Bombay Archdiocese Marks 140 Years, Renews Mission to ‘Least, Last and Lost’

MUMBAI, September 3, 2026: The Archdiocese of Bombay marked 140 years as a Metropolitan Archdiocese with a solemn Eucharistic celebration at Holy Name Cathedral on September 1, reaffirming its commitment to a missionary Church at the service of the poor and marginalised.

Archbishop John Rodrigues presided over the Eucharist, which was concelebrated by Cardinal Oswald Gracias. Priests, religious and lay faithful joined the celebration, giving thanks for the Church’s journey in Mumbai since its elevation to a metropolitan see in 1886.

Pope Leo XIII elevated Bombay to a Metropolitan Archdiocese on September 1, 1886, through the papal Bull Humanae Salutis. Bombay was among six metropolitan sees established in India that day, along with Agra, Calcutta, Madras, Pondicherry and Verapoly.

The reorganisation followed the Concordat of 1886 between the Holy See and Portugal, which settled a long-standing jurisdictional dispute between the Portuguese Padroado system and the Vatican’s Propaganda Fide. The agreement also introduced territorial jurisdiction as a basis for the organisation of the Catholic Church in India.

The establishment of metropolitan sees marked a major transition from a missionary structure largely administered through Vicars Apostolic to a territorial system of dioceses and archdioceses.

Bishop George Porter, S.J., became the first Archbishop of Bombay and served from 1886 to 1889. His jurisdiction extended across an enormous territory, stretching nearly 3,000 kilometres from Bombay Island through Gujarat, Kathiawar and Sindh to British Baluchistan.

Over the following decades, the ecclesiastical province developed into the present Archdiocese of Bombay and its three suffragan dioceses — Nashik, Pune and Vasai.

A Church at the service of people

For the Archdiocese, the anniversary is not simply a celebration of its institutional history but an opportunity to renew its missionary vocation.

Today, the Archdiocese covers 10,103 square kilometres and comprises 11 deaneries and 132 parishes. More than five lakh Catholics are served by 570 priests, 60 religious brothers and over 1,500 religious sisters.

Its pastoral vision focuses on strengthening faith and relationships among God’s people and witnessing to Christ through service.

The Archdiocese traces this mission to the example of Christ, who reached out to enlighten, heal, support, strengthen and forgive. That model continues to shape its ministries in education, healthcare, parish life and social outreach.

Its schools provide education to children from diverse economic backgrounds, while hospitals and dispensaries extend healthcare without discrimination. Parish communities and charitable initiatives also reach out to the sick, elderly, poor and socially vulnerable.

The Church’s mission has evolved with the changing realities of Mumbai, but its focus on people at the margins has remained central.

From Gratitude to Mission

During the anniversary Eucharist, Archbishop Rodrigues invited the faithful to remember the past with gratitude and approach the future with renewed missionary zeal.

He thanked God for the priests, religious and lay faithful who have sustained the Church’s mission through successive generations.

The 140th anniversary, therefore, serves as both a commemoration and a call to action. As the Archdiocese begins another chapter, its mission remains anchored in the conviction that serving Christ means serving His people, particularly those who are “the least, the last and the lost.”

By Catholic Connect Reporter