St. Michael’s Church is one of the oldest Christian (Catholic) churches in the Mahim suburb of Mumbai (Bombay). The church is situated at the junction of LJ Road and Mahim Causeway. The original structure of the church was built by Franciscan missionaries of the Indo-Portuguese era. Initially, it was known as San Miguel in Portuguese. The church was rebuilt a number of times; the present structure dates to 1973. From 1739 to 1761, St Michael’s also served as a refuge for the popular icon of the Virgin Mary; the icon is now placed at the present-day Basilica of Our Lady of the Mount of Bandra.
The place is colloquially referred to as Mahim Church due to its location. Along with Our Lady of Perpetual Succor, St Michael’s is also known for its novenas on Wednesdays. Thousands of devotees come there for the novena and the pilgrimage seeking blessings.5
The original structure at St Michael’s is said to have been built in 1534 by António do Porto, a church builder of the Franciscan Order.
During the Maratha invasion, the chapel of Our Lady of Mount Bandra was destroyed by the Portuguese at the instance of the British so its location remained secret to the Maratha (caste). the legends say that at this time, St Michael’s was the refuge place for the statue of the Blessed Virgin from the chapel. The image remained in St Michael’s till 1761, when it was moved to its present structure in Bandra.
The present structure of St. Michaels was rebuilt in 1973.
A large number of people on Wednesdays every week visit Saint Michaels Church. The novena and other services are attended by people without considering their religion. Devotees believe that visiting the Church on nine consecutive Wednesdays (Novena) will grant their wishes. Some of them offer wax figures of what they desire; for example, a wax house. Around 40-50,000 devotees visit the church every week.
The weekly Novena services were started in 1948, when the then Vicar, Father Edward Placidus Fernandes from Bombay noticed a similar ritual celebrating Our Lady of Perpetual Succour at Belfast, Northern Ireland, during his visit to Europe. Fr. Fernandes brought with him a picture that touched on the original icon of Rome.
On 8 September 1948, the Birthday of Mary (concurrent with a Wednesday that year), Fr. Fernandes, as a vicar, held the first Novena services. Initially, only two services were held every Wednesday.
A painting of the Our Lady of Perpetual Succor was gifted to St. Michaels by the Vatican. The painting is an authentic, hand-painted version of the original icon in Rome.