Church with historic tale

St. Francis Church is located in Fort Cochin was established by the Portuguese presumably by the Franciscan friars in 1503. The Church was first of its kind as it was the first church to have been built in the new European influenced tradition.

It is told that Vasco - Da - Gama the first European to reach India, died in Kochi in 1524 and was originally buried in this church cemetery and later his remains were taken to Lisbon in Portugal.

In the later stage the Dutch converted the church to a protestant church and remained under their control until 1795. In 1949 the congregation joined the Church of South India.

Many people gather here on for regular worship meetings on every Sunday and other commemorative days. The monuments is still standing tall amidst all the bustle, portraying the historic presence.