Telugu Christian
Encyclopedia
Telugu Christians or Telugu Kraistava (తెలుగు క్రైస్తవ) are an ethno-religious community who form the second largest religious minority in the India
n state of Andhra Pradesh
. According to the Census of India, there are over a million Christians in Andhra Pradesh
constituting 1.5 % of the state's population, although a decrease from the 1971 census figure which was 4.2%, as a result of low birth rates and emigration. Although the Franciscans of the Catholic Church brought Christianity to the Deccan Area in 1535, it is only after 1759 AD when the Northern Circars came under the rule of the East India Company
that the region opened up to greater Christian
influence. The first Protestant missionaries in Andhra Pradesh
were Rev. Cran and Rev. Des Granges who were sent out by the London Missionary Society
. They set up their station at Vishakapatnam in 1805 AD.
Most Telugu Christians are Protestant belonging to major Indian Protestant denominations such as the Church of South India
, the Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church
, the Samavesam of Telugu Baptist Churches
and several others. The Church in Andhra Pradesh
runs thousands of educational institutions and hospitals contributing significantly to the development of the state. Telugu Christians are found in all walks of life and have contributed much to the development of the state. Regions with significant populations of Telugu Christians include the erstwhile Northern Circars, the coastal belt and the cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad
. Many Telugu Christians have emigrated to other countries in the Anglosphere
with significant populations being present in the United States
, United Kingdom
and Australia
. Telugu Christians also have one of the highest literacy
, work participation
and sex ratio
figures among the various religious communities in the state.
on the East Coast of India was the first Christian among the Telugu speaking peoples. It is also claimed that he went to Constantinople
to meet Emperor Constantine (306-337 AD) of Rome. Catholic missionaries such as the Jesuits were the first ones to reach the Telugu people. The Jesuits worked in the Telugu
hinterland starting in the sixteenth century AD. However, there is little recorded history of Christianity in Andhra Pradesh
until the advent of the Europe
ans in the eighteenth century.
Describing the Christian scene in Andhra Pradesh prior to the arrival of Protestant missions, a traveler writes:
was the first Protestant mission in Andhra Pradesh
which had its station at Visakhapatnam
. The London Missionary Society
was a non-denominational missionary society formed in England in 1795 by evangelical Anglicans and Nonconformists who were largely Congregationalist in outlook. George Crann and Augustus Des Granges were the first batch of missionaries that was sent out by the London Missionary Society
to Andhra Pradesh
in 1804. They arrived in Vizagapatam on July 18, 1805. They were the first ever Protestant missionaries in the region. They began their missionary work by learning the Telugu language. They mastered the local language in a short time and began translating parts of the New Testament. In the next three years, the four Gospels were published. Their work was halted with the death of George Crann in 1809 followed by that of Des Granges in 1810. A new batch of missionaries, Revs. Lee, Gordon and Pritchett took over the work done by their predecessors. The first complete New Testament in Telugu was printed in Madras.
pastors like Puroshottam Choudhary
and Das Anthervedy from the Telugu-speaking districts of Madras Presidency
, also known as Madras Province ministered in Coastal Andhra
even before the British Baptist Missionary Society's Serampore Mission
was established.
Amos Sutton was the first British Baptist missionary to preach in the region. He was sent by the Serampore Mission
. He preached in the northernmost parts of Andhra in 1805 but failed to achieve his objectives, and he did not venture again into the region, confining his ministry instead to the Oriya-speaking districts. Sutton, however, persisted in his vision for the Telugus. Later, Sutton's marriage to an American Baptist
missionary widow connected him with the American Baptists. While visiting his relatives in the United States
in 1835, he urged the Baptist convention in Virginia to take over the "abandoned" work among the Telugus. Responding to his plea, the American Baptist Foreign Mission Board sent Samuel S. Day, a Canadian-born American, as their missionary in 1835. He arrived in Vishakapatnam in 1836 and searched for four years for a suitable place to start a mission station before finally finding one in Nellore. This lay the foundations of the Canadian Baptist Mission
. The Canadian Baptist Mission (CBM) was established in 1850. Lyman Jewett
in 1848 and John E. Clough in 1865 joined the mission station at Nellore. Canadian Baptist Mission
aries quickly identified the possibility of holistic transformation of the Telugu society through education, and they found women to be potential agents of change. Missionary Mary McLaurin, in 1875, founded a school for boys and the next year founded one for girls. Missionaries of the Canadian Baptist Mission
founded the Convention of Baptist Churches of Northern Circars
(CBCNC) as the mission's successor in Andhra Pradesh
.
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The first Lutheran missionary in Andhra was John Christian Frederick Heyer
who arrived in the year 1842 AD. His wife and children remained in Friedens
, Somerset County, Pennsylvania
where Mrs. Mary Heyer died in 1839. The following year, Heyer was asked to enter the foreign missions. He studied Sanskrit
and medicine in Baltimore, and set sail for India from Boston
in 1841 with three other missionary couples on the ship Brenda. Returning to the United States in 1845, he continued his missionary work and established St. John’s Church in Baltimore. At the same time, he studied medicine, and obtained his M.D. from the University of Maryland School of Medicine in 1847.
He traveled to India a second time in 1847, spending a decade, mainly in the Guntur district
of Andhra Pradesh
state, in southern India, where he ministered and performed yeoman service to the people there. Supported initially by the Pennsylvania Ministerium, and later by the Foreign Mission Board of the General Synod, Heyer was also encouraged and assisted by British
government officials. He established a number of hospitals and a network of schools throughout the Guntur region. The two prominent Lutheran missions in Coastal Andhra
were the Guntur Mission pioneered by John Christian Frederick Heyer
of the Pennsylvania
Synod Society and the Rajahmundry
Mission established by Rev. Luis P. Manno Valett of North German Missionary Society in July 1845. In 1927 the Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church
was constituted with the merger of both these missions.
The history of the South Andhra Lutheran Church
can be dated back to the year 1865 when Rev. August Mylius of the Hermaunsburg Evangelical Lutheran Mission (HELM), Germany began his evangelistic work in the southern part of Andhra i.e. the present districts of Nellore
, Prakasham and Chittoor
. World War I forced the German missionaries to leave India in 1915. In 1920, after a period of five years, the American missionaries from Ohio Lutheran Evangelical Mission (OLEM) took charge of the abruptly ended work of the German missionaries. Later in 1929 the church governance was taken over by the American Lutheran Church. The year of Indian Independence (1947) was also the birth year of the South Andhra Lutheran Church
.
The famous British officer Arthur Cotton
worked alongside missionaries like Rev. Henry Fox of the Church Mission Society
, Mr. Bowden (SPG) of the Godavari Delta Mission, the Lutherans and Baptists. On Sundays the labour camps where Arthur Cotton
supervised resounded with the singing of Christian Hymns, songs in various languages such as Telugu, Tamil, and Tribal dialects etc. Major Cotton himself spoke in many such meetings. He and his staff worked in order to set a personal example of service and Christian living to the new converts. Therefore the spread of Christianity in the coastal Andhra area could be attributed to the efforts of Arthur Cotton
.
, a British
engineer with the help of two missionaries E.E Jenkins & George Fryar traveled in the Telangana regions. They were responsible for starting work in Sironcha
in 1863. The Church Missionary Society started its work in Aurangabad in 1860, which was then part of the Nizam
's dominions. Later on William Taylor, a missionary of the Methodist Episcopal Church triggered a great revival in Hyderabad during the years 1872 – 1874. The work began in Hyderabad as “Hindustani Mission”. Meanwhile the Methodist Missionary Society began its work as “Godavari Mission” which is named after the river. After fifteen years of thorough survey i.e. in December 1873 missionaries Henry Little and William Burgess came to Secunderabad
from Madras. William Burgess was the founder of the Wesleyan Mission in Hyderabad. He laid the foundations of missionary work in the now famous Clock tower Wesley Church pastorate in Secunderabad
. Their Indian colleague was Benjamin Wesley and the first Methodist Telugu service was held in Ramkote in December 1879 in the house of one Telugu Layman called Mr. Joseph Cornelius. The Tamil congregation of the Church of Scotland Mission was also handed over to them. The present Wesley Girls School in Secunderabad
with its missionary bungalow was purchased in 1884.
William Burgess stayed with his family in a Dak-Bungallow as there was no house ready for accommodation. He had no Church to receive him. He began his work first with British Soldiers. He was assisted in his work by his Indian counterpart Mr. Joseph Cornelius. The first Baptism was administrated by Burgess on 25th January 1880. His first convert was Andrew son of Chakkariah who is one of the fore-runners of many Christians in the Medak Diocese. Burgess rode on horse-back, much like John Wesley
, preaching in the Telangana regions. In 1880, a church building was erected in Ramkote which is the existing Wesley Church, Ramkote. Another church was built in Hyderabad in 1883. The congregation of Tamils and Telugus used to meet in the Wesley Hall, Market Street, Secunderabad. The Madras Synod sent Rev. Benjamin P. Wesley to help the Burgesses. He came from Cuddapah and was a well educated man. Benjamin P. Wesley was ordained as a Wesleyan Minister in 1882. Rev. Benjamin P. Wesley along with Mrs. Burgess set about establishing educational institutions in and around Hyderabad and Secunderabad
. In 1882, Burgess bought some shops which he used to set up side rooms for a school. Another missionary Rev. Benjamin Pratt also arrived in 1880. These trio Burgess, Pratt and Benjamin Wesley used to travel on cart, and bullock bandies to preach in the surrounding areas. They often had adventures with wild beasts. Pratt surveyed Karimnagar area, following which he established the Wesleyan headquarters there. This laid the foundations of the current Karimnagar diocese of the Church of South India
. During those days the district headquarters was Ellagandala, which was eight miles away from Karimnagar. Around the same time, Benjamin Wesley made Siddipet his headquarters, laying the foundations for the diocese of Medak
, where later the great cathedral at Medak
was built. The regions of Hyderabad and Secunderabad
were ministered by the Burgesses."
. 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 a dock bungalow. There were then hardly two hundred Christians in the whole of Medak area. There was no railway route to Medak in those days. The journey of 60 miles (96.6 km) from Hyderabad had to be done on horseback and Rev. Posnett usually did it in a day. When he came to Medak, there was a small tiled house as the place of worship. 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 worshiping his Lord Jesus Christ. He began building the present Medak Cathedral
in 1914 on a sprawling 1000 acres (4 km²) of land in the Ghusnabad area. He built the cathedral during a famine. The starving villagers were provided food in return for their services towards building the Cathedral.
The Diocese of Dornakal was founded on December 29, 1912, when the Rev. V. S. Azariah was consecrated its first Bishop in St. Paul's Cathedral, Calcutta. The real significance of the ceremony lay in the fact that Bishop Azariah was the first Indian to be consecrated a Bishop of the Anglican Communion. When it was first formed in 1912, the Diocese of Dornakal was quite a small diocese in the south-east corner of the Nizam's Dominions. A few years later it was enlarged by the addition of the District of Dummagudem, in which the Church Mission Society
was working. Then came a Resolution of the Episcopal Synod in the year 1920, which transformed this comparatively small diocese into a diocese which has now probably as large, if not a larger number of Anglican Indian Christians than any other in India. By this resolution all the Mission Districts of both the Church Missionary Society and the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in the Telugu country, were placed under the Episcopal jurisdiction of the Bishop of Dornakal. This means that the present Diocese of Dornakal includes a large portion of the Krishna district, together with the part of the Godavari district named Dummagudem; parts of the Kurnool and Cuddapah districts to the south occupied by the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel; also the areas in the Hyderabad State occupied by the Indian Missionary Society of Tinnevelly, the Singareni Mission, the Khammamett Mission (formerly under the Church Missionary Society), and the then recently formed Dornakal Diocesan Mission.
