“Did you hear about the saint whose body took a detour?” I ask, as we stand before St Paul’s Church. St Paul’s Church isn’t just a picturesque ruin. It’s a time capsule. A place where the echoes of Portuguese and Dutch colonialism whisper through the weathered stones. Originally a chapel built in 1521 by Portuguese Captain Duarte Coelho, it was known as Nossa Senhora da Graca, Our Lady of Grace. Later, it transitioned to Nossa Senhora Madre de Deos, Our Lady Mother of God. This humble chapel became a grand church, rebuilt by Jesuits and renamed Nossa Senhora da Annunciada, Our Lady of the Annunciation, between 1566 and 1590. But St Paul’s Church’s story takes a fascinating turn with the arrival of Saint Francis Xavier. He used the church as his base for missions across Asia. Upon his death in 1552 on Shangchuan Island, his body was temporarily buried here, at St Paul’s, before its final journey to Goa, India. Yes, you heard that right. St Paul’s Church was briefly the resting place of a saint. The Dutch conquest of Malacca in 1641 brought more changes. The church was renamed St. Paul’s and served the Dutch Reformed community until Christ Church was completed in 1753. Then, sadly, it fell into disuse, later even serving as a powder magazine. Today, what stands are evocative ruins. Inside, an open grave, symbolic of Xavier’s temporary burial, adds a layer of intrigue. Though roofless and weathered, St Paul’s Church still speaks volumes. It tells tales of faith, colonialism, and the journeys of saints. A silent witness to the ebb and flow of history in Melaka.
Terminal Skypark
Remember that time before KLIA? Before the buzz of KLIA2? Before budget airlines ruled the skies? Then Subang Skypark Terminal