Medak Cathedral at Medak in Telangana, India, is the largest church in Telangana and has been the cathedral church of the Diocese of Medak of the Church of South India since 1947. Originally built by Charles Walker Fasnet British Wesleyan Methodists, it was consecrated on 25 December 1924. The Medak diocese is the single largest diocese in Asia and the second in the world after the Vatican.
History
Medak Cathedral is the seat of the Bishop in Medak for the Church of South India (comprising Wesleyan Methodist, Congregational and Anglican missionary societies - SPG, WMMS, LMS, CMS, and the Church of England). The Cathedral is the largest of all churches in Telangana. The Cathedral also sees over the Diocese of Medak, which is the single largest diocese in Asia and the second largest diocese in the world. It was consecrated on 25 December 1924. Built by the British Wesleyan Methodists, the Cathedral is now under the jurisdiction of the Church of South India.
The cathedral was built under the stewardship of Reverend Charls Walker Posnett who was driven by the motto My best for my Lord. Rev. Posnett arrived in Secunderabad in 1895. He first ministered among the British soldiers at Trimullghery. Unsatisfied with the army work, he launched forth into villages. In the year 1896, Rev. Charles Walker Posnett visited a village called Medak and built a bungalow there by staying in dock bungalow. There was no railway route to Medak in those days. The journey of 60 miles (97 km) from Hyderabad had to be done on horseback and Rev. Posnett could do it in a day. There were then hardly two hundred Christians in the whole of Medak area. When he came to Medak, there was a small tiled house as the place of worship. As the number of Christians increased, he felt the need for expanding the church building. Rev.Posnett soon raised a moderate structure on that very spot just enough for the Christian community within the Mission Compound in the traditional shape of a church. He thought it was not a worthy place for divine worship. He started building the present Cathedral in 1914 on a sprawling 1,000 acres (4.0 km2) of land in Ghusnabad area. The foundations for the new church were laid in the beginning of the year 1914.During the early part of the 20th century, Medak district was reeling under famine and Rev. Posnett in order to provide succour to the suffering masses gave the masses employment in the construction of the church instead of running a free kitchen. The construction wonk on the cathedral went on for 10 years. The cathedral was consecrated in 1924 by Rev. Posnett expressing his grateful thanks to God for mitigating the sufferings of the people. When several Christian groups became re-united as the Church of South India, the church became the cathedral church of the diocese of Medak in
October 1947.
Architecture
The cathedral is 100 ft (30 m) wide and 200 ft (61 m) long, and conforms to the Gothic Revival style. It can accommodate about 5,000 people at a time. The mosaic tiles were imported from Britain and are of six different colours. Italian masons from Bombay were engaged for laying the decorative flooring. Massive pillars built with fine-hewn and well dressed grey stone support the gallery and the whole edifice. The roof of the church is made sound-proof by means of hollow sponge material, and has an impressive style of vaulting. The surface of the vaulting has the shape of squares. The bell-tower is 175 ft (53 m) high. (It is said that when the nizam of Hyderabad discovered that the church would be higher than the Charminar, he made a vain bid to have its height reduced.
Stained glass
The biggest attraction of the Cathedral are its stained glass windows depicting different scenes from Christ’s life – Ascension behind the altar, Nativity in the west transept, and Crucifixion in the east transept. The windows were designed by Sir. O. Salisbury of England. The stained glass windows were installed at different periods. The chancel window depicting the ascension was installed in 1927, two years after the cathedral was built. The nativity window was installed in 1947 and the crucifixion window was installed in 1958.
History of the Diocese
As mentioned earlier 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 .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.
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 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.
Other Churches in the Medak Diocese
All Saint's Church, Trimulgherry
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]
Garrison Wesley Church, Secundarabad
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.
The Medak Church is renowned for its large pointed stained glass windows that tell the story of the Bible in a kaleidoscope of colors though visible only in solar light. Made of Italian tiles, the spired bell tower of Medak Church rises to 175 feet high. The length & width of the Cathedral is 200 feet and 100 feet respectively. The roof of thechurch is sound proof being made by hollow sponge material and has an impressive style of vaulting. A window depicts the birth scene of Jesus, angels, Prophet or Issaiah, Mary and astrologers. The left side of the church bears the painted crucification scene and in the center the ascension of Jesus is painted bright. Each window is made up of several bits of stained glass delicately set into the massive stone windows. The window to the north which offers a canopy to the altar is awesome. The church has enough space to accommodate 5000 people at a time in its huge dimension.
There are six different colors of mosaic tiles that were imported from England and used in the church’s flooring. This magnificent white granite structure not only stands for peace but a great example of Gothic architecture in India and South-east Asia.
Timings :
Services:
Sunday General Service – 9:30 am
Sunday Morning Service – 7 am
The cathedral is open daily from 7 am to 6 pm for public viewing and silent prayer.
Travel Information :
By Air : Hyderabad (100 km) is the nearest airport to Medak.
By Train : Kamareddy (60 km) is the nearest railhead to Medak. And Secunderabad (100 km).
