Akbar's Church
View on Wikipedia27°11′50″N 78°00′37″E / 27.197342°N 78.010397°E
Akbar's Church[1] also known as Church of Akbar[2][3] is a Roman Catholic Church, built in 1600 by Jesuit Fathers, situated in Agra, India.[4]
Key Information
History
[edit]Mughal Emperor Akbar the Great invited Jesuit priests from Portuguese Goa so that he could learn more about Christianity. So, Father Rodolfe Aquauiua, the Father Anthony Monserrate and the Father Francois Henriques reached Agra on 18 February 1580. Akbar learnt about Christianity and gave land to Jesuit fathers to build a church in Agra. This was the first Roman Catholic Church in the Mughal Empire. After Akbar it was his son Jahangir who donated for further expansion of the Church.[5] Khwaja Martins and Mirza Sikandar Junior too contributed for the expansion. The church was demolished by Emperor Shah Jahan in 1635, after he captured Jesuit Priests crossing religious limits of Islam and agreed to release them only if they demolish the Church. The Church was rebuilt in 1636 by the permission of Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan after the pardon of Jesuits.
First Holy Mass was celebrated in the Church on 8 September 1636. In 1761, in the aftermath of the Third Battle of Panipat the church was looted by Afghan Invaders under Ahmed Shah Abdali.[6]
In 1769, the church was rebuilt by Father Wendel S.J. with the help of Walter Reinhardt, Commander of Agra Fort. Bishop Antonino Pezzoni, O.F.M. Cap. extended the church westward with the contribution from Jean Baptiste Filose in 1835.
Historic events
[edit]- In 1610, three Royal Princes, nephews of Emperor Jahangir, Tahmuras (Don Felipe), Baisanghar (Don Carlos) and Hoshang (Don Henrique),[7] having been catechized by Fr. Corsi, S.J.,[8] were baptized by Fr. Jerome Xavier S.J. in this Church.[9][10]
- Begum Johana Sumroo, the Begum of Sardhana was baptized in this Church.[11]
- Akbar's Church was the Cathedral of Agra until 1848.
- In 1842, Religious of Jesus and Mary from France were welcomed by Bishop Borghi in the same Church.
- In 1843, Bishop Borghi consecrated Msgr. Carli Bishop of Almira.
- In 1846, Servant of God Bishop Anastasius Hartmann was consecrated Vicar Apostolic of Patna.[12][13][14]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Peck, Lucy (6 April 2011). Agra: The Architectural Heritage. Roli Books Private Limited. ISBN 9788174369420.
- ^ "Agrarising » Historical 'Akbar Church': Surviving the ravages of time". agrarising.co.in. Archived from the original on 8 September 2017. Retrieved 25 June 2017.
- ^ Speaks, History (12 December 2007). "History Speaks: CATHOLIC MUGHALS - AGRA". History Speaks. Retrieved 25 June 2017.
- ^ "Akbar's Church | Agra | Tourist Attractions & Sightseeing | eventseeker". eventseeker.com. Retrieved 29 September 2017.
- ^ Speaks, History (12 December 2007). "History Speaks: CATHOLIC MUGHALS - AGRA". History Speaks. Retrieved 29 September 2017.
- ^ "Akbar's Church". Archived from the original on 29 September 2017. Retrieved 29 September 2017.
- ^ Grewal, Royina. (2007). In the shadow of the Taj : a portrait of Agra. New Delhi: Penguin Books. p. 117. ISBN 978-0-14-310265-6. OCLC 154688731.
- ^ Raeymaekers, Dries; Derks, Sebastiaan (2016). The Key to Power?: The Culture of Access in Princely Courts, 1400-1750. Rulers and Elites: Comparative Studies in Governance. Leiden: Brill. pp. 74–75. ISBN 9789004304246.
- ^ Marshall, T. W. M. (1862). Christian Missions Their Agents, Their Methods, and Their Results. Vol. 1. London: Burns and Lambert. p. 358.
- ^ Ranke, Leopold (1852). The History of the Popes, Their Church and State, in the Sixteenth and Seventeenth Centuries. Translated by Kelly, Walter Keating. London: George Routledge and Company. p. 254.
- ^ "Akbar's Church". Archived from the original on 29 September 2017. Retrieved 29 September 2017.
- ^ "Revisiting Jesuit Legacy at Agra: A memorable visit to "Akbar's Church" | JEASA". www.jeasa.org. Archived from the original on 4 March 2024. Retrieved 25 June 2017.
- ^ "Archdiocese of Agra". www.agraarchdiocese.com. Archived from the original on 26 September 2023. Retrieved 25 June 2017.
- ^ "The story of Akbar's church". Times of India Blog. Retrieved 25 June 2017.