The Christian sanyasis of Andhra worked with the permission of the local authorities, which enabled them to spread the gospel with the greatest possible freedom. The relations between the French and the Nizam and his nawabs were on the whole cordial enough.
The Muslim authorities tended to favour and protect the ‘Roman Fakirs’ and their disciples. The Christian contribution to culture and scientific studies was considerable. Apart from preaching the gospel, the French priests evinced keen interest in scientific study, especially in the field of mathematics and astronomy. Most of them were trained mathematicians, and some even in astronomy. They knew Telugu well, and some even knew Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Marathi and Hindustani. A fairly large number of Christian writings in Telugu belonging to the 18th century have survived. In circa 1735, one of the priests gave a text of the Gospel of St John to the Palayakar of Kottakotta. A history of the Old Testament called Purva Vedam, Rajula Charitra, Amrutham Bhavan, and a life of Christ were among the writings that were revered by the Telugu Roman Catholics. There were some apologetic, catechetical and theological writings such as Nistara Ratnakaramu (Ocean of Salvation), Anitya Nitya Vivastam (Difference between the Temporal and the Eternal) and Vedanta Saramu (Essence of Theology). Sanskrit prayers
were translated into Telugu; so also many popular poems were produced. There were many writings on linguistics. Fr G L Coeurdoux (died 1799) is the author of a Telugu-Sanskrit-French dictionary, and of a French-Telugu and Telugu-French dictionary. Fr Pierre de la Lane (died 1746) wrote a Telugu grammar in circa 1729, and also a Telugu dictionary entitled Amara Sinham. A number of Jesuit missionaries studied Sanskrit as it contained all the philosophical writings of Hinduism. A number of Jesuit missionaries were keen on observations and experiments in astronomy, among whom the names of Le Gac, Ducros, Duchamp, Gargam and Calmette stand out. Geography and Geology were included in their field of scientific interest. The description of Gargan’s journey of September- November 1730 through the southern districts of Andhra and information on geology, such as the quarries of Cambam and the diamond mines of the
eastern side of Terramula, were of special interest.
cantonments in the region of Andhra Pradesh
were bequeathed to Telugu Christians. Several major denominations were also formed during this period.
The Church of South India
, the result of the union of churches of varying traditions Anglican, Methodist, Congregational, Presbyterian, and Reformed was inaugurated in September 1947, after protracted negotiation among the churches concerned. In the Telugu regions, the London Missionary Society
, the Society of Propagation of the Gospel, the Church Mission Society
, the Church of Scotland Mission, and the Wesleyan Methodists along with several other denominations and missions came together to form part of the Church of South India
. Medak Diocese was formed during the same period. It is one of the biggest dioceses in the Church of South India
, comprising 1100 congregations in 71 pastorates and spread over five revenue districts of Telengana region of Andhra Pradesh state namely Adilabad, Medak, Nizamabad, Rangareddy and the cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad
. The first Bishop of Medak Diocese was Rt. Rev. Frank Whittaker.
The existing Church of South India
dioceses in the state of Andhra Pradesh
are as follows:
The Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church
was formed in 1927. At present it spreads over 500 miles (804.7 km) of the Coromandel Coast (east coast of India) covering the important cities and districts in Andhra Pradesh and having a congregational membership of more than 4,50,000 in around 400 parishes. It is the third largest Lutheran church in Asia.
The year of Indian Independence, 1947, was also the birth year of South Andhra Lutheran Church
. Since 1949 the church became independent and got all the properties and institutions from foreign missionary societies. In the present day scenario the church has 33,863 members in 44 parishes. The church runs five secondary schools, five boarding homes and hostels, couple of technical schools and institutes and a hospital.
The Convention of Baptist Churches of Northern Circars
(CBCNC) is a Christian denomination in north coastal Andhra Pradesh
. Missionaries of the Canadian Baptist Mission
founded this denomination as its successor in Andhra Pradesh. Canadian Baptist Mission (CBM) was established by the Baptist Missionaries of Canada c. 1850.
The Samavesam of Telugu Baptist Churches
, formed in 1962, is a registered organization consisting of 1,214 independent Baptist churches. American Baptists started missionary work in South India among Telugu-speaking people in 1836. In 1887 the existing churches were organized into the Convention of Telugu Baptist Churches. In 1962 the convention became the Samavesam of Telugu Baptist Churches
, with a unanimously adopted constitution. The organization was registered in 1963. The Samavesam of Telugu Baptist Churches
runs educational institutions, hospitals, health centres and one theological seminary, in Ramapatnam. There are five degree colleges, eight junior colleges, 14 high schools and 14 primary schools. The interdenominational theological college at Hyderabad is affiliated with the Serampore University, Kolkata. The Samavesam has 4,500 Sunday schools with an enrollment of some 72,000 children.
Andhra Christian Theological College is a special purpose entity
- an ecumenical enterprise of some of the church societies in Andhra Pradesh
. It was founded in 1964 and is affiliated to the Senate of Serampore College, Serampore
, West Bengal
. Andhra Christian Theological College came into being as a result of the Kretzmann's Commission which suggested carving out a unified seminary out of existing century-old seminaries catering to the various Church societies in Andhra Pradesh. It was also as a result of ecumenism
where a greater need for unity among the Protestant churches was felt worldwide.
does not hold much significance among Telugu Christian communities because the majority of Telugu Christians are Protestant and therefore do not approve of statue
s or other religious objects of such nature. However on the other hand, Church architecture
in Andhra Pradesh
is rich and diverse. Most churches and cathedral
s in the region conform to the Gothic Revival style because the missions which had the greatest influence in the area were either from England
or America
. Unlike in other parts of India such as Goa
and Mangalore
, the Portuguese
played little part in the spread of Christianity
in Andhra Pradesh and therefore Andhra Pradesh has very little Baroque
architecture. Churches of much architectural value can be found across the length and breadth of Andhra Pradesh
even in smaller towns and villages that have been influenced by missionary activity. Christ Lutheran Church
in Narsapur
, West Godavari
is one example of such beautiful churches in rural areas. With a red brick exterior, this church is a fine example of the Gothic Revival style that was greatly patronised by the British
. Indian motifs have been delicately incorporated into the architecture of several religious buildings.
The greatest of the cathedrals in Andhra Pradesh is the Church of South India
Medak Cathedral
. 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 (CSI) diocese of Medak. It took ten years to complete the cathedral. With its massive dimensions — 100 ft (30.5 m) wide and 200 ft (61 m) long — the church can accommodate about 5,000 people at a time. The roof of the church is made sound-proof by means of hollow sponge material and has an impressive style of vaulting. When the Nizam of Hyderabad came to know that the height of this cathedral was going to be far more than that of Charminar, he made a vain bid to order that its height should be brought down. The floor of the cathedral is laid with tiles brought in from Italy. The bell-tower of the Cathedral is 175 ft (53.3 m) high. There are three magnificent stained-glass windows depicting the Nativity, Crucifixion and Ascension of Jesus Christ. The stained-glass windows are a major tourist attraction.
The cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad
have a greater variety in Church architecture
as a result of the cosmopolitan nature of the cities. St Joseph's Cathedral, Hyderabad
is one of the few and fine examples of Baroque
architecture in Andhra Pradesh
. The Catholic
character of the church is clearly visible in the architectural style of the church. St. George's Church, Hyderabad
in Abids is considered to be the oldest church in the Hyderabad. The church with its distinctive Gothic architecture has become a prototype for many churches in city and the region.
Secunderabad
has some of the most beautiful churches in the region. Built in 1813, St. John's Church Secunderabad is the oldest church in the city. The church was built according to the Tuscan order
, which is a simplified version of the Doric order
. Once the cathedral of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Hyderabad, St. Mary's Church, Secunderabad
is an inspiring piece of architecture. It was built in 1847, incidentally a century before the Indian Independence. The church, although much smaller in size, bears much resemblance to the Cathedral at Medak
with both adhering the Gothic Revival architectural style. Another beautiful church that has even received the INTACH award from the government of Andhra Pradesh is the All Saints Church, Secunderabad which was constructed in 1860. It is a fine example of the Gothic style. It is an imposing structure with a multitude of spires and turrets and a soaring tower like belfry. It was the first permanent structure of the Trimulgherry entrenchment. Sixteen memorial tablets along the wall and a medium sized organ are some of its antique possessions. However the most historically significant church in the city is the Church of South India
Holy Trinity Church, Bolarum
. Being commissioned by Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom
in 1847 out of her own money, the church is a beautiful structure with a stark white exterior that towers over its lush green surrounding. The stained glass altar piece, the pulpit and the bell are all in their original splendour, reflecting an era gone by. In the year 1983, Queen Elizabeth II, of the United Kingdom
celebrated her 36th wedding anniversary in the Holy Trinity Church during her tour of India. The Church service was officiated by Bishop Victor Premasagar
an and Biblical cultures. The culture and traditions of Telugu Christians in urban areas can best be described as increasingly westernised Indo-Anglican culture. Telugu christians today are considered to be one of the most progressive communities in the state. They have one of the highest literacy
, work participation
and sex ratio
figures among the various religious communities in the state.
The mother tongue of Telugu Christians is Telugu
, the most widely spoken Dravidian
language in India. However with mission schools being the first to teach using English as the primary medium, English
is widely used among Telugu Christian communities for both religious and secular purposes. Most major churches offer religious services in both Telugu and English. Some churches such as St. John's Church, Secunderabad
and St. George's Church, Hyderabad
offer services exclusively in English. English is also the preferred lingua franca
of urban Christian youth.
Mission Compounds
played a major role in the development of Telugu Christian Culture. The way of life of the Telugu Christians has been greatly influenced by Christian Missionaries. As the result of interaction with missionaries, Telugu Christians were the first people in the region to accept and even adopt Western thought and principles such as the education of the girl child, widow remarriage, and other such reforms. Missionaries such as Ruth Brouwer Crompton, identified the factors responsible for shaping the intellectual climate among Telugu Christians: (1) increased leisure (2) the higher education; study beyond the level of secondary education. Institutions of higher education include not only colleges and universities but also professional schools in such fields as law, theology, medicine, business, music, and art. (3) access to the teaching profession.
Telugu Christian women do not wear the bindi or bottu (red dot on the forehead) and can therefore be easily distinguished from their Hindu counterparts. Culture among Telugu Christian women has been greatly influenced by missionary activity. Both feminine assertion and missionary zeal bound the missionary women with their Telugu sisters. The arrival of single women missionaries in India resulted in a war against the Telugu culture of woman's dependence and male domination. The sight of such missionaries living without any kind of dependence on a man proved to be a subversive culture and "a deviation from rule". Missionary M. L. Orchard called the presence of single women missionaries a "puzzle" to the Hindu
society. This "puzzle" fanned the self-confidence of native women to cross their village boundaries on preaching tours, which was unimaginable to the Telugu culture. Many native women became known as Bible women, a label that implied that they had determined to start an independent life and were ready to jeopardize their eligibility to be married because potential in-laws would prefer a girl who had not ventured outside her family's village. Bible women deviated from the cultural propriety and challenged family restrictions. As a result of which, Telugu Christian women were among the first women to work outside the home alongside their husbands. Christian women were the first female teachers in the schools of Andhra Pradesh
.
Religion plays a significant role in the daily life of Telugu Christians. Most life events hold religious significance such as births, baptism
s, christening
, confirmations or Nirdharana, marriage (which is referred to as Holy Matrimony or Parishudda Vivahamu), funerals, burial
s and memorial service
s. The Protestant Bible is referred to as Parishuda Grandam where as the Catholic Bible is referred as Pavitra Grandam.
