Nhungexim at 11:20, 27 March 2026

2026-03-27T11:20:34Z

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{{Short description|Anglican church in Shimla, India}}
{{Use Indian English|date=February 2017}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2018}}
{{Refimprove|date=December 2013}}{{Infobox religious building
| name = Christ Church
| religious_affiliation = [[Church of North India]]
| image = Christ Church, Shimla.jpg
| caption = Christ Church front view
| location = [[The Ridge, Shimla]]
| festival = [[Christmas]]
| state = [[Himachal Pradesh]]
| country = [[India]]
| architect = [[John Theophilus Boileau]] and [[Lockwood Kipling]]
| architecture_type = [[Gothic Revival architecture|Neo-Gothic]]
| established = 1857
| groundbreaking = 9 September 1844
| construction_cost = 50,000 rupees
| coordinates = {{coord|31.104|77.176|display=title,inline}}
}}

'''Christ Church''', [[Shimla]], is the second oldest church in North [[India]], after [[St. John's Church, Meerut|St John's Church]] in [[Meerut]]. Worship is conducted in [[Hindi language|Hindi]] and [[English language|English]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.christchurchshimla.com/ |title=Christ Church Shimla |publisher=Christ Church Shimla |date= |accessdate=2013-12-10 |archive-date=17 May 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140517063408/http://christchurchshimla.com/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> Presently{{when|date=August 2025}}, Rev. Sohan Lal is the head priest of the church.

==History==
[[File:Stamp of India - 2018 - Colnect 805703 - The Ridge in Shimla.jpeg|thumb|180x180px|Christ Church depicted on a postage stamp]]
Shimla was mostly forest when the first Europeans came to the hills in the 1820s. The Europeans sought permission on the Raia of Keonthal, from whose state much of Simla was later carved out, to build residences. Captain (later Major) Charles Kennedy was the Political Agent of the British Government posted in these hill states. He built the first house and the estate known as Kennedy House in late 1820s. Later Lord Amherst, the Governor General came to Simla for a summer trip in the year 1827 and stayed in the Kennedy House. By 1830s about sixty houses were raised for the British and Simla became a health resort.

Built in the [[neo-Gothic|neo-Gothic style]] in 1857 to serve the largely [[Anglican]] [[British people|British]] community in what was formerly called Simla, Christ Church is situated on [[The Ridge, Shimla|The Ridge]]. It stands out as one of the prominent landmarks of Shimla and its silhouette is visible for many kilometres around the vicinity of Shimla city. Christ Church is one of the enduring legacies of the [[British Raj]].

[[File:Stained Glass Catholic Church Shimla 1988.jpg|thumb|[[Stained glass]] windows at Christ Church (1850), Simla]]Christ Church was designed by [[Colonel (British Army)|Colonel]] [[John Theophilus Boileau|J. T. Boileau]] in 1844, and the cornerstone was laid on 9 September 1844 by Bishop Daniel Wilson, Bishop of Calcutta. The church was consecrated on 10 January 1857 by Bishop Thomas Daltrey, Bishop of Madras. The estimated cost of construction at that time was 40,000 to 50,000 rupees. The clock adorning Christ Church was donated by [[Colonel (British Army)|Colonel]] Dumbleton in 1860. The porch was added in 1873. A British manufactured pipe-organ was installed in 1899 and extensively renovated in 1932.

On September 11, 1918, [[Guy Gibson]], leader of [[Operation Chastise]], the famous "Dambusters Raid" of 1943, was christened at the church.<ref>Geoff Simpson, "Guy Gibson - Dam Buster", Pen and Sword, 2013 </ref>

Christ Church survived the 20th-century [[Partition of India|partition]] and the subsequent political upheavals on the Indian subcontinent. The first Indian Chaplain of Christ Church Shimla was Rev. B.S. Chander (1948 to 1957). Christ Church continues to be well maintained and is in relatively good condition. The clock's original mechanical mechanism has more recently been replaced with an electrical equivalent. However, currently whilst all four faces of the clock remain in synchronization, they rarely reflect the correct time.

==Architecture==
It is designed in the [[Gothic Revival architecture|neo-Gothic]] style. The church is lit at night to illuminate it.

The church contains five fine stained glass windows. One represents the Christian virtues of Faith, Hope, Charity, Fortitude, Patience, and Humility. The chancel window was designed by [[Lockwood Kipling]] (father of [[Rudyard Kipling]]). The pipe-organ of Christ Church is the largest in the Indian subcontinent; it was installed in September 1899.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.victorianweb.org/art/architecture/gothicrevival/2.html |title=Christ Church, Simla, India, by J. T. Boileau |publisher=Victorianweb.org |date=2008-03-15 |accessdate=2013-12-10}}</ref>
[[File:Inside Christ Church (Shimla).jpg|thumb|Inside Christ Church, Shimla]]

Among the church's holdings are a great collection of books and ancient scriptures.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

[[Category:Tourist attractions in Shimla]]
[[Category:Church of North India church buildings]]
[[Category:Churches in Himachal Pradesh]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Shimla]]
[[Category:Churches completed in 1857]]
[[Category:1857 establishments in India]]
{{commonscat|Christ Church (Shimla)}}
[[Category:British-era buildings in Himachal Pradesh]]

Christ Church Shimla-273669 - Revision history

Nhungexim at 11:20, 27 March 2026