Nearly a century-old Holy Angels Convent at Naguri to be demolished and rebuilt

Holy Angels Convent, Mangaluru, a historic Roman architecture building, to be demolished for new elderly sisters' accommodation.

The Holy Angels Convent with its beautiful Roman architecture built in 1936 and accommodating the Provincial House of Sisters of Charity of Saints Bartolommeo, Mangaluru Division located at Naguri in the city will be razed to construct a new building to provide decent accommodation to elderly sisters.

Located on a sprawling campus away from the hustle and bustle of the city, Holy Angels Convent, Belvedere-Angelore accommodated the novitiate (a place housing nuns who have just entered the order). Earlier, the novitiate was functioning from Jeppu in the city. It has trained hundreds of nuns who served as sisters across the country.

Conservationists and the faithful who were associated with the convent expressed shock over the decision of Sisters of Charity to demolish the entire structure and said it should have been retained. A faithful, who did not wish to be named, said he had visited the convent at least 50 times in the last five decades as his near relatives either got trained there or lived in the convent.

The beautiful interiors, including wall paintings, have already been removed while roof tiles too were in the process of being removed from the expansive building, he regretted. He also said the Deputy Commissioner too attempted to dissuade the demolition move; but in vain as it was a private property.

Mangaluru Diocese Spokesperson said the Bishop did not have administrative control over the convent; he could advise only in religious matters.

Deputy Commissioner M.P. Mullai Muhilan however was not available for comments.

Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage, Mangaluru Chapter Convener Subhas Chandra Basu told The Hindu that it was for this specific reason the Trust had been demanding formation of Heritage Committees in every district. The committee, if it existed, had some authority to intervene and persuade the owners to conserve such heritage buildings, he said.