Wedding is referred to as Holy Matrimony or Parishudda Vivahamu which is usually celebrated in a church. It is also common practice among the Telugu Christians to have the marriage solemnised before sunset. This practice is supposed to have its origins in the Biblical verse of I Thessalonians
5:5 which states: For you are all children of the light. Telugu Christian weddings conform to the traditional White Wedding
. Traditionally brides wear a white silk wedding Sari
. However, women among urban Telugu Christian congregations are increasingly opting for a wedding gown instead of a Sari. A few Hindu traditions have been retained after being christianised to a great extent. One such tradition is the tying of the wedding Thali. Telugu Christian thalis have a cross inscribed on them. Nalugu, is another ritual that is practiced prior to the marriage ceremony. It involves the application of Nalugu a paste of turmeric and other spices to the bride or bridegroom in their respective homes amidst singing of traditional christian wedding hymns, the most popular ones being Mangalame Yesunaku and Devarini Deevenalu. The publishing of the Banns of marriage
on the three Sundays that precede a wedding is another common practice that has its origins in the Church of England
.
The practice of Infant Baptism
is becoming less significant among Telugu Protestants being replaced by Child dedication
or christening
. It is however indispensable among the Telugu Catholics given the Catholic belief in the saving grace of baptism
. Adult baptisms are often by means of immersion as opposed to the more historic methods of aspersion
and affusion
. Even traditional denominations such as the Church of South India
and the Methodists have instituted baptism
by immersion in recent years. Confirmation, the practice of bestowing full membership in a church on children is practiced by some denominations.
The death knell
or the tolling of the church bell is a popular practice among rural congregations. It is often a means of letting the community know of the demise of a church member. Memorial service
is another important event among Telugu Christian communities. It is usually celebrated in close proximity after a person's death. The service includes eulogising the deceased, scripture reading, singing of hymns, sermon followed by a dinner.
Christmas
is the most important festival. One festivity that is a distinctive part of Christmas
celebrations among Telugu Christians is the singing of carols late in the night. Groups of carolers from churches sing carols outside Christian homes usually late in the night. They are then welcomed into the house and are treated to Christmas delicacies. It is also a common practice to collect offering for the church during this time. Rose cookies, plum cake, muruku are some of the popular Christmas delicacies. Easter is another important festival. Sunrise service
s held at dawn and hilltop services are characteristic to Easter Sunday celebrations among Telugu Christian congregations. Lutheran Christians in coastal districts visits cemeteries on Easter morning. All Souls' Day is another festival that is celebrated by Christians in the cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad
.
or Biblical first name. Most Telugu Christians have English
first names owing to the influence of British
and American
missionaries. Bilingual names are also common with the first name being an English
name and the middle name usually being the Telugu translation of Christian virtues. An example of a Bilingual name
is Lily Nirikshana where Lily is a common English name and Nirikshana is the Telugu translation of hope. There are also inter generational differences with respect to naming conventions. Telugu Christian names were more quintessentially British
among older generations. The most common masculine first names among older Telugu Christians were George, Edward, Charles etc. The most common feminine first names among older Telugu Christians being Victoria, Daisy, Mary etc. Telugu translations of Christian virtues such as Krupa, Vyduryam, Deevena were also more common among older Telugu Christian women. Current naming trends have shifted towards more Biblical names such as John, Daniel or Rachel etc. However Bilingual names such as Mary Sucharita or Victor Premasagar are still common place among younger generations. Catholic names can also be easily distinguished from Protestant names as Catholic children as usually named after Patron saint
s. Until recent times, Telugu Christians along with other Telugu people followed the convention of family names preceding first names. This is no longer the norm.
. However the most popular hymn among Telugu Christians is James McGranahan
's There Shall be Showers of Blessing and its Telugu translation Asheervadhambulu Mameedha. Hymns are used for all occasions forming a major part of Telugu Christian culture. The most popular wedding hymns are Mangalame Yesunaku and Devarini Deevenalu. Other famous hymns include Deva Samsthruthi, Nadipinchu Nananva, Thanuvu Nadhidhigogai. While the Pipe Organ
alongside the Tabla
was traditionally used as an accompaniment in congregational worship, its use today is limited as many have fallen into disrepair.
The Christian church runs thousands of educational institutions and hospitals in Andhra Pradesh
. Some of the famous ones include:
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n state of Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh , is one of the 28 states of India, situated on the southeastern coast of India. It is India's fourth largest state by area and fifth largest by population. Its capital and largest city by population is Hyderabad.The total GDP of Andhra Pradesh is $100 billion and is ranked third...
. According to the Census of India, there are over a million Christians in Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh , is one of the 28 states of India, situated on the southeastern coast of India. It is India's fourth largest state by area and fifth largest by population. Its capital and largest city by population is Hyderabad.The total GDP of Andhra Pradesh is $100 billion and is ranked third...
constituting 1.5 % of the state's population, although a decrease from the 1971 census figure which was 4.2%, as a result of low birth rates and emigration. Although the Franciscans of the Catholic Church brought Christianity to the Deccan Area in 1535, it is only after 1759 AD when the Northern Circars came under the rule of the East India Company
East India Company
The East India Company was an early English joint-stock company that was formed initially for pursuing trade with the East Indies, but that ended up trading mainly with the Indian subcontinent and China...
that the region opened up to greater Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
influence. The first Protestant missionaries in Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh , is one of the 28 states of India, situated on the southeastern coast of India. It is India's fourth largest state by area and fifth largest by population. Its capital and largest city by population is Hyderabad.The total GDP of Andhra Pradesh is $100 billion and is ranked third...
were Rev. Cran and Rev. Des Granges who were sent out by the London Missionary Society
London Missionary Society
The London Missionary Society was a non-denominational missionary society formed in England in 1795 by evangelical Anglicans and Nonconformists, largely Congregationalist in outlook, with missions in the islands of the South Pacific and Africa...
. They set up their station at Vishakapatnam in 1805 AD.
Most Telugu Christians are Protestant belonging to major Indian Protestant denominations such as the Church of South India
Church of South India
The Church of South India is the successor of the Church of England in India. It came into being in 1947 as a union of Anglican and Protestant churches in South India. With a membership of over 3.8 million, it is India's second largest Christian church after the Roman Catholic Church in India...
, the Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church
Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church
Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church was constituted in the year 1927 in Andhra Pradesh, India. It is the Indian successor to the United Lutheran Church in America which was started as a self-supporting, self-governing, and self-propagating church among Telugu Christians.-Memberships:* Andhra...
, the Samavesam of Telugu Baptist Churches
Samavesam of Telugu Baptist Churches
Samavesam of Telugu Baptist Churches are churches, that form a denomination in India.The churches are part of the Telugu Christian community of Southern India. Its language isTelugu. It belongs to the Baptist World Alliance....
and several others. The Church in Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh , is one of the 28 states of India, situated on the southeastern coast of India. It is India's fourth largest state by area and fifth largest by population. Its capital and largest city by population is Hyderabad.The total GDP of Andhra Pradesh is $100 billion and is ranked third...
runs thousands of educational institutions and hospitals contributing significantly to the development of the state. Telugu Christians are found in all walks of life and have contributed much to the development of the state. Regions with significant populations of Telugu Christians include the erstwhile Northern Circars, the coastal belt and the cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad
Secunderabad
Secunderabad popularly known as the twin city of Hyderabad is located in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh north of Hyderabad. Named after Sikandar Jah, the third Nizam of the Asaf Jahi dynasty, Secunderabad was founded in 1806 AD as a British cantonment...
. Many Telugu Christians have emigrated to other countries in the Anglosphere
Anglosphere
Anglosphere is a neologism which refers to those nations with English as the most common language. The term can be used more specifically to refer to those nations which share certain characteristics within their cultures based on a linguistic heritage, through being former British colonies...
with significant populations being present in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. Telugu Christians also have one of the highest literacy
Literacy
Literacy has traditionally been described as the ability to read for knowledge, write coherently and think critically about printed material.Literacy represents the lifelong, intellectual process of gaining meaning from print...
, work participation
Labor force
In economics, a labor force or labour force is a region's combined civilian workforce, including both the employed and unemployed.Normally, the labor force of a country consists of everyone of working age In economics, a labor force or labour force is a region's combined civilian workforce,...
and sex ratio
Sex ratio
Sex ratio is the ratio of males to females in a population. The primary sex ratio is the ratio at the time of conception, secondary sex ratio is the ratio at time of birth, and tertiary sex ratio is the ratio of mature organisms....
figures among the various religious communities in the state.
History
At least one author claims that a certain man named Theophilus who lived during the third century AD in Divi, an island near MachilipatnamMachilipatnam
Machilipatnam is a city and a special grade municipality in the Krishna district, Andhra Pradesh, India. It is located south east of state capital, Hyderabad.-History:...
on the East Coast of India was the first Christian among the Telugu speaking peoples. It is also claimed that he went to Constantinople
Constantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
to meet Emperor Constantine (306-337 AD) of Rome. Catholic missionaries such as the Jesuits were the first ones to reach the Telugu people. The Jesuits worked in the Telugu
Telugu people
The Telugu people or Telugu Prajalu are an ethnic group of India. They are the native speakers of the Telugu language, the most commonly spoken language in India after Hindi and Bengali...
hinterland starting in the sixteenth century AD. However, there is little recorded history of Christianity in Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh , is one of the 28 states of India, situated on the southeastern coast of India. It is India's fourth largest state by area and fifth largest by population. Its capital and largest city by population is Hyderabad.The total GDP of Andhra Pradesh is $100 billion and is ranked third...
until the advent of the Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
ans in the eighteenth century.
Describing the Christian scene in Andhra Pradesh prior to the arrival of Protestant missions, a traveler writes:
"The Christians at Machilipatnam and Bimlipatnam in coastal areas of Andhra were cosmopolitan in origin locals, Europeans of various nationalities, and those of mixed races. Originally the Theatines from Goa looked after the Christian communities of the coastal area till the Augustinian friars succeeded them in 1694. Later a couple of foreign missions priests from Paris were sent to Andhra. At the end of the 18th century the Capuchins were still working in the coastal area. By 1802, Christians were found at Machilipatnam, Corangui, Vishakapatnam and Chiracore."
Northern Circars and Coastal Belt Regions
Beginning the nineteenth century, missionaries from most major denominations started arriving in the Andhra region. Established in 1805, the London Missionary SocietyLondon Missionary Society
The London Missionary Society was a non-denominational missionary society formed in England in 1795 by evangelical Anglicans and Nonconformists, largely Congregationalist in outlook, with missions in the islands of the South Pacific and Africa...
was the first Protestant mission in Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh , is one of the 28 states of India, situated on the southeastern coast of India. It is India's fourth largest state by area and fifth largest by population. Its capital and largest city by population is Hyderabad.The total GDP of Andhra Pradesh is $100 billion and is ranked third...
which had its station at Visakhapatnam
Visakhapatnam
Visakhapatnam is a major sea port on the south east coast of India. With a population of approximately 1.7 million, it is the second largest city in the state of Andhra Pradesh and the third largest city on the east coast of India after Kolkata and Chennai. According to the history, the city was...
