St. Mary’s Church, Delhi

Merely a km far from the Chandni Chowk Metro Station, on Shyama Prasad Mukherji Marg, there lies a peaceful place renowned as St. Mary’s Church; the surreal aura of this glorious church in Delhi takes visitors altogether to a different world. As you start walking towards the church through a narrow lane that will direct you to the destination, you will start feeling a sudden difference in the air. All of sudden, the stinging voice of outside traffic turns into a soothing silence or the dulcet chirping of birds. Just to make it easy to picture this entire ambiance, the lane is engirdled by gardens, shrubs, and trees. St. Mary’s Church is also counted amongst the biggest Christian shrines in Delhi, and hence, don’t be astounded if you find several entrances in the imposing church complex. Generally, on a normal day, mostly, tourists come to visit the place. However, during the morning and evening mass time, especially on Sundays, a large number of people, mainly the church’s members, come here to offer their prayers. Moreover, on the festive day of Christmas, the church thronged with numerous visitors, both local and tourists, making it a large celebration. Similarly, the days of Easter and Palm Sunday also receive a significant footfall of devotees.

History

Like other ancient churches in Delhi, this one also has a fascinating story associated with it. Before the present shrine, a church was built here in 1723 which got destroyed 16 years later, after the invasion of Nasir Shah. Just a Few years later, another holy abode was constructed which also got demolished during the 1857 revolt. It is said that the priest of the church was murdered here while praying on his knees. Just to let you know that the church is beautifully furnished as it receives timely renovations that upholds the charm of this sacred place in Delhi. Besides, one of the major attractions of the church are the paintings. As you the enter from the main entrance, you will get to see a beautiful image of Mother Mary; near the donation box, there is placed another picture which says “Mother of perpetual help, pray for us”. Along with those effigies of Lord Jesus and St. Xavier are also the highlights of the church. Just behind the St. Xavier’s statue, there is an image of Mother Mary holding Jesus in her arms. On a whole, this place is perfect to indulge in a spiritual experience along with exploring such an old construction.

Architecture

Spread over an area of more than 4 acres of land, St. Mary’s Church in Old Delhi is one of the beautiful architectural masterpieces that has left by Britishers, constructed in the year, 1865, the present architecture of the church is an Italian Romanesque style of design. The main entrance of the church includes a bell tower and arched entrance doors on the sides. Besides, the church complex also has numerous small entrances. Right next to the bell tower, there is a small staircase that leads to the balcony, that faces Mother Mary, on the first floor. Just like the exterior, the interior of the church is also well-maintained and beautifully furnished. The painted windows of the church give a perfect complement to the impressive interior. Apart from this, the side walls boast some compelling pictorial descriptions, most of which, show or tell the entire lifespan of Jesus Christ.