By Bus : Medak church is 100 Km from Hyderabad. This place is accessible by plenty of buses from Secunderabad and Hyderabad Bus Stations. One can also drive to this place to get a feel of the village environment.
History
Medak Cathedral is the seat of the Bishop in Medak for the Church of South India (comprising Wesleyan Methodist, Congregational and Anglican missionary societies - SPG, WMMS, LMS, CMS, and the Church of England). The Cathedral is the largest of all churches in Telangana. The Cathedral also sees over the Diocese of Medak, which is the single largest diocese in Asia and the second largest diocese in the world. It was consecrated on 25 December 1924. Built by the British Wesleyan Methodists, the Cathedral is now under the jurisdiction of the Church of South India.
The cathedral was built under the stewardship of Reverend Charls Walker Posnett who was driven by the motto My best for my Lord. Rev. Posnett arrived in Secunderabad in 1895. He first ministered among the British soldiers at Trimullghery. Unsatisfied with the army work, he launched forth into villages. In the year 1896, Rev. Charles Walker Posnett visited a village called Medak and built a bungalow there by staying in dock bungalow. There was no railway route to Medak in those days. The journey of 60 miles (97 km) from Hyderabad had to be done on horseback and Rev. Posnett could do it in a day. There were then hardly two hundred Christians in the whole of Medak area. When he came to Medak, there was a small tiled house as the place of worship. As the number of Christians increased, he felt the need for expanding the church building. Rev.Posnett soon raised a moderate structure on that very spot just enough for the Christian community within the Mission Compound in the traditional shape of a church. He thought it was not a worthy place for divine worship. He started building the present Cathedral in 1914 on a sprawling 1,000 acres (4.0 km2) of land in Ghusnabad area. The foundations for the new church were laid in the beginning of the year 1914.During the early part of the 20th century, Medak district was reeling under famine and Rev. Posnett in order to provide succour to the suffering masses gave the masses employment in the construction of the church instead of running a free kitchen. The construction wonk on the cathedral went on for 10 years. The cathedral was consecrated in 1924 by Rev. Posnett expressing his grateful thanks to God for mitigating the sufferings of the people. When several Christian groups became re-united as the Church of South India, the church became the cathedral church of the diocese of Medak in
October 1947.
Architecture
The cathedral is 100 ft (30 m) wide and 200 ft (61 m) long, and conforms to the Gothic Revival style. It can accommodate about 5,000 people at a time. The mosaic tiles were imported from Britain and are of six different colours. Italian masons from Bombay were engaged for laying the decorative flooring. Massive pillars built with fine-hewn and well dressed grey stone support the gallery and the whole edifice. The roof of the church is made sound-proof by means of hollow sponge material, and has an impressive style of vaulting. The surface of the vaulting has the shape of squares. The bell-tower is 175 ft (53 m) high. (It is said that when the nizam of Hyderabad discovered that the church would be higher than the Charminar, he made a vain bid to have its height reduced.
Stained glass
The biggest attraction of the Cathedral are its stained glass windows depicting different scenes from Christ’s life – Ascension behind the altar, Nativity in the west transept, and Crucifixion in the east transept. The windows were designed by Sir. O. Salisbury of England. The stained glass windows were installed at different periods. The chancel window depicting the ascension was installed in 1927, two years after the cathedral was built. The nativity window was installed in 1947 and the crucifixion window was installed in 1958.
History of the Diocese
As mentioned earlier 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 .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.
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 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.
Other Churches in the Medak Diocese
All Saint's Church, Trimulgherry
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]
Garrison Wesley Church, Secundarabad
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.
The Medak Church is renowned for its large pointed stained glass windows that tell the story of the Bible in a kaleidoscope of colors though visible only in solar light. Made of Italian tiles, the spired bell tower of Medak Church rises to 175 feet high. The length & width of the Cathedral is 200 feet and 100 feet respectively. The roof of thechurch is sound proof being made by hollow sponge material and has an impressive style of vaulting. A window depicts the birth scene of Jesus, angels, Prophet or Issaiah, Mary and astrologers. The left side of the church bears the painted crucification scene and in the center the ascension of Jesus is painted bright. Each window is made up of several bits of stained glass delicately set into the massive stone windows. The window to the north which offers a canopy to the altar is awesome. The church has enough space to accommodate 5000 people at a time in its huge dimension.
There are six different colors of mosaic tiles that were imported from England and used in the church’s flooring. This magnificent white granite structure not only stands for peace but a great example of Gothic architecture in India and South-east Asia.
Timings :
Services:
Sunday General Service – 9:30 am
Sunday Morning Service – 7 am
The cathedral is open daily from 7 am to 6 pm for public viewing and silent prayer.
Travel Information :
By Air : Hyderabad (100 km) is the nearest airport to Medak.
By Train : Kamareddy (60 km) is the nearest railhead to Medak. And Secunderabad (100 km).
By Bus : Medak church is 100 Km from Hyderabad. This place is accessible by plenty of buses from Secunderabad and Hyderabad Bus Stations. One can also drive to this place to get a feel of the village environment.
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