. The London Missionary Society
London Missionary Society
The London Missionary Society was a non-denominational missionary society formed in England in 1795 by evangelical Anglicans and Nonconformists, largely Congregationalist in outlook, with missions in the islands of the South Pacific and Africa...
was a non-denominational missionary society formed in England in 1795 by evangelical Anglicans and Nonconformists who were largely Congregationalist in outlook. George Crann and Augustus Des Granges were the first batch of missionaries that was sent out by the London Missionary Society
London Missionary Society
The London Missionary Society was a non-denominational missionary society formed in England in 1795 by evangelical Anglicans and Nonconformists, largely Congregationalist in outlook, with missions in the islands of the South Pacific and Africa...
to Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh , is one of the 28 states of India, situated on the southeastern coast of India. It is India's fourth largest state by area and fifth largest by population. Its capital and largest city by population is Hyderabad.The total GDP of Andhra Pradesh is $100 billion and is ranked third...
in 1804. They arrived in Vizagapatam on July 18, 1805. They were the first ever Protestant missionaries in the region. They began their missionary work by learning the Telugu language. They mastered the local language in a short time and began translating parts of the New Testament. In the next three years, the four Gospels were published. Their work was halted with the death of George Crann in 1809 followed by that of Des Granges in 1810. A new batch of missionaries, Revs. Lee, Gordon and Pritchett took over the work done by their predecessors. The first complete New Testament in Telugu was printed in Madras.
Baptist Missions
The American Baptist Mission and Godavari Delta Mission established their stations in 1836. They were followed by Church Missionary Society in 1841 and the then American Lutheran Mission in 1842. British colonial officers, Eurasians, and the likely presence of a few native Christian families has made missionary activity a possibility in these early years. Telugu BaptistBaptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
pastors like Puroshottam Choudhary
Puroshottam Choudhary
Puroshottam Choudhary was a composer of bhajans for Telugu Christians. He was a Baptist, and came from a Telugu-speaking district of Madras Presidency. He was living in Ganjam district when a man visited his village and gave him a Christian tract; he read it several years later. He was the first...
and Das Anthervedy from the Telugu-speaking districts of Madras Presidency
Madras Presidency
The Madras Presidency , officially the Presidency of Fort St. George and also known as Madras Province, was an administrative subdivision of British India...
, also known as Madras Province ministered in Coastal Andhra
Coastal Andhra
Coastal Andhra or Kosta, is a region of India's Andhra Pradesh State. This region was part of Madras State before 1953 and Andhra State from 1953 to 1956. According to the 2011 census, it has an area of and a population of 3,41,93,868...
even before the British Baptist Missionary Society's Serampore Mission
Serampore Trio
The Serampore Trio was the name given to three pioneering English missionaries to India in the 18th century, who set up, amongst other things Serampore College.*Joshua Marshman *William Carey *William Ward -New College at Serampore:...
was established.
Amos Sutton was the first British Baptist missionary to preach in the region. He was sent by the Serampore Mission
Serampore Trio
The Serampore Trio was the name given to three pioneering English missionaries to India in the 18th century, who set up, amongst other things Serampore College.*Joshua Marshman *William Carey *William Ward -New College at Serampore:...
. He preached in the northernmost parts of Andhra in 1805 but failed to achieve his objectives, and he did not venture again into the region, confining his ministry instead to the Oriya-speaking districts. Sutton, however, persisted in his vision for the Telugus. Later, Sutton's marriage to an American Baptist
American Baptist
American Baptist may refer to:* American Baptist Association* American Baptist Churches USA* Baptist who is an American...
missionary widow connected him with the American Baptists. While visiting his relatives in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in 1835, he urged the Baptist convention in Virginia to take over the "abandoned" work among the Telugus. Responding to his plea, the American Baptist Foreign Mission Board sent Samuel S. Day, a Canadian-born American, as their missionary in 1835. He arrived in Vishakapatnam in 1836 and searched for four years for a suitable place to start a mission station before finally finding one in Nellore. This lay the foundations of the Canadian Baptist Mission
Canadian Baptist Mission
Canadian Baptist Mission was established by the Baptist Missionaries of Canada ca. 1850.-Present status:CBM was later renamed as the Canadian Baptist Overseas Mission Board...
. The Canadian Baptist Mission (CBM) was established in 1850. Lyman Jewett
Lyman Jewett
Lyman Jewett DD was an American Baptist missionary and first translator of the Bible into Telugu....
in 1848 and John E. Clough in 1865 joined the mission station at Nellore. Canadian Baptist Mission
Canadian Baptist Mission
Canadian Baptist Mission was established by the Baptist Missionaries of Canada ca. 1850.-Present status:CBM was later renamed as the Canadian Baptist Overseas Mission Board...
aries quickly identified the possibility of holistic transformation of the Telugu society through education, and they found women to be potential agents of change. Missionary Mary McLaurin, in 1875, founded a school for boys and the next year founded one for girls. Missionaries of the Canadian Baptist Mission
Canadian Baptist Mission
Canadian Baptist Mission was established by the Baptist Missionaries of Canada ca. 1850.-Present status:CBM was later renamed as the Canadian Baptist Overseas Mission Board...
founded the Convention of Baptist Churches of Northern Circars
Convention of Baptist Churches of Northern Circars
The Convention of Baptist Churches of Northern Circars is a Christian denomination in north coastal Andhra Pradesh.CBCNC is a member body of the Baptist World Alliance, and an affiliate member Church of the National Council of Churches in India .Missionaries of the Canadian Baptist Mission founded...
(CBCNC) as the mission's successor in Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh , is one of the 28 states of India, situated on the southeastern coast of India. It is India's fourth largest state by area and fifth largest by population. Its capital and largest city by population is Hyderabad.The total GDP of Andhra Pradesh is $100 billion and is ranked third...
.
Lutheran Missions
John Christian Frederick Heyer
John Christian Frederick Heyer was the first missionary sent abroad by Lutherans in the United States. He founded the Guntur Mission in Andhra Pradesh, India...
who arrived in the year 1842 AD. His wife and children remained in Friedens
Friedens, Pennsylvania
Friedens is a census-designated place that is part of Somerset Township in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,523 at the 2010 census...
, Somerset County, Pennsylvania
Somerset County, Pennsylvania
Somerset County is a county located in the state of Pennsylvania. As of 2010, the population was 77,742. Somerset County was created on April 17, 1795, from part of Bedford County and named for Somerset, United Kingdom. Its county seat is Somerset. It is part of the Johnstown, Pennsylvania,...
where Mrs. Mary Heyer died in 1839. The following year, Heyer was asked to enter the foreign missions. He studied Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
and medicine in Baltimore, and set sail for India from Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
in 1841 with three other missionary couples on the ship Brenda. Returning to the United States in 1845, he continued his missionary work and established St. John’s Church in Baltimore. At the same time, he studied medicine, and obtained his M.D. from the University of Maryland School of Medicine in 1847.
He traveled to India a second time in 1847, spending a decade, mainly in the Guntur district
Guntur district
Guntur district is located in Andhra Pradesh along the east coast of Bay of Bengal. The district has a coastline of around 100 kilometers. Guntur City is the largest city in the district and administrative center of Guntur District. The district is a major center for learning.-Etymology:There are...
of Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh , is one of the 28 states of India, situated on the southeastern coast of India. It is India's fourth largest state by area and fifth largest by population. Its capital and largest city by population is Hyderabad.The total GDP of Andhra Pradesh is $100 billion and is ranked third...
state, in southern India, where he ministered and performed yeoman service to the people there. Supported initially by the Pennsylvania Ministerium, and later by the Foreign Mission Board of the General Synod, Heyer was also encouraged and assisted by British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
government officials. He established a number of hospitals and a network of schools throughout the Guntur region. The two prominent Lutheran missions in Coastal Andhra
Coastal Andhra
Coastal Andhra or Kosta, is a region of India's Andhra Pradesh State. This region was part of Madras State before 1953 and Andhra State from 1953 to 1956. According to the 2011 census, it has an area of and a population of 3,41,93,868...
were the Guntur Mission pioneered by John Christian Frederick Heyer
John Christian Frederick Heyer
John Christian Frederick Heyer was the first missionary sent abroad by Lutherans in the United States. He founded the Guntur Mission in Andhra Pradesh, India...
of the Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
Synod Society and the Rajahmundry
Rajahmundry
Rajahmundry is a city and municipal corporation of the Andhra Pradesh state in India. It is located east of the state capital, Hyderabad, on the banks of the River Godavari. Known as the Cultural Capital, Rajahmundry is noted for its intense Veda culture and intellect...
Mission established by Rev. Luis P. Manno Valett of North German Missionary Society in July 1845. In 1927 the Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church
Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church
Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church was constituted in the year 1927 in Andhra Pradesh, India. It is the Indian successor to the United Lutheran Church in America which was started as a self-supporting, self-governing, and self-propagating church among Telugu Christians.-Memberships:* Andhra...
was constituted with the merger of both these missions.
The history of the South Andhra Lutheran Church
South Andhra Lutheran Church
South Andhra Lutheran Church is a Christian denomination in India. It is Telugu-speaking.It is led by Bishop K.S. Chandra Sekhar. It has tens of thousands of members...
can be dated back to the year 1865 when Rev. August Mylius of the Hermaunsburg Evangelical Lutheran Mission (HELM), Germany began his evangelistic work in the southern part of Andhra i.e. the present districts of Nellore
Nellore
Nellore , is a city and headquarters of Potti Sri Ramulu Nellore District, formerly Nellore district.And in the state of Andhra Pradesh. Ancient name of Nellore was "Vikrama Simhapuri"....
, Prakasham and Chittoor
Chittoor
Chittoor also known as Chittur, is a City and municipal corporation located in the Chittoor District of Andhra Pradesh, India. It is conveniently located on major highways linking the cities of Bangalore and Chennai....
. World War I forced the German missionaries to leave India in 1915. In 1920, after a period of five years, the American missionaries from Ohio Lutheran Evangelical Mission (OLEM) took charge of the abruptly ended work of the German missionaries. Later in 1929 the church governance was taken over by the American Lutheran Church. The year of Indian Independence (1947) was also the birth year of the South Andhra Lutheran Church
South Andhra Lutheran Church
South Andhra Lutheran Church is a Christian denomination in India. It is Telugu-speaking.It is led by Bishop K.S. Chandra Sekhar. It has tens of thousands of members...
.
The famous British officer Arthur Cotton
Arthur Cotton
General Sir Arthur Thomas Cotton KCSI was a British general and irrigation engineer.Cotton devoted his life to the construction of irrigation and navigation canals throughout the British Empire in India, however, his dream was only partially realized, but he is still honored in parts of rural...
worked alongside missionaries like Rev. Henry Fox of the Church Mission Society
Church Mission Society
The Church Mission Society, also known as the Church Missionary Society, is a group of evangelistic societies working with the Anglican Communion and Protestant Christians around the world...
, Mr. Bowden (SPG) of the Godavari Delta Mission, the Lutherans and Baptists. On Sundays the labour camps where Arthur Cotton
Arthur Cotton
General Sir Arthur Thomas Cotton KCSI was a British general and irrigation engineer.Cotton devoted his life to the construction of irrigation and navigation canals throughout the British Empire in India, however, his dream was only partially realized, but he is still honored in parts of rural...
supervised resounded with the singing of Christian Hymns, songs in various languages such as Telugu, Tamil, and Tribal dialects etc. Major Cotton himself spoke in many such meetings. He and his staff worked in order to set a personal example of service and Christian living to the new converts. Therefore the spread of Christianity in the coastal Andhra area could be attributed to the efforts of Arthur Cotton
Arthur Cotton
General Sir Arthur Thomas Cotton KCSI was a British general and irrigation engineer.Cotton devoted his life to the construction of irrigation and navigation canals throughout the British Empire in India, however, his dream was only partially realized, but he is still honored in parts of rural...
.
Telangana Regions
Wesleyan Methodist Missions
Sir Arthur CottonArthur Cotton
General Sir Arthur Thomas Cotton KCSI was a British general and irrigation engineer.Cotton devoted his life to the construction of irrigation and navigation canals throughout the British Empire in India, however, his dream was only partially realized, but he is still honored in parts of rural...
