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All Saints Church
Highlights
All Saints Church, 153-Year-old All Saints Church. Three years ago, the members decided to restore the church which had faded, the roof had weakened and in certain areas.
The naves and pews of the 153-year-old All Saints Church have welcomed British soldiers, natives, Queen Elizabeth II, when she visited India in 1983 and now play host to a few hundred families. The church has been standing tall and has weathered the vagaries of nature and tumultuous periods during the course of one-and-a-half century. But even today, it exudes an old world charm.
Surrounded by tall trees and well laid out gardens, the imposing gothic structure with a series of turrets and a tower belfry, is a sight to behold. Predominantly pink with the turrets in milky white, the church resembles a beautiful cake with cream toppings.
Three years ago, the members decided to restore the church which had faded, the roof had weakened and in certain areas, the plaster on the walls were falling apart. In 2012, the members pooled in funds and restored it to its original splendour at a cost of nearly Rs one crore.
The striking features of the church is the altar with a stained glass window with Jesus carrying the cross, the imposing 25-ft main door that still looks as good as new, antique pews, stately columns and majestic arches that remind us of the churches in England.
Inside the church are memorial tablets on either side with the names of British officers who lived and died in Secunderabad. Today, when church members meet for Sunday Mass, which is sometimes in English and Tamil, their children are told about the glorious history of the church and of times when the Secunderabad Cantonment was full of Englishmen. The Garrison church which was presided by Army Chaplains, is now under the Church of South India. The presbyter-in-charge of the church still lives in a huge bungalow adjacent to the church.
There are many old churches that were built during the British rule in and around Hyderabad, but the All Saints Church is unique in more ways than one. First, the pink colour gives it a distinct edge and the surrounding gardens present a serene atmosphere akin to an English countryside. It is not hard to imagine British soldiers praying inside the church long ago as memorial tablets bear testimony and remind anyone who enters the church of times when gone by.
With Christmas is just a few days away, the 200 families have installed a 20 feet Christmas tree and the youngsters have begun going for carol singing. The All Saints Church is still abuzz with activity as it was in 1860 when it was built.
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