Main Feature

The Mangalorean Catholic community is made up of mostly the descendants of Goan migrants and a few local converts. The Goan migrants arrived during the 17th and 18th centuries. Several reasons - both political and social - have been ascribed to the cause of this migration. Despite having no direct political presence by Portugal in Mangalore, the Catholic ecclesiastical administration continued to be controlled by the Portuguese administration (often in direct confrontation to Pope's intentions). In 1784, Tipu Sultan won a battle in Mangalore against the forces of the East India Company. Shortly thereafter, the soldiers of Tipu Sultan captured over 95% of the community members and marched them off to Sri-Ranga-Pattana in Mysore. Some very old people, very young children and a few others considered useful for the ruler's administration were spared from the march. Most records maintained at the churches would have been totally destroyed. Considering that most of the community members lacked literacy skills, valuable history of the period - especially at the family level - was lost. Most of the survivors of this captivity returned to Mangalore and the surrounds upon Tipu's death in 1799. A few of the churches were rebuilt. Conflicts between the Portuguese administration and the Pope resurfaced for the control of the ecclesiastical administration. Whilst the Portuguese sent the priests from its archdiocese in Goa, the Pope attempted to regain control of Mangalore region by placing its churches under the Verapoly Diocese of Kerala. This situation created tension among the community members as some opted to part of one side, whilst the other joined the second group. The creation of a separate diocese of Mangalore (1845) brought some stability to the community.