, a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
engineer with the help of two missionaries E.E Jenkins & George Fryar traveled in the Telangana regions. They were responsible for starting work in Sironcha
Sironcha
Sironcha is a town and the administrative headquarters of Sironcha tehsil in Gadchiroli district of Maharashtra state in central India.-Geography:Sironcha is located at . It has an average elevation of 118 metres ....
in 1863. The Church Missionary Society started its work in Aurangabad in 1860, which was then part of the Nizam
Nizam
Nizam-ul-Mulk of Hyderabad popularly known as Nizams of Hyderabad was a former monarchy of the Hyderabad State, now in the states of Andhra Pradesh , Karnataka , and Maharashtra in India...
's dominions. Later on William Taylor, a missionary of the Methodist Episcopal Church triggered a great revival in Hyderabad during the years 1872 – 1874. The work began in Hyderabad as “Hindustani Mission”. Meanwhile the Methodist Missionary Society began its work as “Godavari Mission” which is named after the river. After fifteen years of thorough survey i.e. in December 1873 missionaries Henry Little and William Burgess came to Secunderabad
Secunderabad
Secunderabad popularly known as the twin city of Hyderabad is located in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh north of Hyderabad. Named after Sikandar Jah, the third Nizam of the Asaf Jahi dynasty, Secunderabad was founded in 1806 AD as a British cantonment...
from Madras. William Burgess was the founder of the Wesleyan Mission in Hyderabad. He laid the foundations of missionary work in the now famous Clock tower Wesley Church pastorate in Secunderabad
Secunderabad
Secunderabad popularly known as the twin city of Hyderabad is located in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh north of Hyderabad. Named after Sikandar Jah, the third Nizam of the Asaf Jahi dynasty, Secunderabad was founded in 1806 AD as a British cantonment...
. Their Indian colleague was Benjamin Wesley and the first Methodist Telugu service was held in Ramkote in December 1879 in the house of one Telugu Layman called Mr. Joseph Cornelius. The Tamil congregation of the Church of Scotland Mission was also handed over to them. The present Wesley Girls School in Secunderabad
Secunderabad
Secunderabad popularly known as the twin city of Hyderabad is located in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh north of Hyderabad. Named after Sikandar Jah, the third Nizam of the Asaf Jahi dynasty, Secunderabad was founded in 1806 AD as a British cantonment...
with its missionary bungalow was purchased in 1884.
William Burgess stayed with his family in a Dak-Bungallow as there was no house ready for accommodation. He had no Church to receive him. He began his work first with British Soldiers. He was assisted in his work by his Indian counterpart Mr. Joseph Cornelius. The first Baptism was administrated by Burgess on 25th January 1880. His first convert was Andrew son of Chakkariah who is one of the fore-runners of many Christians in the Medak Diocese. Burgess rode on horse-back, much like John Wesley
John Wesley
John Wesley was a Church of England cleric and Christian theologian. Wesley is largely credited, along with his brother Charles Wesley, as founding the Methodist movement which began when he took to open-air preaching in a similar manner to George Whitefield...
, preaching in the Telangana regions. In 1880, a church building was erected in Ramkote which is the existing Wesley Church, Ramkote. Another church was built in Hyderabad in 1883. The congregation of Tamils and Telugus used to meet in the Wesley Hall, Market Street, Secunderabad. The Madras Synod sent Rev. Benjamin P. Wesley to help the Burgesses. He came from Cuddapah and was a well educated man. Benjamin P. Wesley was ordained as a Wesleyan Minister in 1882. Rev. Benjamin P. Wesley along with Mrs. Burgess set about establishing educational institutions in and around Hyderabad and Secunderabad
Secunderabad
Secunderabad popularly known as the twin city of Hyderabad is located in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh north of Hyderabad. Named after Sikandar Jah, the third Nizam of the Asaf Jahi dynasty, Secunderabad was founded in 1806 AD as a British cantonment...
. In 1882, Burgess bought some shops which he used to set up side rooms for a school. Another missionary Rev. Benjamin Pratt also arrived in 1880. These trio Burgess, Pratt and Benjamin Wesley used to travel on cart, and bullock bandies to preach in the surrounding areas. They often had adventures with wild beasts. Pratt surveyed Karimnagar area, following which he established the Wesleyan headquarters there. This laid the foundations of the current Karimnagar diocese of the Church of South India
Church of South India
The Church of South India is the successor of the Church of England in India. It came into being in 1947 as a union of Anglican and Protestant churches in South India. With a membership of over 3.8 million, it is India's second largest Christian church after the Roman Catholic Church in India...
. During those days the district headquarters was Ellagandala, which was eight miles away from Karimnagar. Around the same time, Benjamin Wesley made Siddipet his headquarters, laying the foundations for the diocese of Medak
Medak
Medak , is a municipality in Medak District in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India. It is 100 km to the north of Hyderabad.-Geography:Medak is located at . It has an average elevation of 442 metres .-Demographics:...
, where later the great cathedral at Medak
Medak Cathedral
Medak Cathedral is the seat of the Bishop in Medak for the Church of South India . The Cathedral is the largest of all churches in Andhra Pradesh. 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...
was built. The regions of Hyderabad and Secunderabad
Secunderabad
Secunderabad popularly known as the twin city of Hyderabad is located in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh north of Hyderabad. Named after Sikandar Jah, the third Nizam of the Asaf Jahi dynasty, Secunderabad was founded in 1806 AD as a British cantonment...
were ministered by the Burgesses."
Anglican Missions
Rev. Charles Walker Posnett (the builder of the great Cathedral at Medak) arrived in Secunderabad in 1895. He first ministered among the British soldiers at TrimulgherryTrimulgherry
Trimulgherry or Thirmulgherry or Tirumalagiri is a major suburb of Secunderabad, India. It is the anglicised name for Tirumalagiri. It is to the north of Hyderabad.The suburb has many smaller residential townships...
. 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 a dock bungalow. There were then hardly two hundred Christians in the whole of Medak area. There was no railway route to Medak in those days. The journey of 60 miles (96.6 km) from Hyderabad had to be done on horseback and Rev. Posnett usually did it in a day. When he came to Medak, there was a small tiled house as the place of worship. 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 worshiping his Lord Jesus Christ. He began building the present Medak Cathedral
Medak Cathedral
Medak Cathedral is the seat of the Bishop in Medak for the Church of South India . The Cathedral is the largest of all churches in Andhra Pradesh. 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...
in 1914 on a sprawling 1000 acres (4 km²) of land in the Ghusnabad area. He built the cathedral during a famine. The starving villagers were provided food in return for their services towards building the Cathedral.
The Diocese of Dornakal was founded on December 29, 1912, when the Rev. V. S. Azariah was consecrated its first Bishop in St. Paul's Cathedral, Calcutta. The real significance of the ceremony lay in the fact that Bishop Azariah was the first Indian to be consecrated a Bishop of the Anglican Communion. When it was first formed in 1912, the Diocese of Dornakal was quite a small diocese in the south-east corner of the Nizam's Dominions. A few years later it was enlarged by the addition of the District of Dummagudem, in which the Church Mission Society
Church Mission Society
The Church Mission Society, also known as the Church Missionary Society, is a group of evangelistic societies working with the Anglican Communion and Protestant Christians around the world...
was working. Then came a Resolution of the Episcopal Synod in the year 1920, which transformed this comparatively small diocese into a diocese which has now probably as large, if not a larger number of Anglican Indian Christians than any other in India. By this resolution all the Mission Districts of both the Church Missionary Society and the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in the Telugu country, were placed under the Episcopal jurisdiction of the Bishop of Dornakal. This means that the present Diocese of Dornakal includes a large portion of the Krishna district, together with the part of the Godavari district named Dummagudem; parts of the Kurnool and Cuddapah districts to the south occupied by the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel; also the areas in the Hyderabad State occupied by the Indian Missionary Society of Tinnevelly, the Singareni Mission, the Khammamett Mission (formerly under the Church Missionary Society), and the then recently formed Dornakal Diocesan Mission.
Catholicism in Andhra Pradesh
The Franciscans of the Catholic Church brought Catholicism to the Deccan Area in 1535. The Roman Catholic Diocese of Hyderabad was only formed in 1886. A study of the social background of the Telugu Christians of the 18th century reveals that the majority of Telugu Roman Catholics came from two great communities of farmers. According to the French Jesuits, the Telugu Christians were fervent Christians. Christians and Hindus got along fairly peacefully.The Christian sanyasis of Andhra worked with the permission of the local authorities, which enabled them to spread the gospel with the greatest possible freedom. The relations between the French and the Nizam and his nawabs were on the whole cordial enough.
The Muslim authorities tended to favour and protect the ‘Roman Fakirs’ and their disciples. The Christian contribution to culture and scientific studies was considerable. Apart from preaching the gospel, the French priests evinced keen interest in scientific study, especially in the field of mathematics and astronomy. Most of them were trained mathematicians, and some even in astronomy. They knew Telugu well, and some even knew Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Marathi and Hindustani. A fairly large number of Christian writings in Telugu belonging to the 18th century have survived. In circa 1735, one of the priests gave a text of the Gospel of St John to the Palayakar of Kottakotta. A history of the Old Testament called Purva Vedam, Rajula Charitra, Amrutham Bhavan, and a life of Christ were among the writings that were revered by the Telugu Roman Catholics. There were some apologetic, catechetical and theological writings such as Nistara Ratnakaramu (Ocean of Salvation), Anitya Nitya Vivastam (Difference between the Temporal and the Eternal) and Vedanta Saramu (Essence of Theology). Sanskrit prayers
were translated into Telugu; so also many popular poems were produced. There were many writings on linguistics. Fr G L Coeurdoux (died 1799) is the author of a Telugu-Sanskrit-French dictionary, and of a French-Telugu and Telugu-French dictionary. Fr Pierre de la Lane (died 1746) wrote a Telugu grammar in circa 1729, and also a Telugu dictionary entitled Amara Sinham. A number of Jesuit missionaries studied Sanskrit as it contained all the philosophical writings of Hinduism. A number of Jesuit missionaries were keen on observations and experiments in astronomy, among whom the names of Le Gac, Ducros, Duchamp, Gargam and Calmette stand out. Geography and Geology were included in their field of scientific interest. The description of Gargan’s journey of September- November 1730 through the southern districts of Andhra and information on geology, such as the quarries of Cambam and the diamond mines of the
eastern side of Terramula, were of special interest.
Post Independence
Following the Indian Independence in 1947, all properties that belonged to the erstwhile missions and churches that were part of BritishUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
cantonments in the region of Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh , is one of the 28 states of India, situated on the southeastern coast of India. It is India's fourth largest state by area and fifth largest by population. Its capital and largest city by population is Hyderabad.The total GDP of Andhra Pradesh is $100 billion and is ranked third...
were bequeathed to Telugu Christians. Several major denominations were also formed during this period.
The Church of South India
Church of South India
The Church of South India is the successor of the Church of England in India. It came into being in 1947 as a union of Anglican and Protestant churches in South India. With a membership of over 3.8 million, it is India's second largest Christian church after the Roman Catholic Church in India...
, the result of the union of churches of varying traditions Anglican, Methodist, Congregational, Presbyterian, and Reformed was inaugurated in September 1947, after protracted negotiation among the churches concerned. In the Telugu regions, the London Missionary Society
London Missionary Society
The London Missionary Society was a non-denominational missionary society formed in England in 1795 by evangelical Anglicans and Nonconformists, largely Congregationalist in outlook, with missions in the islands of the South Pacific and Africa...
, the Society of Propagation of the Gospel, the Church Mission Society
Church Mission Society
The Church Mission Society, also known as the Church Missionary Society, is a group of evangelistic societies working with the Anglican Communion and Protestant Christians around the world...
