X-Mas in Himachal Churches

X-Mas is common abbreviation for Christmas. The ‘X’ comes from the Greek letter Chi, which is the first letter of the Greek word Christós (Greek: “anointed, covered in oil”), which became Christ in English.  The suffix –mas is from the Latin-derived Old English word for Mass.

Christ Church Shimla

Christ Church is located in Shimla and stands tall on a ridge. Christ Church, built in 1857, is the second oldest church in North India after St. John Church in Meerut. It was designed by Colonel JT Boileau in 1844.

It was during the World War II that a priest in Germany appeared as Santa Clause and distributed sweets and a gift to the poor and needy and since then it is a practice to help the downtrodden,” said youth president of the church. The majestic church is famous for its antiquity.

The architecture is inspired by the Neo-Gothic style and the clock on the structure is a gift.

The church contains five fine stained glass windows. One represents the Christian virtues of Faith, Hope, Charity, Fortitude, Patience, and Humility. The chancel window was designed by Lockwood Kipling (father of Rudyard Kipling). The pipe-organ of Christ Church is the largest in the Indian subcontinent; it was installed in September 1899. Among the church’s holdings are a great collection of books and ancient scriptures.

 March to June is the best time to visit this church and from mid December to January it snows in Shimla you will find a beautiful view of the church and surroundings and you can celebrate Christmas in grandeur in this historic church.

St. John in the Wilderness

St. John in the Wilderness is a Protestant church dedicated to John the Baptist. It was built in 1852 and is located near Dharamshala, India, on the way to McLeod Ganj, at Forsyth Gunj. Set amidst deodar forest, and built in neo-Gothic architecture, the Church is known for its Belgian stained-glass windows donated by Lady Elgin (Mary Louisa Lambton), wife of Lord Elgin.

The beautiful church is a part of the colonial heritage. The church was a dedication to John the Baptist and built in the year 1852. It was a place of worship for the British troops that were placed here during that period. In 1905, a major earthquake hit the Kangra area and took the lives of around 19,800 people.

Most buildings in Kangra were completely destroyed but the church remained almost untouched except its bell tower which was partially broken. In 1915, a new bell was reinstalled. The graveyard surrounding the church is where Lord Elgin, Governor-General and Viceroy of India was buried in 1861.

Christ Church Kasauli

Kasauli is a town and cantonment, located in the Solan district of Himachal Pradesh. The cantonment was established by the British Raj in 1842 as a Colonial hill station

At the end of October 1844 Dr. Wilson, the Bishop of Calcutta, paid his first visitation of Kasauli and on 26 October laid the foundation stone of the future Christ Church. On 24 July 1853 the shed of the church was completed and on that day the church was used for the worship services for first time.

In the 1880s the church tower was raised and the public clock was placed on it during the leadership of the Rev J.B. Brunesson by importing the same from W.H. Bailey & Co of Manchester, England. The total cost of this was Rs. 2612 and 11 annas towards which Rs. 1250 was given by the Government and the balance raised by public subscription. After remaining in hibernation for many decades, in 2015 the tower clock, started ticking again with the wonderful efforts of a Good Samaritan from Chandigarh and the local EME workshop.

The clock still works on mechanical gears and is now in the Limca Book of Records for being the oldest working tower turret clock in India.

St. Patrick’s Church Dalhousie

Dalhousie cantonment is a town in Chamba district in the state of Himachal Pradesh

An old-world charm, St Patricks Church is one of the largest churches in Dalhousie. Located near Balloon falls, Dalhousie Cantonment, the church is located 2 km away from the main bus stand on Military Hospital Road.

The chapel was created by the officers and ranks of the British Army in 1909.

St. Patrick’s Church is the largest church in Dalhousie which can host approximately 300 people for Sunday prayer. The church stands out for its impressive buildings and the huge main hall.

The church is deemed to be one of the most beautiful churches in North India. It has been more than a century since the church was built, but it still holds that magnetism and charisma of yore which attract tourist from all over India.

Himachal Pradesh is dotted with various churches.

Some other beautiful and picturesque churches are-

• St. Mary’s Church Kotgarh
• St. Michael’s Cathedral, Shimla
• St. John’s Church Dalhousie.                                      
• St. James Church Kangra
• St. Andrew’s Church Dalhousie
• St. Francis Church Dalhousie

 This post is part of    #BlogchatterA2Z 2023 . You can read previous posts here A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W

 © Deepika