Diocese of Medak of the Church of South India

Diocese of Medak

Medak Cathedral ,Medak
Location
Ecclesiastical province Church of South India
Information
Cathedral Medak Cathedral
Current leadership
Bishop The Right Reverend A. C. Solomon Raj
Website
CSI Medak Diocese

The Diocese of Medak is one of the 22 dioceses of the Church of South India in Telangana state of India. Medak Cathedral at Medak, is the cathedral church of the diocese .

History of the Diocese

Arthur Cotton, a Methodist and engineer by profession, with the help of two missionaries (E.E. Jenkins and George Fryar) travelled in Telangana and were responsible for starting missionary work in a village called Sironcha in 1863. In the year 1878, two other missionaries Henry Little and William Burgess arrived at Secunderabad from Madras. Their Indian colleague was Benjamin P. Wesley. The first Methodist Telugu service was held in Boggulakunta, Ramkote, Hyderabad on 11 August 1879 at the house of a Telugu layman, Joseph Cornelius. Charles Walker Posnett arrived in Secunderabad in 1895 and first helped the British soldiers in Trimullghery. Unsatisfied with the army work, he wanted to launch forth into villages. In the year 1896, Posnett visited a village called Medak and built a bungalow there while staying in the dak bungalow. There were then hardly two hundred Christians in the whole of Medak area. The Diocese was inaugurated on 3 October 1947 and the first bishop installed was Frank Whittaker.

About the Diocese

Geographically Medak diocese is spread over five revenue districts of the Northern part of Telangana state, Adilabad, Medak, Nizamabad, Rangareddy and Hyderabad. The Medak diocese's office is situated in Secunderabad. The current bishop in 2016, is Bishop A. C. Solomon Raj, who manages the administrative and spiritual affairs of the diocese.

Medak Cathedral

The bishop's seat is in Medak Cathedral which is known in Asia for its notable architecture and prominent gothic structure. The stained glass windows depict the birth, crucifixion and ascension of Jesus Christ. The diocese is divided into three district church councils with representation of ordained full-time clergy from all the pastorates(churches). Two elected delegates from each church form the administrative council in which the various ministries' responsibilities are entrusted through election for a period of one two year term.

Bishops of Medak Diocese

Commissaries during interim periods

Notable Churches in the Medak Diocese

Medak Cathedral at Medak in Telangana (earlier Andhra Pradesh), India, is the largest church in Andhra Pradesh and has been the cathedral church of the Diocese of Medak of the Church of South India since 1947.Originally built by British Wesleyan Methodists, it was consecrated on 25 December 1924.

Built in 1860 exclusively for the British Army personnel and consecrated by Bishop Gill, the church has a long history. A typical Garrison Church, it was presided by Army Chaplains before the baton was passed on to the Church of South India in 1947 and the services now are in English and Tamil. It won the INTACH’s heritage award in 2002.[1]

William Burgess arrived at Secundarabad in 1878 from Madras set in motion the construction of what is widely believed to be the oldest church in Trimulgherry, which was completed in 1881. Initially,the Church was meant only for the British army personnel but after Independence it was taken over by the Church of South India and was opened to public.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Pink Anglican glow returns to All Saints Church

External links

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