Christianity in Delhi

Christianity is a minority religion in Delhi, the National Capital Territory of India. A diocese of Delhi of the Church of North India exists as well as a Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Delhi and the Central Baptist Church. St. Mary's Orthodox Cathedral Hauz Khas belongs to the Indian (Malankara) Orthodox Church. Indian Pentecostal Church of God Northern Region head office situated in Bhai Vir Singh Marg, New Delhi.

Christians in Delhi

Year	Number	Percentage
2001[1]	130,319	0.94
2011[2]	146,093	0.87

Mughal Emperor Akbar the Great (r. 1556-1605) holds a religious assembly in the Ibadat Khana (House of Worship) in Fatehpur Sikri; the two men dressed in black are the Jesuit missionaries Rodolfo Acquaviva and Francisco Henriques. Illustration to the Akbarnama, miniature painting by Nar Singh, ca. 1605.

History

Mughal

Christianity in Delhi dates back to the Mughal emperor Akbar's era. Emperor Akbar was known for his secular theology. A Jesuit priest was invited by Akbar from Goa in 1579 as to receive knowledge about Christianity. Sir Thomas Roe, King James I's ambassador to India during Jahangir's reign tells the story of two princes' conversion to Christianity including his nephew only to enable Jahangir's demand to Portuguese women for himself, which was unsuccessful. During the reign of Emperor Aurangzeb there was a decline in Christianity.[3][4] In 1723 Father Desideri founded the city church dedicated to the Virgin Mary. The church was destroyed by Nadir Shah who invaded Delhi in 1739. Jesuit priests managed to save their lives by hiding in a tumbledown house.

British

Christianity was introduced to Delhi for the second time by the British. British soldiers made numerous churches for their own worship. The Church of England sent many missionaries to India to propagate gospel among people who were unaware of Christianity. Numerous people were converted to Christianity by their will. Many people among the converts were working for the British government. During the Indian Rebellion of 1857 several sepoys who had stayed loyal to the Company were removed by the mutineers and killed, either because of their loyalty or because they had become Christian. After these events Christianity declined in Delhi once more.[5]

List of Churches in Delhi

• India Pentecostal Church of God Northern region Headquarters.
• Cathedral Church of the Redemption[6]
• St. Mary's Church, Delhi 6[7]
• Sacred Heart Cathedral, New Delhi
• Green Park Free Church, New Delhi
• Centenary Methodist Church, Lodhi Road[8]
• Central Baptist Church (Delhi)
• Cathedral Church of the Redemption
• Crossway Church, IPC Delhi State, Lajwaab banquet, Preet Vihar, Near Metro, Exit -4, Opp. Pillar no. 101. Contact 9990552687[9]
• St. James' Church, Delhi
• St. Stephen's Church, Delhi
• St. Sebastian's Church, Dilshad Garden
• St. Peter and Paul church, Najafgarh - New Delhi 110043

References

1. "Total population by religious communities". Censusindia.gov.in. Archived from the original on 19 January 2008. Retrieved 20 November 2014.
2. "Indian Census 2011". Census Department, Government of India. Archived from the original on 13 September 2015. Retrieved 25 August 2015.
3. Stephen Neill (2004). A History of Christianity in India: The Beginnings to AD 1707. Cambridge University Press. p. 189. ISBN 978-0-521-54885-4.
4. The Mughals of India - Page 20
5. Selva J. Raj; Corinne G. Dempsey (2002). Popular Christianity in India: Writing Between the Lines. SUNY Press. pp. 212–213. ISBN 978-0-7914-8781-5.
6. "The Cathedral Church of the Redemption". Retrieved 9 March 2017.
7. "History of St. Mary's Catholic Church". Archived from the original on 20 February 2014. Retrieved 1 March 2014.
8. "Centenary Methodist Church (Hindi)". www.cmchindiservice.com. Retrieved 9 March 2017.
9. "Crossway Church". www.crosswaychurch.webs.com. Retrieved 2 January 2016.