The original church in the island of Anjediva, presumably the first Church of the Latin Rite in the East, was built in 1506 by Afonso de Albuquerque, four years before he conquered Goa. The church was rebuilt in 1682. The present building was erected in 1729. At one time, there was a seminary as well as a college attached to it. By 1950, most of the Catholic population of the island had settled in the neighbouring parish of Binaga, on the mainland. The last few parish priests were in fact residing at Binaga, which was placed, additionally, under their pastoral care. With the creation of the diocese of Belgaum in 1953, Binaga, along with the other parishes of North Canara, was attached to the new diocese and, in a few years’ time, Anjediva ceased to have a parish priest. In 1976, the North Canara District of the Diocese of Belgaum was formed int o the Diocese of Karwar. From then onwards, the Church of Anjediva was entrusted to the pastoral care of the Parish Priest of Binaga, of Karwar Diocese. The island is now in the custody of the Indian Navy, which has set up there their ‘Seabird’ Naval Base.