St. John's Church, Gorakhpur is a Protestant church located in the Basharatpur region of Gorakhpur district, Uttar Pradesh, India. It is affiliated with the Church of North India and falls under the Diocese of Lucknow. The church has a seating capacity of approximately 1,000 people.[1][2]
| St. John's Church, Gorakhpur | |
|---|---|
 St. John's Church, Gorakhpur | |
 | |
| 26°47′07″N 83°23′04″E / 26.78535°N 83.38434°E | |
| Location | Basharatpur, Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh, India |
| Country |  India |
| Denomination | Church of North India |
| Churchmanship | Protestant |
| Website | stjohnschurchgkp |
| History | |
| Status | Church |
| Founder(s) | Rev. Michael Wilkinson (1797–1848), Church Missionary Society |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Style | Originally Gothic; later altered through renovation |
| Specifications | |
| Capacity | 1000 |
| Administration | |
| Province | Church of North India |
| Diocese | Lucknow |
| Deanery | Gorakhpur Deanery |
| Parish | Gorakhpur |
| Clergy | |
| Bishop(s) | Rt. Rev. Moris Edgar Dan |
| Vicar(s) | Rev. Roshan Lal |
History
editHistorical sources indicate that Christian mission activity began in Gorakhpur in the early 19th century. Robert Merttins Bird, who served as the Collector of Gorakhpur under the British administration[3] and is known for his role in the Mahalwari land revenue system, is recorded to have requested the Church Missionary Society to send a missionary to the region, after which Rev. Michael Wilkinson was appointed to the station.[4][5]Wilkinson is recorded as having begun his work in Gorakhpur by 1824.[6][7][8]In 1828, Bishop Daniel Corrie noted in his journal that a new church was being built in Gorakhpur according to plans by Bishop Reginald Heber, although he did not specify its name. He also referenced the assistance of Mr. Wilkinson and Mr. Robert Merttins Bird, both known to have been active in the area at the time.[9]
The church observes the Feast of the Nativity of John the Baptist, traditionally held on 24 June, as its foundation day.
Rev. Michael Wilkinson oversaw the construction of the church, initially named the "Church in the Wilderness," which was completed in 1832.[6] The church was part of a mission settlement in Basharatpur, where Wilkinson relocated Christian converts from Bettiah, approximately 100 miles northwest of Gorakhpur, to establish an agricultural community.[6] These converts cultivated land granted by Lord William Bentinck to support the mission.[6] By 1846, the mission supported a congregation of 217 native Christians and schools educating over 300 children.[6]
The original structure, constructed in the Gothic style, experienced damage during the Indian Rebellion of 1857. On 13 August 1857, the mission, including the church, was evacuated due to rebel threats, and the 162 native Christians were placed under the protection of a Hindu king named Raja Krishna Kishore Chand of Gopalpur.[6][10][11] After the Rajah's deposition by Muslim rebels, the Christians fled Basharatpur on 20 October 1857, with 141 reaching Aligunje, near Chupra.[6] The church and mission properties were damaged but restored after British forces reoccupied Gorakhpur, with the community returning under Rev. H. Stern.[6][12]The church was subsequently repaired.[13] In 2000, renovation efforts led to changes in the church's architectural appearance, incorporating contemporary elements while retaining some traditional features.[14]
Additional documentation about the church's early activities in Basharatpur appears in 19th-century missionary publications, including *Missionary Sketches in North India* by F. Weitbrecht.[15]
Administration and Services
editThe Church is part of the Church of North India (CNI) and comes under the jurisdiction of the Diocese of Lucknow. The church falls within the Gorakhpur Deanery.[16]
The Church of North India, established in 1970 through a union of several Protestant denominations, functions as a united church across northern and central India. It emphasizes mission, education, and community outreach across its dioceses.[17]
The church conducts worship services in both Hindi and English. It hosts regular liturgical celebrations and community outreach activities, particularly during major Christian observances such as Easter and Christmas.[18] The bicentenary of the church was marked in June 2023 through a series of religious and community programs.[19][20][21]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Christian community of Gorakhpur looking forward to Easter celebrations". The Economic Times. 25 March 2017. Retrieved 31 May 2025.
