The joyful tears and great piety on the faces of everyone gathered around the grotto was its testimony as the magnificent statue of Mother Mary, made at Simon & Co Mangalore.

Whether it is in Nairobi or North America or the New Mangalore Port Trust, the 82-year-old Simon Art Company has left an indelible mark of the city with their intricate sculptures of politicians and saints.

Situated on the quiet Simon Lane of Mangaluru is a storehouse of art and talent – Simon & Co, now Simon Arts, world-famous for its terracotta church statues.

In the past several decades, Simon & Co, was a household word in and around Mangalore.  One branch of this respected business was the works  ........

Built at Simon & Co, Mangalore, this statue comes with the height of 12 feet, arms stretched 12 feet wide and weighs a net weight of 400 kgs

The newly-reconstructed church dedicated to St Francis Xavier at Udyavar, here is set for consecration by Bishop Dr Gerald Isaac Lobo on Thursday, April 28.

Simon Art Co. has been at this artistic endeavor since the early 1930s. Their artists have produced hundreds of statues - Jesus, Mary, Joseph, the saints, Popes, busts of bishops and church benefactors.

 “Whether you see it from a distance of 1 ft or 100, it has the same impact, Fr Lewis says. “The details are life-like. It is truly magnificent.”