Wodehouse Road, Colaba, Mumbai, India
Cathedral of the Holy Name
The cathedral of the Archdiocese of Bombay, a Gothic Revival church in the Colaba district of Mumbai that has served as the center of Catholic life in India's largest city since 1905.
The Cathedral of the Holy Name sits on Wodehouse Road in Colaba, the southern tip of Mumbai's peninsula. Designed by Walter Chambers and consecrated in 1905, it is a Gothic Revival building in grey basalt and white limestone, with a bell tower that rises above the surrounding colonial-era buildings. The interior is cool and dim — a welcome relief from Mumbai's heat — with pointed arches, stained glass, and a marble sanctuary. Mumbai's Catholic community is diverse, including Goan, Mangalorean, and East Indian families, each with their own traditions and parish networks. The cathedral serves as the meeting point for all of them, especially during major feast days when the archbishop presides.
Diocese: Archdiocese of Bombay
Style: Gothic Revival
What to See
The building's basalt-and-limestone exterior is striking against Mumbai's tropical sky. Inside, the stained glass and the marble altar are the main attractions. The atmosphere — cool, quiet, a world apart from the city outside — is an experience in itself.
Pilgrim Notes
Daily Mass in English. The cathedral is in Colaba, reachable from most of south Mumbai by taxi or local train. The nearby Afghan Church and Mount Mary Basilica in Bandra are other important Catholic sites in the city.