Mumbai: Sacred Heart Church in Santacruz West marked its 90th anniversary on June 14, celebrating nine decades of faith and service. The jubilee celebrations combined religious observances with community events that gathered parishioners of all ages.Festivities began with holy mass led by Cardinal Oswald Gracias, the main celebrant for the occasion. He unveiled a series of activities under the banner of Festa de Sacred Heart 2026.Community events included a Bingo Night, which was held at the parish hall, while the Game of Hearts programme featured outdoor games, water games, and activities designed to encourage participation across generations. The parish also launched 90 Years of Flavours, a food festival showcasing community recipes.According to parish records, the jubilee celebrations focused on spiritual renewal, youth engagement, cultural programmes and fellowship. Food courts serving local delicacies highlighted the culinary talents of parishioners, while a grand feast-day gathering brought together more than 400 members of the community. Children and adults participated in dances, songs and theatrical performances. Local priests and religious sisters also took part in special entertainment programmes. Meanwhile, Debasish Chakraverty, a local historian of Bandra and Santacruz and an alumnus of Sacred Heart Boys’ High School, addressed the “spread of misinformation” about the history of Sacred Heart Church on social media.He told TOI that the church was built about 90 years ago, in the 1930s. Before it, there was another chapel called the Chapel of Santa Cruz. “The idea that the earlier chapel stood on the same site and that the area of Santa Cruz was named after it is false,” he claimed.The Chapel of Santa Cruz, situated on Chapel Lane, was built by Jesuit priests from Bandra in the village of Khulbhowree, present-day Santacruz. After being destroyed during the Maratha invasion of Salsette Island and subsequently repaired several times, the chapel eventually became too small for Santacruz’s growing population. Consequently, a new church was constructed through funds collected by local residents on an open ground. Officially opened on June 14, 1936, the new structure was dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and came to be known as Sacred Heart Church, which stands today.He also spoke on the origin of the name “Santa Cruz”. It actually refers to “Holy Cross”. “It is perhaps the only place in Mumbai that retains its name from the Portuguese colonial era,” he said.
