Barkur was the capital city during the rule of Alupa dynasty. It was also fortunate to enjoy a place of strategic importance under Hoysala and Vijayanagara rulers. It had a cosmopolitan culture for a long time and people from different religions lived happily here. Barkur is a beautiful place known for its people who are friendly, educated and cultured. Its scenic beauty is appreciated by people from all over.
The legend has it that in the year 72 AD, two apostles of Jesus Christ, St Thomas and Bartholomew arrived here to spread the good news. Bartholomew preferred to stay over here and the place was eventually named after him. Bartholomew and "Ooru", meaning town, together eventually became Barkur.
Most of the Catholics presently living in coastal Karnataka, including Barkur, are from Goa who migrated in 16th and 17th centuries. There were churches in Kallianpur, Barkur, Petre and other places of present Udupi district. A substantial Christian population was eliminated during the infamous captivity in the hands of Tipu Sultan during 1784 – 1799. His soldiers damaged and destroyed many of the churches of that time including Barkur.
After the death of Tipu in 1799, those who returned to Barkur, built a small Church near the present Maryknoll High School in 1801 and dedicated it to Our Lady of Holy Rosary, which went into decay during the Padroado- Verapoly conflict in 1835.
The present plot where the church stands was procured in 1850, and a chapel was built in 1854, dedicated to Apostle St Peter as patron. The miraculous wooden statue of the Apostle, carefully brought from Petre, which was dislocated and hidden during the captivity of Catholics in 1784 to Halekody and then placed at the Milagres Church Kallianpur till 1854, was also brought and installed here.
The chapel was served by the Milagres Church Kallianpur in the initial days. The then assistant parish priest Fr Caetano Joao Fernandes would come every Sunday to Barkur to celebrate Mass and sacraments.
Barkur was promoted as an independent parish on April 29, 1861, with Fr Cosmos Damian Rebello as the first resident vicar. Most of the primary facilities were put in place by August 1863.
There was a genuine need for a spacious church, but resources were scarce as people were financially poor. From 1854 to 1923, for almost 69 long years, the tiny chapel was the only prayer house for the faithful. There were attempts and plans to extend the prayer house. But due to a chain of political uncertainties, First World War, and mainly the lack of monetary resources, people were discouraged from going for a new, bigger church.
Today’s gothic-style church, an attractive architectural marvel, built by Monsignor Denis Jerome D’Souza, was inaugurated on May 28, 1923. Till the year 1921, when Airody St Anthony Church was opened, and till 1934, when Holy Family Church in Brahmavar was erected, Barkur Church catered the religious needs of the huge geographical area ranging almost from Kota to parts of Brahmavar.
The much needed repair, restoration and maintenance of almost a century-old Barkur Church building commenced in October 2018 and the renovated Church was inaugurated on December 15, 2019.
Monsignor Denis Jerome D’Souza – the architect of artistic Church
Young, farsighted, devout Fr Denis Jerome D’Souza, who was the assistant vicar of Milagres Church Kallianpur, was handpicked by the then Bishop of Mangalore to be the parish priest of Barkur Church with a mission, on September 11, 1915. Milagres Church treasury and the diocese donated an initial fund to start the much needed new church building. The enthusiastic parishioners sacrificed more than what they could afford by way of free labour, material etc.
Non-Catholic well-wishers were very generous by donating trees, tiles, lateral stones etc and also by offering free transportation by their bullock carts and boats. It is said that the whole town was involved in this noble act, irrespective of caste, creed or religion, in whatever way they could afford, as it was ‘Devara Kelasa’ meaning work of God.
The late Didwac Sequeira, father of famed John P Sequeira, was the then administrator of the church. Masons and carpenters were brought from Goa, supported by local artisans. Gothic designers from Spain and Portugal were brought. A few marble stones for sanctuary were procured from Italy. The High Altar of the Apostle St Peter was donated by Joseph Mingel D’Souza. Mahabaleshwar Shetty from Mabukal donated tiles free of cost.
An attractive architectural marvel was inaugurated on May 28, 1923 by the bishop of Mangalore Dr Paul Perini, SJ (Visual) and the whole town celebrated the event.
St Peter Church Barkur is a marvelous heritage structure. It is a perfect example for Gothic-style architecture in the region, often identified with such constructional devices as pointed arches, ribbed vaults, flying buttresses etc. Most of the other historic churches in the diocese are a mixture of Basque and Gothic style including the present Milagres Cathedral in Kallianpur.
The skill of designers and the technical ability of carvers of those days can be witnessed in the wood works with elaborate decorations. One can observe the extended piers into the roof area and then curved out the individual columns like ribs of an open umbrella. An aerial view of this immense size and height of the Church, gives a Cross shape from above.
The present portico was rebuilt by Fr J N Lobo in 1981. The two side wings were extended a little, the left side by Fr Marian Castelino in 1940 and the right side by Fr Thomas Aquinas Lobo in 1947.
As per needs, many changes have been incorporated in the past years. But the same original century-old, most attractive statue of Apostle St Peter, the patron of the church, holding keys of heaven standing high on the wooden cum marble high Altar has remained the center of attraction all the time.
Fr Valerian Mendonca constructed the adjacent solid state-of-the art parochial house as a memorial of the post centenary Golden Jubilee, in 2016.
