Following the numerous conversions to the Catholic Faith in Bassein, a Portuguese noblewoman, Donna Irene, decided in the year 1565 to have a chapel of Nossa Senhora da Ajuda (Our Lady of Help) built at the village of Sandor in Bassein (where now stands the parish Church of St. Thomas the Apostle.)
The first Holy mass was offered in this chapel of Our Lady of Help, at Sandor on 11 November 1566 A.D., by the Jesuit missionaries from Bassein Fort. The Jesuit priests then started coming regularly from Bassein Fort almost every Sunday to offer Holy Mass in this chapel at Sandor.
(Research of Fr. Joseph Wiki S.J. published in "Documents Indica")
Few months later, the Portuguese noble lady, Donna Irene Francisco Varello, widow of Francisco Varello donated the chapel of Nossa Senhora da Ajuda (Our Lady of Help) at Sandor to the Jesuits on 29 April 1567 A.D., along with adjoining land & property.
(A guide to the ruins of Bassein - Braz Fernandes, published by Bombay Historical Society - 1948)
{Foundationes Goanae (Goa 1575) I. Fol. 480 - 483}
According to tradition St. Gonzalo Garcia, (born in 1556, and about 10 years of age then), who was living with the Jesuits in Bassein Fort, surely came to Sandor when the first Mass was offered at Sandor, and then frequently came to Sandor as an Altar Boy along with the Jesuit priests for the next five years, before he went to Japan with the Jesuits in 1571, at the age of 16, (where he was later martyred at Nagasaki on 5 February 1597 & was canonized as the first martyr of India, in 1862 by Blessed Pope Pius IX)
The parishioners of Sandor must remember that the first canonized martyr of India has walked in the premises of this church as an altar boy.
In 1571, the very year, when St. Gonzalo Garcia went to Japan, Bassein was attacked by Muslims from Gujarat. Although they were not able to capture Bassein from the Portuguese, the Muslim invaders destroyed the chapel of Our Lady of Help at Sandor and also killed many Catholics living around.
In the following year, with the arrival of Fr. Anthony D'costa, the new Jesuit rector in Bassein fort, in 1572, construction of a larger church began over the ruins of the chapel of Our Lady of Help at Sandor.
The new Church was then placed under the patronage of St. Thomas the Apostle of India, and the first Holy Mass was offered in this new church on the feast of St. Thomas the Apostle, 21 December 1573 A.D.
(Letter of Fr. Gonsalo Fernandes, December 1573 - "contact", 1972, vol III. No.5)
Within a year, the new church of St. Thomas at Sandor was elevated to the rank of a parish church in 1574, and Rev Fr. Pedro de Almeida S.J., was appointed the "Pai dos Cristaos" (Father of Christians* / The first parish priest) for 1574–1576*, with charge of the Catholics of St. Thomas parish, which was almost the whole of South Bassein.
Subsequently, the parishes of Our Lady of Remedies at Remedy, Our Lady of Grace at Papdy, Mae de Deus (Mother of God) at Palle, Our Lady of Mercy at Merces and St. Michael the Archangel at Porim (Manickpur) were carved out from St. Thomas parish between (1574–1606). and recently the parishes of St. Francis Xavier at Giriz (1916) and Our Lady of Fatima at Chulne (1963). Thus the Church of St. Thomas at Sandor is the first parish Church outside Bassein fort and the Mother Parish of all the parishes of South Bassein, and is still the largest parish in Bassein Diocese.
The church of St. Thomas at Sandor was attacked once again in 1679, by Muslim invaders from Gujarat, and in 1690, by the pagans invaders from Wada under the leadership of Kakaji.
Why the Marathas who invaded Bassein in 1737-39 did not attacked the Church of St. Thomas at Sandor, although they attacked other churches nearby is still a mystery
In 1886, the northern part of the Archdiocese of Goa was carved out as the Diocese of Damao, including Bassein. The Padroado-Propaganda conflict which had rocked Bombay, never disturbed Sandor, or any other parish of Bassein.
A great miraculous event recorded by the Portuguese had occurred in the church of St. Thomas at Sandor. At. 2:00 AM in the night of 15 May 1618 A.D. a tremendous earthquake recorded in history struck Bassein & Bombay. This earthquake changed the whole geography of Bassein & the adjoining area. The earthquake was immediately followed by a super cyclone which roared over Bassein for about two days causing countless destruction of life and property.
Next day, 16 May 1618, the terrified people living outside Bassein fort had taken refuge in the church of St. Thomas at Sandor. While the people were trembling with fear and begging God's mercy, a powerful thunderbolt accompanied by lighting came crashing through the roof of the church. But without hurting anyone, the thunderbolt was miraculously pulled up in the small sanctuary lamp that was burning before the tabernacle on the main altar in the church.
(Ibid P. 72 - 73)
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