Holy Redeemer Church (Roman Catholic), Lucknow. Consecrated in 1934

Holy Redeemer Church (Roman Catholic), Lucknow

Consecrated in 1934.

Holy Redeemer Church is located near the Alambagh Police Station and the railway colonies in Lucknow. While plans for this brick-red church started in 1922, it was only completed in 1934. It was built for British troops and Christians who worked with the railways and lived in railway colonies nearby. Presently, the missionaries here also run an orphanage for girls and a vocational training institute.

The following article appeared in 'The Tablet' in the UK in an April 1934 edition, which gives us some history of the church beginnings.

The church was built at a cost of Rs. 30000/- and was under the Capuchin missionaries when it started. The Roman Catholic Latin Rite Mass is celebrated here in Hindi. It's tower can be prominently seen from the trains that enter Lucknow from the west and is a landmark indication to the travelers that they have reached Lucknow.

One can also read about the history of this church in the book 'Lucknow ke Girjaghar' (Churches of Lucknow) from the 'Lucknow Pustakmala' series by Dr. Naresh Singh.

Below are few recent photographs of the church.

One of the 2 entrance gates to the church compound

View from the front

Notice the footwear left outside the church door - a little bit of Indian tradition - the footwear stands are a recent addition

View of the front and the side

Another building in the compound on the right

The landmark church tower

View of the Grotto in the church compound

The Marian Grotto

'Hail Mary' in Hindi inscribed on the stone slab on the grotto

Scripture passages (in Hindi) put on the compound walls - another recent addition

Church compound as it appears from the Grotto

Inside the church - picture taken just after the Sunday morning mass had finished

Side windows with the stations of the cross on top of each window

The Holy Altar - picture taken after a Harvest Sunday mass

The side entrance door and the lectern

Note the balcony seating area over the front entrance to the church

The confessional and spiral staircase to the balcony seating area

View of the church compound from the road outside

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