Priests who served at Barkur :
Fr Cosmos Damian Rebello: 28-04-1861 to 19-04-1870
Fr Basil J C Baretto: 20-04-1870 to 19-06-1872
Fr Benedict Rosario Pereira: 20-06-1872 to 28-12-1884
Fr Louis Cajetan Cutinho: 29-12-1884 to 18-01-1888
Fr Julius A Torrado: 19-01-1888 to 08-11-1908. Earlier served at Milagres Church, Kallianpur as assistant parish priest and was in Barkur for a record number of 20 long years as vicar. His special assignment was to win back the lost sheep.
Fr Francis S D’Souza: 08-11-1908 to 05-03-1911
Fr Sebastian Vincent Rebello: 05- 03-1911 to 11-09-1915
Msgr Denis Jerome D’Souza: 11-09-1915 to 27-04-1929. A great builder, who constructed today’s Gothic-style church dedicated to St Peter the Apostle, was instrumental in having a local fund hospital near NJC Barkur, constructed a new parochial house for resident priests.
Fr Julian L D’Souza: 27-04-1929 to 30-10-1929
Fr David S F Coelho: 30-10-1929 to 13-09-1931
Fr Francis X. Aranha: 13-09-1931 to 30-12-1935
Fr Sabas S Fernandes: 30-12-1935 to 16-02-1936
Fr Joe A Noronha: 16-02-1936 to 08-09-1936
Msgr Marian F C Castelino: 08-09-1936 to 27-05-1944. Responsible for the educational revolution with the starting of Maryknoll Primary School, Hosala Barkur, in May, 1940, Founder of St Peter’s Association Barkur, to encourage social, cultural activities in the parish on May 16, 1937.
Fr John M Menezes: 28-05-1944 to 28-01-1947
Fr Thomas A Lobo: 29-01-1947 to 31-12-1949
Fr Charles Nazareth: 01-01-1950 to 23-04-1957. Celebrated Centenary Celebrations of the Church on April 8, 1954 with all pomp and splendor. Completed electrification of the Church Building. St Peter’s Association Bombay joins their hands to put mosaic tiles for the main body of the church floor. He added a new block to MHPS.
Fr Lawrence Monteiro: 23-04-1957 to 6-05-1959
Fr Aloysius Rosario: 06-05-1959 to 30-01-1972. Invited Sisters of Charity to start their Convent and Maryknoll Girls High School in May 1966. Formed Barkur unit of the Secular Franciscan Society – Tertiary in 1961. Constructed artistic belfry with three gigantic bells in 1962 which was once a landmark clock tower of Barkur.
Fr Joseph D’Souza: 31-01-1972 to 16-04-1980. Founded Catholic Youth Movement (CYM) of Barkur in September 1976. Leveled the ground and improved the Coconut garden and constructed the Open Stage in May 1978. The Poor Brides Monthly Saving Scheme was started in May 1973.
Fr Joseph Nicholas Lobo: 16-05-1980 to 20-05-1987. Constructed a new portico in 1982. Started Vincent De Paul Society Barkur on April 17, 1983 and inaugurated SPCYA Barkur-Mumbai on December 1, 1985. CYM of Barkur celebrated its decennial in December 1986.
Fr Mark D’Sa: 20-05-1987 to 30-05-1994. Inaugurated hostel constructed by SPA Barkur - Mumbai at Naigaum, Vasai West, for Barkurians in January 1990.
Fr Benjamin D’Souza: 30-05-1994 to 5-06-2001. Small Christian Communities formed in Barkur in 1995. Stree Sanghatan was started in the parish on October 16, 1999. ‘Pedruchi Chavi’, the parish magazine took its birth in the year 2000.
Fr Sylvester D’Souza: 05-06-2001 to 28-05-2004. Compound wall of the boarding school and cemetery was reconstructed in June 2003. YCS - Young Christian Students federation was formed in 2003. Historical three day Silver Jubilee of the ICYM was celebrated on December 18, 22 and 25, 2002.
Fr Remigious C M Aranha: 28-05-2004 to 30-05-2011. Sauharda Community Hall was constructed and opened for public use on June 29, 2007. New entrance Arc with new gate inaugurated.
Fr Alban D’Souza: 30-05-2011 to 03-06-2012. New Adoration Chapel for private prayers was opened on May 11, 2012.
Fr Valerian Mendonca: 03-06-2012 to 09-06-2017. Parish celebrated the Post Centenary Golden Jubilee (150 year) in December, 2013. As a memorial of the Jubilee, a spacious, New, Parochial House was constructed and is in use since November 29, 2014.
Fr Philip Neri Aranha : 09-06-2017 to 06-06-2023. One of the younger priests to take over the reins of Barkur Church. Earlier served at Mount Rosary Church Kallianpur, Santhekatte where he built the new and modern church.
He renovated and restored present St Peter Church with great care, dedication and professionalism. He led the team from the front. He also succeeded in getting a sanction of Rs 50 lac from the government of Karnataka for this project.
Inauguration and blessing of the renovated church
The inauguration and blessing of the renovated St Peter Church was held on Sunday, December 15, 2019 by Dr Gerald Issac Lobo, Bishop of the diocese of Udupi. This was followed by the solemn thanksgiving Eucharistic celebration.
Fr Ronald Miranda : Present parish priest serving the parish from 06-06-2023.
Compiled by Catholic Time Staff with inputs from Archibald Furtado and Kishoo Barkur's article on daijiworld.com published in Dec 2019.
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