But tradition has it that The Church of Hosabettu was not destroyed by Tippu Sultan. This is because the Catholics of the locality used to cultivate betel leaves and were the main suppliers of the same to the Bidrem Chouta Raja and his officers. These people in turn saved the church and the Catholics from the ravage of Tippu Sultan by not disclosing the existence of the church. Thus this was the only church that escaped the drive for the demolition of churches by Tippu Sultan between the years 1784 to 1799. According to the church records Rev. Fr. Benedict Reis De Trividad was the first parish priest in 1798. During this time there were hardly any Churches in 'Dakshina Kannada' (South Canara). Hence for many years the jurisdiction of the parish extended over a large area in South Canara. Gurpur River being the southern boundary, Western Ghats were the eastern ones. Chilmby was the dividing line between Karkal Attur Parish and Hosabettu. Kirem, Pezar and Agrar were the other neighbors for the parish. All the rest of the parishes of the neighborhood are of later origin. Though the arrival of Rev. Fr. Benedict Reis De Trividad in 1798 marks the beginning of the parish, the existence of it can be guaranteed even before 1798. Because, the recent enquiries with the 'Bidrem Jain Bhasati' authorities have revealed the existence of the church prior to 1648. Some documents in the ancient Jain literature in Moodbidri show The Church of Hosabettu as well established before 1648. Secondly, St. Thomas the Apostle of India kindled the light of faith during the first century AD in the Southern Part of India. And the early Franciscan Missionaries later continued the Gospel preached by him in Canara in 1510. Therefore, we presume that the church might have begun soon after 1510 or even before that. But because of the lack of sources available and because of the early records not being maintained, it is really difficult to know the exact beginning and the unknown realities. Hence till date The Alfa or The Genesis of the church remains mysterious and untraceable. Therefore, one has to do nothing but calculate and imagine the long-lost realities. Since 1798 The Holy Cross Church Parish has seen many changes. There have been interchanges in the physical as well as the political areas of the church.