Thereforedesignpune at 18:08, 3 January 2026

2026-01-03T18:08:26Z

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{{Short description|Christianity in Bihar, India}}
{{Infobox ethnic group
| group = Christianity in Bihar
| native_name =
| native_name_lang =
| caption =
| pop = '129,247'
(0.12%) (2011)
| regions =
| langs = [[Bihari languages|Bihari]]{{•}}[[Hindi]]{{•}}
| rels = [[Christianity]]
| related_groups =
}}
'''[[Christianity]]''' in '''[[Bihar]]''', a state in eastern [[India]], is a minority religion, being practised by less than 0.5% of the population.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.censusindia.gov.in/Census_Data_2001/Census_data_finder/C_Series/Population_by_religious_communities.htm |title=Population by Religion in Bihar|publisher=Censusindia.gov.in |date= |accessdate=2013-12-15}}</ref> The majority of Biharis are [[Hindus]], forming 83% of the state's population. [[Padri Ki Haveli]] is a Roman Catholic church in Bihar, which has existed for centuries. Several Christian establishments such as the [[Diocese of Patna (Church of North India)|Diocese of Patna]] of the [[Church of North India]], [[Emmanuel Christian Fellowship Centre]] (ECFC), [[Pentecostal Holiness Church]] and the [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Patna]] are present in Bihar.

The archdiocese has many [[suffragan diocese]]s<nowiki/>including the [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Bettiah]], the [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Bhagalpur]], the [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Buxar]], the [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Muzaffarpur]] and the [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Purnea]]. Bihar has numerous [[house church]]es<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.baptistsonmission.org/News/Update-from-Bihar,-India |title=Update from Bihar Indian Pentecostal church of God Northern Region (IPCNR) is the leading and oldest Pentecostal church in Bihar. Oldest Pentecostal Fellowship started in Rajendra Nagar, Patna. |publisher=Baptistsonmission.org |date= |accessdate=2013-12-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120316001728/http://www.baptistsonmission.org/News/Update-from-Bihar,-India |archive-date=2012-03-16 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bihartalk.com/Christ-Church-Diocesan-School-Patna-132.html |title=Christ Church Diocesan School, Patna, Bihar |publisher=Bihartalk.com |date=2010-06-22 |accessdate=2013-12-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130714060514/http://www.bihartalk.com/Christ-Church-Diocesan-School-Patna-132.html |archive-date=2013-07-14 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The Indian Pentecostal Church of God is the leading and oldest Pentecostal church in Bihar. The earliest Pentecostal fellowship in the state was opened in Rajendra Nagar, Patna. Rev. Pramod K. Sebastian is the Pastor. Bihar also has a Christian Revival Church.

== History ==
During the [[Bettiah Raj]] of Bihar, the ethnoreligious community of [[Bettiah Christians]] was created in India in the 17th century by Christian missionaries belonging to the [[Order of Friars Minor Capuchin]], a Roman Catholic religious order.<ref name="John2000">{{cite book |last1=John |first1=Jose Kalapura |title=Proceedings of the Indian History Congress, Vol. 61 |date=2000 |publisher=Indian History Congress |page=1011-1022 |language=English}}</ref>

They are among the subcontinent's oldest Christian communities, being established after Raja Dhurup Singh requested Joseph Mary Bernini to heal his ill wife and was successful in doing so.<ref name="John2000" /><ref name="UCA1995">{{cite web |title=Bihar Christians have fostered faith harmony 250 years |url=https://www.ucanews.com/story-archive/?post_name=/1995/11/07/bihar-christians-have-fostered-faith-harmony-250-years&post_id=48221# |publisher=[[Union of Catholic Asian News]] |accessdate=14 November 2020 |language=English |date=6 November 1995 |quote=Cherubim John, a writer and historian, said the Bettiah community began after Italian Capuchin Father Joseph Mary Bernini cured the local queen of an "incurable" illness. The king donated 16 hectares of land later known as the "Christian Quarters" to the Capuchins. The king allowed Father Bernini, who was on his way to Tibet, to preach, and helped build a church next to his palace.}}</ref> The Bettiah Christian Mission flourished under the patronage of the royal court of the Bettiah Rajas, steadily growing in number.<ref name="John2000" />

From the 17th century onwards, Catholic Christian missionaries of the [[Jesuit]] and [[Order of Friars Minor Capuchin|Capuchin]] religious orders "established hospices at Kathmandu, Patan and Bhatgoan, the capitals of the three Malla Kings of Nepal who had permitted them to preach Christianity."<ref name="John2000" /> An indigenous Newar Christian community was thus founded in Bihar.<ref name="John2000" /> When the [[Malla (Kathmandu Valley)|Mallas]] were overthrown by the Gurkhas, the Newar Christians took refuge in [[India]], settling first in the city of [[Bettiah]] and then later moving eleven kilometres north to Chuhari, where they reside to this day.<ref name="John2000" />

==List of denominations==
*[[Bihar Mennonite Mandli]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gameo.org/encyclopedia/contents/I53.html |title=India |publisher=GAMEO |date= |accessdate=2013-12-15}}</ref>
*[[Emmanuel Christian Fellowship Centre]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://ecfcministries.blogspot.in/ |title=ECFC |publisher=blogspot |accessdate=2015-02-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150222074846/http://ecfcministries.blogspot.in/ |archive-date=2015-02-22 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
*[[Bethel Pentecostal Church]]<ref>[http://www.bethelchurchassociation.net/program.htm] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101107011612/http://www.bethelchurchassociation.net/program.htm|date=November 7, 2010}}</ref>
*[[Gospel Echoing Missionary Society]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gemsbihar.org/ |title=Gospel Echoing Missionary Society(GEMS) – Welcome to the Frontpage! |publisher=Gemsbihar.org |date=2013-06-21 |accessdate=2013-12-15}}</ref>
*Indian Pentecostal church of God
*[[Christian Revival Church]]

== Demography ==
{{See also|Religion in Bihar#Religious demographics}}
[[Christianity]] is 3rd largest religion of [[Bihar]], being practiced by 0.12% of the [[Demographics of Bihar|total state population]].

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Christianity in India by region}}

[[Category:Christianity in Bihar| ]]
[[Category:Religion in Bihar]]

Christianity in Bihar - Revision history

Thereforedesignpune at 18:08, 3 January 2026