, the Church of Scotland Mission, and the Wesleyan Methodists along with several other denominations and missions came together to form part of the Church of South India
Church of South India
The Church of South India is the successor of the Church of England in India. It came into being in 1947 as a union of Anglican and Protestant churches in South India. With a membership of over 3.8 million, it is India's second largest Christian church after the Roman Catholic Church in India...
. Medak Diocese was formed during the same period. It is one of the biggest dioceses in the Church of South India
Church of South India
The Church of South India is the successor of the Church of England in India. It came into being in 1947 as a union of Anglican and Protestant churches in South India. With a membership of over 3.8 million, it is India's second largest Christian church after the Roman Catholic Church in India...
, comprising 1100 congregations in 71 pastorates and spread over five revenue districts of Telengana region of Andhra Pradesh state namely Adilabad, Medak, Nizamabad, Rangareddy and the cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad
Secunderabad
Secunderabad popularly known as the twin city of Hyderabad is located in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh north of Hyderabad. Named after Sikandar Jah, the third Nizam of the Asaf Jahi dynasty, Secunderabad was founded in 1806 AD as a British cantonment...
. The first Bishop of Medak Diocese was Rt. Rev. Frank Whittaker.
The existing Church of South India
Church of South India
The Church of South India is the successor of the Church of England in India. It came into being in 1947 as a union of Anglican and Protestant churches in South India. With a membership of over 3.8 million, it is India's second largest Christian church after the Roman Catholic Church in India...
dioceses in the state of Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh , is one of the 28 states of India, situated on the southeastern coast of India. It is India's fourth largest state by area and fifth largest by population. Its capital and largest city by population is Hyderabad.The total GDP of Andhra Pradesh is $100 billion and is ranked third...
are as follows:
- Dornakal Diocese
- Karimnagar Diocese
- Krishna-Godavari Diocese
- Medak Diocese
- Nandyal Diocese
- Rayalaseema Diocese
The Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church
Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church
Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church was constituted in the year 1927 in Andhra Pradesh, India. It is the Indian successor to the United Lutheran Church in America which was started as a self-supporting, self-governing, and self-propagating church among Telugu Christians.-Memberships:* Andhra...
was formed in 1927. At present it spreads over 500 miles (804.7 km) of the Coromandel Coast (east coast of India) covering the important cities and districts in Andhra Pradesh and having a congregational membership of more than 4,50,000 in around 400 parishes. It is the third largest Lutheran church in Asia.
The year of Indian Independence, 1947, was also the birth year of South Andhra Lutheran Church
South Andhra Lutheran Church
South Andhra Lutheran Church is a Christian denomination in India. It is Telugu-speaking.It is led by Bishop K.S. Chandra Sekhar. It has tens of thousands of members...
. Since 1949 the church became independent and got all the properties and institutions from foreign missionary societies. In the present day scenario the church has 33,863 members in 44 parishes. The church runs five secondary schools, five boarding homes and hostels, couple of technical schools and institutes and a hospital.
The Convention of Baptist Churches of Northern Circars
Convention of Baptist Churches of Northern Circars
The Convention of Baptist Churches of Northern Circars is a Christian denomination in north coastal Andhra Pradesh.CBCNC is a member body of the Baptist World Alliance, and an affiliate member Church of the National Council of Churches in India .Missionaries of the Canadian Baptist Mission founded...
(CBCNC) is a Christian denomination in north coastal Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh , is one of the 28 states of India, situated on the southeastern coast of India. It is India's fourth largest state by area and fifth largest by population. Its capital and largest city by population is Hyderabad.The total GDP of Andhra Pradesh is $100 billion and is ranked third...
. Missionaries of the Canadian Baptist Mission
Canadian Baptist Mission
Canadian Baptist Mission was established by the Baptist Missionaries of Canada ca. 1850.-Present status:CBM was later renamed as the Canadian Baptist Overseas Mission Board...
founded this denomination as its successor in Andhra Pradesh. Canadian Baptist Mission (CBM) was established by the Baptist Missionaries of Canada c. 1850.
The Samavesam of Telugu Baptist Churches
Samavesam of Telugu Baptist Churches
Samavesam of Telugu Baptist Churches are churches, that form a denomination in India.The churches are part of the Telugu Christian community of Southern India. Its language isTelugu. It belongs to the Baptist World Alliance....
, formed in 1962, is a registered organization consisting of 1,214 independent Baptist churches. American Baptists started missionary work in South India among Telugu-speaking people in 1836. In 1887 the existing churches were organized into the Convention of Telugu Baptist Churches. In 1962 the convention became the Samavesam of Telugu Baptist Churches
Samavesam of Telugu Baptist Churches
Samavesam of Telugu Baptist Churches are churches, that form a denomination in India.The churches are part of the Telugu Christian community of Southern India. Its language isTelugu. It belongs to the Baptist World Alliance....
, with a unanimously adopted constitution. The organization was registered in 1963. The Samavesam of Telugu Baptist Churches
Samavesam of Telugu Baptist Churches
Samavesam of Telugu Baptist Churches are churches, that form a denomination in India.The churches are part of the Telugu Christian community of Southern India. Its language isTelugu. It belongs to the Baptist World Alliance....
runs educational institutions, hospitals, health centres and one theological seminary, in Ramapatnam. There are five degree colleges, eight junior colleges, 14 high schools and 14 primary schools. The interdenominational theological college at Hyderabad is affiliated with the Serampore University, Kolkata. The Samavesam has 4,500 Sunday schools with an enrollment of some 72,000 children.
Andhra Christian Theological College is a special purpose entity
Special purpose entity
A special purpose entity is a legal entity created to fulfill narrow, specific or temporary objectives...
- an ecumenical enterprise of some of the church societies in Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh , is one of the 28 states of India, situated on the southeastern coast of India. It is India's fourth largest state by area and fifth largest by population. Its capital and largest city by population is Hyderabad.The total GDP of Andhra Pradesh is $100 billion and is ranked third...
. It was founded in 1964 and is affiliated to the Senate of Serampore College, Serampore
Serampore
Serampore is a city and a municipality in Hooghly district in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is a part of the area covered by Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority. It is a pre-colonial town on the right bank of the Hoogli River...
, West Bengal
West Bengal
West Bengal is a state in the eastern region of India and is the nation's fourth-most populous. It is also the seventh-most populous sub-national entity in the world, with over 91 million inhabitants. A major agricultural producer, West Bengal is the sixth-largest contributor to India's GDP...
. Andhra Christian Theological College came into being as a result of the Kretzmann's Commission which suggested carving out a unified seminary out of existing century-old seminaries catering to the various Church societies in Andhra Pradesh. It was also as a result of ecumenism
Ecumenism
Ecumenism or oecumenism mainly refers to initiatives aimed at greater Christian unity or cooperation. It is used predominantly by and with reference to Christian denominations and Christian Churches separated by doctrine, history, and practice...
where a greater need for unity among the Protestant churches was felt worldwide.
Art and Architecture
Sacred artSacred art
Sacred art is imagery intended to uplift the mind to the spiritual. Sacred art involves the ritual and cultic practices and practical and operative aspects of the path of the spiritual realization within the bosom of the tradition in question....
does not hold much significance among Telugu Christian communities because the majority of Telugu Christians are Protestant and therefore do not approve of statue
Statue
A statue is a sculpture in the round representing a person or persons, an animal, an idea or an event, normally full-length, as opposed to a bust, and at least close to life-size, or larger...
s or other religious objects of such nature. However on the other hand, Church architecture
Church architecture
Church architecture refers to the architecture of buildings of Christian churches. It has evolved over the two thousand years of the Christian religion, partly by innovation and partly by imitating other architectural styles as well as responding to changing beliefs, practices and local traditions...
in Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh , is one of the 28 states of India, situated on the southeastern coast of India. It is India's fourth largest state by area and fifth largest by population. Its capital and largest city by population is Hyderabad.The total GDP of Andhra Pradesh is $100 billion and is ranked third...
is rich and diverse. Most churches and cathedral
Cathedral
A cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...
s in the region conform to the Gothic Revival style because the missions which had the greatest influence in the area were either from England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
or America
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Unlike in other parts of India such as Goa
Goa
Goa , a former Portuguese colony, is India's smallest state by area and the fourth smallest by population. Located in South West India in the region known as the Konkan, it is bounded by the state of Maharashtra to the north, and by Karnataka to the east and south, while the Arabian Sea forms its...
and Mangalore
Mangalore
Mangalore is the chief port city of the Indian state of Karnataka. It is located about west of the state capital, Bangalore. Mangalore lies between the Arabian Sea and the Western Ghat mountain ranges, and is the administrative headquarters of the Dakshina Kannada district in south western...
, the Portuguese
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
played little part in the spread of Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
in Andhra Pradesh and therefore Andhra Pradesh has very little Baroque
Baroque
The Baroque is a period and the style that used exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce drama, tension, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, literature, dance, and music...
architecture. Churches of much architectural value can be found across the length and breadth of Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh , is one of the 28 states of India, situated on the southeastern coast of India. It is India's fourth largest state by area and fifth largest by population. Its capital and largest city by population is Hyderabad.The total GDP of Andhra Pradesh is $100 billion and is ranked third...
even in smaller towns and villages that have been influenced by missionary activity. Christ Lutheran Church
Christ Lutheran Church, Narsapur
Christ Lutheran Church is a congregation in the Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church and is a member church of the West Godavari synod. It is a major A class parish and is a mother church to several smaller and younger congregations in and around Narsapur, West Godavari. The current pastor is...
in Narsapur
Narsapur, West Godavari
Narsapur is a town, Mandal and a municipality in West Godavari district in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. Its geographical coordinates are 16° 27' 0" north, 81° 40' 0" east. Some say there are other narasapurams in Krishna and Medak districts....
, West Godavari
West Godavari
West Godavari District is one of the 23 districts of Andhra Pradesh, India. Eluru, is the district headquarter...
is one example of such beautiful churches in rural areas. With a red brick exterior, this church is a fine example of the Gothic Revival style that was greatly patronised by the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. Indian motifs have been delicately incorporated into the architecture of several religious buildings.
The greatest of the cathedrals in Andhra Pradesh is the Church of South India
Church of South India
The Church of South India is the successor of the Church of England in India. It came into being in 1947 as a union of Anglican and Protestant churches in South India. With a membership of over 3.8 million, it is India's second largest Christian church after the Roman Catholic Church in India...
Medak Cathedral
Medak Cathedral
Medak Cathedral is the seat of the Bishop in Medak for the Church of South India . The Cathedral is the largest of all churches in Andhra Pradesh. 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...
. 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 (CSI) diocese of Medak. It took ten years to complete the cathedral. With its massive dimensions — 100 ft (30.5 m) wide and 200 ft (61 m) long — the church can accommodate about 5,000 people at a time. The roof of the church is made sound-proof by means of hollow sponge material and has an impressive style of vaulting. When the Nizam of Hyderabad came to know that the height of this cathedral was going to be far more than that of Charminar, he made a vain bid to order that its height should be brought down. The floor of the cathedral is laid with tiles brought in from Italy. The bell-tower of the Cathedral is 175 ft (53.3 m) high. There are three magnificent stained-glass windows depicting the Nativity, Crucifixion and Ascension of Jesus Christ. The stained-glass windows are a major tourist attraction.
The cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad
Secunderabad
Secunderabad popularly known as the twin city of Hyderabad is located in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh north of Hyderabad. Named after Sikandar Jah, the third Nizam of the Asaf Jahi dynasty, Secunderabad was founded in 1806 AD as a British cantonment...
have a greater variety in Church architecture
Church architecture
Church architecture refers to the architecture of buildings of Christian churches. It has evolved over the two thousand years of the Christian religion, partly by innovation and partly by imitating other architectural styles as well as responding to changing beliefs, practices and local traditions...
as a result of the cosmopolitan nature of the cities. St Joseph's Cathedral, Hyderabad
St Joseph's Cathedral, Hyderabad
St Joseph's Cathedral is a Roman Catholic Cathedral in Hyderabad, India. It is the cathedral of the Archdiocese of Hyderabad and one of the most beautiful church of Hyderabad and Secunderabad cities of Andhra Pradesh, India.-History:...
is one of the few and fine examples of Baroque
Baroque
The Baroque is a period and the style that used exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce drama, tension, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, literature, dance, and music...
architecture in Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh , is one of the 28 states of India, situated on the southeastern coast of India. It is India's fourth largest state by area and fifth largest by population. Its capital and largest city by population is Hyderabad.The total GDP of Andhra Pradesh is $100 billion and is ranked third...
. The Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
character of the church is clearly visible in the architectural style of the church. St. George's Church, Hyderabad
St. George's Church, Hyderabad
St. George's Church is the oldest church in the city of Hyderabad, India. It was built in the year 1844 AD. The church was originally an Anglican church but is now under the auspices of the Church of South India.-History:...
in Abids is considered to be the oldest church in the Hyderabad. The church with its distinctive Gothic architecture has become a prototype for many churches in city and the region.
Secunderabad
Secunderabad
Secunderabad popularly known as the twin city of Hyderabad is located in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh north of Hyderabad. Named after Sikandar Jah, the third Nizam of the Asaf Jahi dynasty, Secunderabad was founded in 1806 AD as a British cantonment...
has some of the most beautiful churches in the region. Built in 1813, St. John's Church Secunderabad is the oldest church in the city. The church was built according to the Tuscan order
Tuscan order
Among canon of classical orders of classical architecture, the Tuscan order's place is due to the influence of the Italian Sebastiano Serlio, who meticulously described the five orders including a "Tuscan order", "the solidest and least ornate", in his fourth book of Regole generalii di...
, which is a simplified version of the Doric order
Doric order
The Doric order was one of the three orders or organizational systems of ancient Greek or classical architecture; the other two canonical orders were the Ionic and the Corinthian.-History:...
. Once the cathedral of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Hyderabad, St. Mary's Church, Secunderabad
St. Mary's Church, Secunderabad
St. Mary's Church is the oldest Roman Catholic church in the city of Secunderabad, India. It was formerly the Cathedral of the Archdiocese of Hyderabad. It is dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary. Adjacent to the church is the convent of St. Ann's which runs the locally famous St. Ann's High...
is an inspiring piece of architecture. It was built in 1847, incidentally a century before the Indian Independence. The church, although much smaller in size, bears much resemblance to the Cathedral at Medak
Medak
Medak , is a municipality in Medak District in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India. It is 100 km to the north of Hyderabad.-Geography:Medak is located at . It has an average elevation of 442 metres .-Demographics:...
with both adhering the Gothic Revival architectural style. Another beautiful church that has even received the INTACH award from the government of Andhra Pradesh is the All Saints Church, Secunderabad which was constructed in 1860. It is a fine example of the Gothic style. It is an imposing structure with a multitude of spires and turrets and a soaring tower like belfry. It was the first permanent structure of the Trimulgherry entrenchment. Sixteen memorial tablets along the wall and a medium sized organ are some of its antique possessions. However the most historically significant church in the city is the Church of South India
Church of South India
The Church of South India is the successor of the Church of England in India. It came into being in 1947 as a union of Anglican and Protestant churches in South India. With a membership of over 3.8 million, it is India's second largest Christian church after the Roman Catholic Church in India...
Holy Trinity Church, Bolarum
Holy Trinity Church, Bolarum
Holy Trinity Church is a church under the auspices of the Church of South India. It is located in the Bolarum locality of Secunderabad.-History:...
. Being commissioned by Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
in 1847 out of her own money, the church is a beautiful structure with a stark white exterior that towers over its lush green surrounding. The stained glass altar piece, the pulpit and the bell are all in their original splendour, reflecting an era gone by. In the year 1983, Queen Elizabeth II, of the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
celebrated her 36th wedding anniversary in the Holy Trinity Church during her tour of India. The Church service was officiated by Bishop Victor Premasagar
Victor Premasagar
Victor Premasagar was the fourth successor of Frank Whittaker as Bishop in Medak. He was an Indian churchman and Old Testament scholar. He also became Moderator of the Church of South India.-Early years:...
Culture
The culture of the Telugu Christians is a blend of Indian, EuropeEurope
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an and Biblical cultures. The culture and traditions of Telugu Christians in urban areas can best be described as increasingly westernised Indo-Anglican culture. Telugu christians today are considered to be one of the most progressive communities in the state. They have one of the highest literacy
Literacy
Literacy has traditionally been described as the ability to read for knowledge, write coherently and think critically about printed material.Literacy represents the lifelong, intellectual process of gaining meaning from print...
, work participation
Labor force
In economics, a labor force or labour force is a region's combined civilian workforce, including both the employed and unemployed.Normally, the labor force of a country consists of everyone of working age In economics, a labor force or labour force is a region's combined civilian workforce,...
and sex ratio
Sex ratio
Sex ratio is the ratio of males to females in a population. The primary sex ratio is the ratio at the time of conception, secondary sex ratio is the ratio at time of birth, and tertiary sex ratio is the ratio of mature organisms....
figures among the various religious communities in the state.
The mother tongue of Telugu Christians is Telugu
Telugu language
Telugu is a Central Dravidian language primarily spoken in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India, where it is an official language. It is also spoken in the neighbouring states of Chattisgarh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Orissa and Tamil Nadu...
, the most widely spoken Dravidian
Dravidian languages
The Dravidian language family includes approximately 85 genetically related languages, spoken by about 217 million people. They are mainly spoken in southern India and parts of eastern and central India as well as in northeastern Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Iran, and...
language in India. However with mission schools being the first to teach using English as the primary medium, English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
is widely used among Telugu Christian communities for both religious and secular purposes. Most major churches offer religious services in both Telugu and English. Some churches such as St. John's Church, Secunderabad
St. John's Church, Secunderabad
The Church of St. John the Baptist was consecrated and dedicated in 1813. It is the oldest church in the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad. Popularly known simply as St. John’s, the church initially served the spiritual needs of the British Forces stationed at Lancer’s Line, Secunderabad...
and St. George's Church, Hyderabad
St. George's Church, Hyderabad
St. George's Church is the oldest church in the city of Hyderabad, India. It was built in the year 1844 AD. The church was originally an Anglican church but is now under the auspices of the Church of South India.-History:...
offer services exclusively in English. English is also the preferred lingua franca
Lingua franca
A lingua franca is a language systematically used to make communication possible between people not sharing a mother tongue, in particular when it is a third language, distinct from both mother tongues.-Characteristics:"Lingua franca" is a functionally defined term, independent of the linguistic...
of urban Christian youth.
Mission Compounds
Mission (station)
A religious mission or mission station is a location for missionary work.While primarily a Christian term, the concept of the religious "mission" is also used prominently by the Church of Scientology and their Scientology Missions International....
played a major role in the development of Telugu Christian Culture. The way of life of the Telugu Christians has been greatly influenced by Christian Missionaries. As the result of interaction with missionaries, Telugu Christians were the first people in the region to accept and even adopt Western thought and principles such as the education of the girl child, widow remarriage, and other such reforms. Missionaries such as Ruth Brouwer Crompton, identified the factors responsible for shaping the intellectual climate among Telugu Christians: (1) increased leisure (2) the higher education; study beyond the level of secondary education. Institutions of higher education include not only colleges and universities but also professional schools in such fields as law, theology, medicine, business, music, and art. (3) access to the teaching profession.
Telugu Christian women do not wear the bindi or bottu (red dot on the forehead) and can therefore be easily distinguished from their Hindu counterparts. Culture among Telugu Christian women has been greatly influenced by missionary activity. Both feminine assertion and missionary zeal bound the missionary women with their Telugu sisters. The arrival of single women missionaries in India resulted in a war against the Telugu culture of woman's dependence and male domination. The sight of such missionaries living without any kind of dependence on a man proved to be a subversive culture and "a deviation from rule". Missionary M. L. Orchard called the presence of single women missionaries a "puzzle" to the Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
society. This "puzzle" fanned the self-confidence of native women to cross their village boundaries on preaching tours, which was unimaginable to the Telugu culture. Many native women became known as Bible women, a label that implied that they had determined to start an independent life and were ready to jeopardize their eligibility to be married because potential in-laws would prefer a girl who had not ventured outside her family's village. Bible women deviated from the cultural propriety and challenged family restrictions. As a result of which, Telugu Christian women were among the first women to work outside the home alongside their husbands. Christian women were the first female teachers in the schools of Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh , is one of the 28 states of India, situated on the southeastern coast of India. It is India's fourth largest state by area and fifth largest by population. Its capital and largest city by population is Hyderabad.The total GDP of Andhra Pradesh is $100 billion and is ranked third...
.
Religion plays a significant role in the daily life of Telugu Christians. Most life events hold religious significance such as births, baptism
Baptism
In Christianity, baptism is for the majority the rite of admission , almost invariably with the use of water, into the Christian Church generally and also membership of a particular church tradition...
s, christening
Baptism
In Christianity, baptism is for the majority the rite of admission , almost invariably with the use of water, into the Christian Church generally and also membership of a particular church tradition...
, confirmations or Nirdharana, marriage (which is referred to as Holy Matrimony or Parishudda Vivahamu), funerals, burial
Burial
Burial is the act of placing a person or object into the ground. This is accomplished by excavating a pit or trench, placing an object in it, and covering it over.-History:...
s and memorial service
Funeral
A funeral is a ceremony for celebrating, sanctifying, or remembering the life of a person who has died. Funerary customs comprise the complex of beliefs and practices used by a culture to remember the dead, from interment itself, to various monuments, prayers, and rituals undertaken in their honor...
s. The Protestant Bible is referred to as Parishuda Grandam where as the Catholic Bible is referred as Pavitra Grandam.
Wedding is referred to as Holy Matrimony or Parishudda Vivahamu which is usually celebrated in a church. It is also common practice among the Telugu Christians to have the marriage solemnised before sunset. This practice is supposed to have its origins in the Biblical verse of I Thessalonians
First Epistle to the Thessalonians
The First Epistle to the Thessalonians, usually referred to simply as First Thessalonians and often written 1 Thessalonians, is a book from the New Testament of the Christian Bible....
5:5 which states: For you are all children of the light. Telugu Christian weddings conform to the traditional White Wedding
White wedding
A white wedding is a traditional formal or semi-formal wedding originating in Europe.The term originates from the white color of the wedding dress, which first became popular with Victorian era elites, after Queen Victoria wore a white lace dress at her wedding; however, the term now also...
. Traditionally brides wear a white silk wedding Sari
Sari
A sari or sareeThe name of the garment in various regional languages include: , , , , , , , , , , , , , is a strip of unstitched cloth, worn by females, ranging from four to nine metres in length that is draped over the body in various styles. It is popular in India, Bangladesh, Nepal,...
. However, women among urban Telugu Christian congregations are increasingly opting for a wedding gown instead of a Sari. A few Hindu traditions have been retained after being christianised to a great extent. One such tradition is the tying of the wedding Thali. Telugu Christian thalis have a cross inscribed on them. Nalugu, is another ritual that is practiced prior to the marriage ceremony. It involves the application of Nalugu a paste of turmeric and other spices to the bride or bridegroom in their respective homes amidst singing of traditional christian wedding hymns, the most popular ones being Mangalame Yesunaku and Devarini Deevenalu. The publishing of the Banns of marriage
Banns of marriage
The banns of marriage, commonly known simply as the "banns" or "bans" are the public announcement in a Christian parish church of an impending marriage between two specified persons...
on the three Sundays that precede a wedding is another common practice that has its origins in the Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
.
