Medak Cathedral@ 100: All you want to know about one of India's most photographed churches

Hyderabad: Historic Medak Cathedral in the Medak district of Telangana turns 100 this Christmas.

One of the most visited in South India, Medak Cathedral is also the most photographed churches in the country given its artistic beauty.

Medak Cathedral Church has a rich history including the arrival of Reverend Charles Walker Posnett, the construction of a small chapel, and the subsequent building of a now-famous cathedral.

Built by Charles Walker Posnett of British Wesleyan Methodists and consecrated on December 25, 1924, it is one of the largest dioceses in Asia and the second-largest in the world after the Vatican.

The story goes that the church was constructed as part of a food-for-work program when famine hit the area in 1914. It took 10 years to complete the church.

Charles Walker Posnett served among the untouchables in Hyderabad State from 1896 to 1940 and is known for his deep compassion for the victims of famine and disease. A gifted teacher, during his 44-year ministry in Medak, he was behind the construction of hospitals, schools, and churches. In fact, his family is known for the tiring work in the district.

Located about 100 km from Hyderabad, the Cathedral is the seat of the Bishop in Medak for the Church of South India (comprising Wesleyan Methodist, Congregational, and Anglican missionary societies).

Series of programs

Dr. Vimal Sukumar, Honorary Treasurer, Medak Diocese told NewsMeter that a committee headed by Bishop Reuben Mark has chalked out a series of programs as part of centenary celebrations.

“It’s a historic occasion. We have chalked out a series of programs as part of Centenary celebrations. As part of Thanksgiving, we released a postal stamp in honor of Charles Walker Posnett last year. We have invited Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy for the mega program on December 23 as part of Christmas and Centenary celebrations. We have also invited family members of Charles Walker Posnett from the United Kingdom for the mega events,” Dr Sukumar said.

CM grants Rs 29 crore

Telangana government has granted Rs 29 crore for the centenary celebrations which will be used for the construction of dormitories for pilgrims and other developmental programmes.

The church runs three hospitals, 15 schools, 5 junior colleges, and 5-degree colleges besides other institutions.

Spread over 300 acres, the church is considered one of the architectural marvels. The cathedral is 100 feet wide and 200 feet long and conforms to the Gothic Revival style. At any given time, the church accommodates about 5,000 people.

It is stated that the famed mosaic tiles were imported from Britain and Italian masons were engaged for laying the decorative flooring.

The massive pillars built with fine-hewn and well-dressed grey stone support the gallery and the whole edifice. The Church room is made sound-proof using hollow sponge material and has an impressive style of vaultinbell towel tower is 175 ft (53 m) high and can be seen from a long distance.

Visitors to the church are floored by the stained-glass windows depicting scenes from Christ’s life – Ascension behind the altar, nativity in the west transept, and crucifixion in the east transept.

Medak Cathedral attracts more than three million tourists annually from different parts of the country. It is one of the most visited churches in South India and is a pilgrimage site for Protestant Christians. The church complex is spread over more than 300 acres and includes educational, health, and social institutions.

The church is open daily from 7 am to 6 pm for public viewing and silent prayer while there is a morning service Sunday at 7 am and general service at 9.30 am.