St Anthony’s Church

St Anthony’s Church

Built in the 19th century, this Catholic Church is dedicated to St Anthony of Padua, the patron saint of lost and stolen articles. St Anthony is usually portrayed holding the infant Jesus in his arms, and a dozen such statues greet devotes both outside and inside the church. However, the most venerated statue of the saint can be seen on the side altar. Brought from Goa in India by a member of the church’s congregation in 1822, the statue is thought to have miraculous properties.

The church is particularly busy on Tuesdays when people from all over the country, both Catholic and non-Catholic, come to pray to St Anthony, who was buried on a Tuesday in 1263. The church is especially worth visiting on St Anthony’s Feast Day, when it is decorated with brightly colored lights reminiscent of Catholic celebrations around the world.