Warangal to have Asia's largest church

Warangal: Come next Christmas, Warangal's name will be inscribed on record books. Thanks to the mega Christu Jyothy Church, touted as Asia's largest, that can accommodate 40,000-odd devotees coming up in the lush green settings at Karunapuram in Warangal Urban District, 120 km northeast of Hyderabad.

Indeed, it's a feather in the crown of Warangal which has seven centenary churches, besides some posh structures.

Currently, Sumi Baptist Church at Zunheboto town in Nagaland with a seating capacity of 8,500 is the largest church in Asia.

The St Peter's Basilica in Vatican City which has 60,000 seating capacity is the largest church in the world.

The construction of the two storied church had begun on June 11, 2016, and it likely to concluded by 2020 Christmas.

The church which would be in the shape of rectangular has a plinth area of about 50,000 SFT (ground floor) and 40,000 SFT (balcony floor).

Even though the project cost was put at Rs 20 crore it likely to exceed the budget. The highlight of the church could be its 120-diameter doom made of aluminium. It's been imported from Houston in US.

The sound system is being procured from NEXO, known for ground-breaking sound reinforcement solutions. The church will have one of the most sought after colonial white granite slabs to increase the aesthetics of the prayer hall.

The slabs are being procured from Madhucon Granites in Hosur of Tamil Nadu which is highly demanded in the country.

Speaking to The Hans India, Director of Christu Jyothi Ministries Rev Dr G Jaya Prakash said: "By the grace of the Lord, we will be able to complete the construction before 2020 Christmas. As of now, 60 per cent of the work is over.

We just planned to build a mega church in 5 acres. Later, we came to know that it's going to be the largest church in Asia surpassing the Sumi Baptist Church located in Nagaland."

A peek into the past reveals the services of Christu Jyothi Ministries. It started a prayer hall in 1992 and Gethsemane prayer in 2010 under the aegis of Rev Dr Sangala Paulson Raj.

The church organises Fasting Prayer on every Saturday and Worship meeting at Gethsemane Prayer Hall every Sunday.

Apart from spiritual activities, the Society also runs theological college, health campus, including HIV/AIDS activities, old age home and social awareness activities.

The society is entirely dependent on offerings of the local devotees in carrying its activities. Meanwhile, the authorities have made arrangements for special prayers on Christmas on Wednesday.