The practice of Infant Baptism
Infant baptism
Infant baptism is the practice of baptising infants or young children. In theological discussions, the practice is sometimes referred to as paedobaptism or pedobaptism from the Greek pais meaning "child." The practice is sometimes contrasted with what is called "believer's baptism", or...
is becoming less significant among Telugu Protestants being replaced by Child dedication
Dedication
Dedication is the act of consecrating an altar, temple, church or other sacred building. It also refers to the inscription of books or other artifacts when these are specifically addressed or presented to a particular person. This practice, which once was used to gain the patronage and support of...
or christening
Baptism
In Christianity, baptism is for the majority the rite of admission , almost invariably with the use of water, into the Christian Church generally and also membership of a particular church tradition...
. It is however indispensable among the Telugu Catholics given the Catholic belief in the saving grace of baptism
Baptism
In Christianity, baptism is for the majority the rite of admission , almost invariably with the use of water, into the Christian Church generally and also membership of a particular church tradition...
. Adult baptisms are often by means of immersion as opposed to the more historic methods of aspersion
Aspersion
Aspersion , in a religious context, is the act of sprinkling with water, especially holy water. Aspersion is a method used in baptism as an alternative to immersion or affusion...
and affusion
Affusion
Affusion is a method of baptism where water is poured on the head of the person being baptized. The word "affusion" comes from the Latin affusio, meaning "to pour on" . Affusion is one of three or four methods of baptism, in addition to the greater wetting of total immersion baptism and...
. Even traditional denominations such as the Church of South India
Church of South India
The Church of South India is the successor of the Church of England in India. It came into being in 1947 as a union of Anglican and Protestant churches in South India. With a membership of over 3.8 million, it is India's second largest Christian church after the Roman Catholic Church in India...
and the Methodists have instituted baptism
Baptism
In Christianity, baptism is for the majority the rite of admission , almost invariably with the use of water, into the Christian Church generally and also membership of a particular church tradition...
by immersion in recent years. Confirmation, the practice of bestowing full membership in a church on children is practiced by some denominations.
The death knell
Death knell
A death knell is the ringing of a bell to announce a death. This is also called tolling the bell.The ancient custom of ringing a church bell at the actual time of death fell into disuse in England by the end of the 18th century...
or the tolling of the church bell is a popular practice among rural congregations. It is often a means of letting the community know of the demise of a church member. Memorial service
Funeral
A funeral is a ceremony for celebrating, sanctifying, or remembering the life of a person who has died. Funerary customs comprise the complex of beliefs and practices used by a culture to remember the dead, from interment itself, to various monuments, prayers, and rituals undertaken in their honor...
is another important event among Telugu Christian communities. It is usually celebrated in close proximity after a person's death. The service includes eulogising the deceased, scripture reading, singing of hymns, sermon followed by a dinner.
Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
is the most important festival. One festivity that is a distinctive part of Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
celebrations among Telugu Christians is the singing of carols late in the night. Groups of carolers from churches sing carols outside Christian homes usually late in the night. They are then welcomed into the house and are treated to Christmas delicacies. It is also a common practice to collect offering for the church during this time. Rose cookies, plum cake, muruku are some of the popular Christmas delicacies. Easter is another important festival. Sunrise service
Sunrise service
Sunrise service is a worship service on Easter. It takes the place of the Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Anglican, and Lutheran tradition of the Easter Vigil, and is practised mainly by Protestant churches...
s held at dawn and hilltop services are characteristic to Easter Sunday celebrations among Telugu Christian congregations. Lutheran Christians in coastal districts visits cemeteries on Easter morning. All Souls' Day is another festival that is celebrated by Christians in the cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad
Secunderabad
Secunderabad popularly known as the twin city of Hyderabad is located in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh north of Hyderabad. Named after Sikandar Jah, the third Nizam of the Asaf Jahi dynasty, Secunderabad was founded in 1806 AD as a British cantonment...
.
Names
The most common naming convention among Telugu Christians is the combination of the Telugu surname with an EnglishEnglish language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
or Biblical first name. Most Telugu Christians have English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
first names owing to the influence of British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
missionaries. Bilingual names are also common with the first name being an English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
name and the middle name usually being the Telugu translation of Christian virtues. An example of a Bilingual name
Bilingual name
A bilingual name is a name of a person that is spelled, if not pronounced, exactly the same in two languages. The speakers of a certain language usually have names that do not exist in another language. Even when the name has a common root or refers to the same historic or religious figure,...
is Lily Nirikshana where Lily is a common English name and Nirikshana is the Telugu translation of hope. There are also inter generational differences with respect to naming conventions. Telugu Christian names were more quintessentially British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
among older generations. The most common masculine first names among older Telugu Christians were George, Edward, Charles etc. The most common feminine first names among older Telugu Christians being Victoria, Daisy, Mary etc. Telugu translations of Christian virtues such as Krupa, Vyduryam, Deevena were also more common among older Telugu Christian women. Current naming trends have shifted towards more Biblical names such as John, Daniel or Rachel etc. However Bilingual names such as Mary Sucharita or Victor Premasagar are still common place among younger generations. Catholic names can also be easily distinguished from Protestant names as Catholic children as usually named after Patron saint
Patron saint
A patron saint is a saint who is regarded as the intercessor and advocate in heaven of a nation, place, craft, activity, class, clan, family, or person...
s. Until recent times, Telugu Christians along with other Telugu people followed the convention of family names preceding first names. This is no longer the norm.
Music
The music of Telugu Christians consists mostly of religious hymns. The Andhra Kraistava Keerthanalu (Andhra Christian Hymnal) is the single most important collection of hymns used in Telugu Christian congregations. It includes translations of English Hymns and original hymns written in Telugu by famous hymnists such as Purushottam Chaudhary, John Bethala and the likes. Most of these songs are set to the ragaas used in the Indian classical musicIndian classical music
The origins of Indian classical music can be found in the Vedas, which are the oldest scriptures in the Hindu tradition. Indian classical music has also been significantly influenced by, or syncretised with, Indian folk music and Persian music. The Samaveda, one of the four Vedas, describes music...
. However the most popular hymn among Telugu Christians is James McGranahan
James McGranahan
James McGranahan was a nineteenth-century American musician and composer, most known for his various hymns. He was born 4 July 1840, in West Fallowfield or Adamsville, Pennsylvania, and died 9 July 1907 in Kinsman, Ohio.He composed over 25 hymns...
's There Shall be Showers of Blessing and its Telugu translation Asheervadhambulu Mameedha. Hymns are used for all occasions forming a major part of Telugu Christian culture. The most popular wedding hymns are Mangalame Yesunaku and Devarini Deevenalu. Other famous hymns include Deva Samsthruthi, Nadipinchu Nananva, Thanuvu Nadhidhigogai. While the Pipe Organ
Pipe organ
The pipe organ is a musical instrument that produces sound by driving pressurized air through pipes selected via a keyboard. Because each organ pipe produces a single pitch, the pipes are provided in sets called ranks, each of which has a common timbre and volume throughout the keyboard compass...
alongside the Tabla
Tabla
The tabla is a popular Indian percussion instrument used in Hindustani classical music and in popular and devotional music of the Indian subcontinent. The instrument consists of a pair of hand drums of contrasting sizes and timbres...
was traditionally used as an accompaniment in congregational worship, its use today is limited as many have fallen into disrepair.
Institutions and Organizations
Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh , is one of the 28 states of India, situated on the southeastern coast of India. It is India's fourth largest state by area and fifth largest by population. Its capital and largest city by population is Hyderabad.The total GDP of Andhra Pradesh is $100 billion and is ranked third...
. Some of the famous ones include:
- Andhra-Christian CollegeAndhra-Christian CollegeAndhra-Christian College, popularly known as AC College, is one of the oldest colleges in India. AC College is part of the educational enterprise of the Protestant churches...
- Andhra Loyola CollegeAndhra Loyola CollegeAndhra Loyola College is a Jesuit educational institution founded in 1954. It is located in Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh, India.-History:...
- Andhra Christian Theological College
- St. John's Regional SeminarySt. John's Regional SeminarySt. John's Regional Seminary is the theologiate of the Catholic Church of Andhra Pradesh. It is a major seminary training students to become priests.St. John's Regional Seminary is situated in Ramanthapur in Hyderabad.-Background:...
- St. John's Regional Seminary (Philosophate)St. John's Regional Seminary (Philosophate)St. John's Regional Seminary founded in the year 1987 is a propaedeutic seminary equipping students with philosophical training. It is located in the rural town of Kothavalasa in Vizianagaram District in Andhra Pradesh, India.-Affiliation:...
- Baptist Theological Seminary
- Charlotte Swenson Memorial Bible Training SchoolCharlotte Swenson Memorial Bible Training SchoolCharlotte Swenson Memorial Bible Training School was started on 8 July 1926 in Rajahmundry, a town in Andhra Pradesh, India.-Background:...
- Eva Rose York Bible Training and Technical School for Women
- Loyola Academy, SecunderabadLoyola Academy, SecunderabadLoyola Academy Degree And PG College is a Catholic minority institution, situated in Old Alwal, Secunderabad , India. It is run by the Jesuit priests of the order of the Society of Jesus...
- Little Flower Junior CollegeLittle Flower Junior CollegeLittle Flower Junior College is a college in Hyderabad, India offering Intermediate education . It was established by the Montfort Brothers of St. Gabriel. It was started in July 1974 as a part of Little Flower High School, It shifted to its own campus at Uppal in July 1982.Its current Principal is...
- Rosary Convent High SchoolRosary Convent High SchoolRosary Convent High School is a Roman Catholic missionary private-run girls' school in Hyderabad, India. Established in 1904 by the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary, it continues to be run by these Missionary Sisters who reside in their convent at the school's grounds. The school was established in...
- Saint Ann's High School
- Saint Patrick's High School, SecunderabadSaint Patrick's High School, SecunderabadSt. Patrick's High School is a boys' school located on Sebastian Road in Secunderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India. Established in 1911, the school was originally known as St.Patrick's European High School. It is a boys only school from kindergarten to 10th grade and follows the SSC...
- Stanley Girls High SchoolStanley Girls High SchoolStanley Girls High School is a missionary girls school located in Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India. It has two branches one near Abids and Malakpet. It is run by the Centenary Methodist Church, Hyderabad of India.-History:...
- Wesley CollegeWesley CollegeWesley College is the name of several educational institutions around the world, including:* John Wesley College, Pretoria in Pretoria, South Africa* John Wesley College, North Carolina, USA* Wesley College, Auckland, New Zealand...
Diaspora
Telugu Christians can today be found in various countries. Telugu Christian Associations can be found in all major cities in the United States of America. These expatriate communities strive hard to keep the distinctive Telugu Christian culture alive.See also
- List of churches in Secunderabad and Hyderabad
- Church of South IndiaChurch of South IndiaThe Church of South India is the successor of the Church of England in India. It came into being in 1947 as a union of Anglican and Protestant churches in South India. With a membership of over 3.8 million, it is India's second largest Christian church after the Roman Catholic Church in India...
- Christianity in Tamil NaduChristianity in Tamil NaduChristianity in the state of Tamil Nadu, India is believed to be 2000 years old. It possibly was introduced to Tamil Nadu by St. Thomas Didymus , one of the Apostles of Jesus Christ between 52-72 AD. But the colonial age brought a large number of Portuguese, Dutch, British and Italian Christians...
- SecunderabadSecunderabadSecunderabad popularly known as the twin city of Hyderabad is located in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh north of Hyderabad. Named after Sikandar Jah, the third Nizam of the Asaf Jahi dynasty, Secunderabad was founded in 1806 AD as a British cantonment...
- Lutheran Churches in Andhra Pradesh