand in 1700, and by legend a Koli fisherman later dreamt of a statue floating in the sea and found it the next day. The restored original now has a place of honour in the basilica.
Where is the Bandra Fair held?
On the hill of Mount Mary Basilica in Bandra, along its steps and the street below. It starts on the Sunday after the feast of Mary's birth on 8 September and lasts a week; next fair: 12–19 September 2027 (expected).
Which is the oldest church in Mumbai?
St Thomas' Cathedral in Fort is usually named as the oldest church of the old city: it opened on Christmas Day 1718 as Bombay's first Anglican church. Catholic sites in Bandra and Mazagaon are older in origin, though their present buildings are later.
Why is Churchgate called Churchgate?
One of the three gates of the walled British fort led to St Thomas' Church and was called Churchgate. The walls were demolished in 1862, but the name stayed with the street, the district and the railway station.
Can visitors go inside the Afghan Church?
Yes: it holds regular weekly services, and visitors can ask the custodian on site to see the interior. It is inside the naval area of Navy Nagar in Colaba, so check the hours in its card first.
What is the most famous church in Mumbai?
Mount Mary Basilica in Bandra, a pilgrimage church visited by people of all faiths and the centre of the Bandra Fair. For architecture and history, St Thomas' Cathedral and the Afghan Church are the two to see.
Sources (6)
Facts checked: 15 October 2026. Prices and hours are approximate; check locally.
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