- ^ "Easter celebrations in Gorakhpur: Processions and prayers unite Christian community". Live Hindustan (in Hindi). 25 March 2017. Retrieved 2025-05-31.
- ^ Rizvi, Syed Najmul (2008). "Some Little Known or Unknown Freedom Fighters of the War of Independence, 1857–58". Proceedings of the Indian History Congress. 69: 493–497. JSTOR 44147212. Retrieved 2025-06-05.
- ^ Church Missionary Tracts, Volume 19. Seeleys. 1852. p. 5. Retrieved 2025-05-31.
- ^ "Colonial Systems of Land Revenue: Mahalwari, Ryotwari". Indian Culture. Ministry of Culture, Government of India. Retrieved 9 June 2025.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Wilkinson, Michael (1859). Memorials of an Indian Missionary. Wertheim, Macintosh & Hunt. pp. 27, 157. Retrieved 2025-05-31.
- ^ Leupolt, Carl Benjamin (1884). Further Recollections of an Indian Missionary. J. Nisbet. p. 313. Retrieved 2025-06-01.
- ^ Barney, A. M. (1860). The Star in the East: An Account of the Church Missionary Society's Work in North India. John F. Shaw and Co. p. 106. Retrieved 2025-06-01.
- ^ Corrie, Daniel (1847). Memoirs of the Right Rev. Daniel Corrie, LL.D., First Bishop of Madras. London: Seeley, Burnside, and Seeley. p. 441. Retrieved 2025-06-05.
- ^ Alexander, E. B.; Conybeare, H. C.; Wright, F. N. (1881). Statistical, Descriptive and Historical Account of the North-Western Provinces of India, Vol. VI: Cawnpore, Gorakhpur, Basti. Edited by Edwin T. Atkinson. Allahabad: North-Western Provinces and Oudh Government Press. p. 456. Available at Google Books
- ^ Rizvi, Syed Najmul (2008). "Some Little Known or Unknown Freedom Fighters of the War of Independence, 1857–58". Proceedings of the Indian History Congress. 69: 493–497. JSTOR 44147212. Retrieved 2025-06-05.
- ^ The Church Missionary Intelligencer and Record, Vol. V (New Series). London: Church Missionary House. 1880. p. 243. Retrieved 2025-06-05.
- ^ "St. John's Church Gorakhpur celebrates 200 years". Hindustan Times. 24 June 2023. Retrieved 2025-05-31.
- ^ "गोरखपुर के सेंट जॉन चर्च की 197 साल पुरानी ऐतिहासिक धरोहर". Amar Ujala (in Hindi). Retrieved 2025-05-31.
- ^ Weitbrecht, Mrs. J.J. (1858). Missionary Sketches in North India. Nisbet & Co. p. 347. Retrieved 2025-06-03.
- ^ "Gorakhpur: St. John's Church Celebrates Two Hundred Years of Journey". 23 June 2023. Retrieved 2025-06-03.
- ^ "Church of North India". Retrieved 2025-06-03.
- ^ "ईस्टर पर गोरखपुर के सेंट जॉन चर्च में हुआ भव्य आयोजन". Live Hindustan (in Hindi). 25 March 2017. Retrieved 2025-05-31.
- ^ "Historic St. John's Church commemorates 200th anniversary". The Times of India. 25 June 2023. Retrieved 2025-05-31.
- ^ "गोरखपुर का सेंट जॉन चर्च मना रहा 200वीं वर्षगांठ". News18 Hindi (in Hindi). 24 June 2023. Retrieved 2025-06-01.
- ^ "गोरखपुर का सबसे पुराना चर्च 200 वर्ष पूरा कर मना रहा जयंती, इसकी स्थापना 1823 में हुई थी" (in Hindi). News18 हिंदी (उत्तर प्रदेश). 2025-06-06. Retrieved 2025-06-06.
