Where Vasco once lay.......
Instant reaction when told "this is Vasco da Gama's First Grave" ? Incredulity , of course. How many times did poor Vasco die and get buried ? No , that's not it, got it all wrong ! He died only once , but got buried twice. That aside..... to the Church now. One of the first buildings the enterprising Portuguese erected in Kochi, right after the local Raja gave them his benign nod to put up a " fort" for their trading purposes, was a logwood Church dedicated to St . Bartholomew . That was in 1503. With further privileges granted by the Raja, it was reconstructed in brick and mortar in 1516 and the grand new edifice was dedicated to Santo Antonio, patron saint of Portugal. ( Bye, Bartholomew? ) It underwent further name changes as it changed hands among other colonisers. In the meanwhile, Vasco da Gama touched shore the second time in 1524. And died. He was laid to rest in this church with a simple grave stone. But it was not to be Eternal Rest