Bela Church

Bela Church is the oldest here and dates back to 1890. A Gothic style Roman Catholic Church under the Mangalore Diocese, this church is also known as Our Lady of Sorrows Church. It started out as a small thatched church and later shifted to the present location, far away from the city. This statue was initially installed at Kudrepady Church and later shifted to Bela Church. In fact, legend has it that initially the parishioners could not move the deity and had to offer several prayers to Mother Mary before being able to do so. Since then, the statue has gained much fame for being miraculous and also, the church is highly revered by devotees, especially its patrons. Renovated in 2001, this church does not have chandeliers or stained glass windows like modern churches and thus looks different and exudes an old world charm that cannot be missed. A 300-metre cave with a holy pond where the water never dries up and another cave for meditation have put much spotlight back on Bela Church. In fact, several antiques and artefacts are displayed at the exit of the cave. When you speak to the parish priest, he will regale you with interesting tales giving many examples of how people have benefited after praying here. Besides, the annual festival of the church is celebrated in the month of December. There is a daily mass held at 8 am, except Sundays when it is held at 10 am.