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{{Use Indian English|date=July 2018}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2018}}
{{Infobox church
| denomination = [[Roman Catholic]]
| name = St. Mary's Church
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| image = Plaque on the entrance about the foundation stone laying..jpg
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| caption = Plaque on the entrance of the Church
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| coordinates = {{coord|28.5849|77.3603|region:IN_type:landmark|display=inline,title}}
| country = India
| location = [[Noida]]
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| website = {{URL| http://www.stmaryschurchnoida.org}}
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| founded date = {{start date and age|1991}}
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| consecrated date = {{start date|df=yes| 1993| 08| 15}}
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| people = 5000<ref name=b />
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| bells = 1
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| parish = Noida Parish
| deanery = Noida Deanery
| archdeaconry =
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| archdiocese = [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Agra|Agra Archdiocese]]
| district = [[Gautam Buddh Nagar]]
| archbishop = Rev. [[Raphy Manjaly]]
| priestincharge =
| priest = Fr. Santosh Dsa
| asstpriest = Fr. Suthesh, Fr. Asime Beck, Fr. Stephen
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| youthmin = NCYS
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'''St. Mary's Church''' is the first Catholic [[parish]] in the city of [[Noida]], India and is dedicated to the [[Assumption of Our Lady]]. It comes under the [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Agra|Agra Diocese]] of the [[Roman Catholic Church]]. The parish lies on the north-western tip of Agra Diocese, bordering with the [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Delhi|Delhi Diocese]] on the west and [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Meerut|Meerut Diocese]] on the north. The present parish priest of the church is Father Joseph Dabre and the Assistant Priest is Father Stephen Paul, a member of the Society of the Blessed Sacrament. The parish comprises roughly 850 Catholic families.

== History ==

Catholics searching for jobs were living in the industrial city of [[Noida]] since its constitution in 1976 by the UP Industrial Development Act.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.noidaauthorityonline.com/UPIndAreaDevp.pdf|title=U.P. INDUSTRIAL AREA DEVELOPMENT ACT – 1976 (U.P. Act Number 6, of 1976)|last=|first=|date=1976|website=Noida Authority|access-date=13 August 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170812211441/http://www.noidaauthorityonline.com/UPIndAreaDevp.pdf|archive-date=12 August 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref> Initially they went to nearby churches in [[Delhi]] especially [[Mayur Vihar]] for attending [[Holy Eucharist|Mass]]. On the insistence of Noida Catholics, the priest from Mayur Vihar parish later agreed to celebrate the Mass on Saturday evenings in Noida as he had to be in his parish on Sundays. Due to the lack of a proper place, it was arranged in the houses of different people.

In 1984, [[Archbishop]] Cecil de Sa appointed Fr. Johnson Chiryankandath, then parish priest of [[Bulandshahar]] to survey the pastoral needs of Noida. He visited Noida often for that reason.<ref name=b>{{cite web|title=St. Mary's Church|url=http://www.agraarchdiocese.com/Parishes.aspx?CID=31&PID=29|work=Official website of Agra Diocese}}</ref>
In 1985, the parishioners approached the newly appointed priest in Mayur Vihar to take Noida into the pastoral care of Mayur Vihar parish. The priest expressed helplessness as he could do nothing without consent from both the Archbishops of Delhi and Agra. Further deliberation resulted in a meeting between the two archbishops and a resolution that the people of Noida would be included in the Mayur Vihar Parish until a dedicated priest was appointed by the Agra Diocese for Noida Catholics.

In 1986, Fr. Johnson was appointed as the [[parish priest]] for Noida by Archbishop Cecil de Sa, thus including Noida in the [[ecclesial]] jurisdiction of Agra Diocese. Till then, Noida was an independent parish.

In October 1986, Fr. Johnson applied for land to build a [[Church (building)|church]]. The Noida Authority allotted land in Sector-25, Noida. But due to objections from residents of Sector 25, the [[Land lot|plot]] was returned.

On the archbishop's advice, Fr. Johnson approached Noida authority for a Mass centre. An [[H.I.G.]] flat in Sector-27, Noida was obtained in December 1987 and inaugurated and named as "Maria Sadan" in February 1988. Maria Sadan is still used as a Mass centre by the parish. From 1996 the [[Orthodoxy#Christianity|Orthodox Christians]] living in Noida were permitted to use the Mass centre until their own church was constructed and consecrated.<ref>{{cite web|title=Mar Gregorios Orthodox Church, Noida – History|url=http://www.orthodoxchurchnoida.com/church-history.html|work=Official website – Mar Gregorios Orthodox Church|access-date=2015-08-25}}</ref>

The plot in Sector-34, where the church presently stands<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.churchesinindia.com/agra/st-marys-church-noida.html|title=St Mary's Church Noida, Churches In India|website=www.churchesinindia.com}}</ref> was allotted by the authority, in exchange for the originally allotted plot in Sector-25, in May 1990 after three years of pursuance by Fr. Johnson and the parishioners.

The foundation stone for the church was laid on 15 August 1991<ref name=b /> by the then [[Archbishop]] of [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Agra|Agra Diocese]], Rev. [[Cecil de Sa]]. Two years later the structure was consecrated for public worship.

== Geography ==
The church presently stands in Sector – 34, (A 71/A, Sector 34, Noida) just near the ''Ram Mandir''.<ref>{{cite web|last=Dhama|first=Manika|title=The fake hills of Noida Sector 34|url=http://www.livemint.com/Leisure/xyFV1aeZdnWCedsEoJgy3N/Local-Geography--The-fake-hills-of-34.html|work=Livemint|access-date=19 October 2013}}</ref> There is a local shopping complex where a [[Mother Dairy]] booth is also situated.
The church is situated less than 1 kilometre from [[Noida Sector 34 metro station]]

== Major celebrations and events ==
* [[Christmas]]<ref>{{cite news|title=क्रिसमस पर विश्व कल्याण के लिए प्रार्थना|url=https://www.jagran.com/uttar-pradesh/noida-9978853.html|newspaper=Dainik Jagran|date=26 December 2012}}</ref> – 24 December midnight
* [[Easter]] – midnight celebration as per [[liturgical year]]
* [[Good Friday]] – as per liturgical year
* Parochial [[feast day]] of the Assumption of Our Lady and the Independence Day of India – 15 August
* NCYS painting competition – last Sunday of July or first Sunday of August
* [[All Souls Day]] – 1 November
* [[Feast of Christ the King]] – last Sunday of [[Ordinary Time]]

== NCYS ==
On 10 May 1990, the then parish priest Fr. Johnson Chiryankandath founded a youth group of the parish and named it Noida Catholic Yuva Sangh (NCYS). It initially consisted of 10 members, later increasing steadily.

Since 1996, the NCYS has been organizing painting competitions <ref>{{cite news|title=Competition|url=http://paper.hindustantimes.com/epaper/viewer.aspx?issue=10872013080900000000001001&page=65&article=2671a6a5-dce0-466c-ae01-16ea848d4661&key=8B6lGWJzLZT6XI0ng/oD+Q==&feed=rss&ei=aMpkUtP-DcaUrAeu7YAg&usg=AFQjCNG8mVrskeb1ireBynWCirN_v-FD6w&bvm=bv.54934254,d.bmk|access-date=25 August 2015|newspaper=Hindustan Times|date=9 August 2013}}</ref> every year during church feasts in the nearby Assisi Convent School in Noida. Children from around [[Noida]] are invited, especially students from various schools in Noida.<ref>{{cite web|title="Expressions" - Ursula students winners|url=http://www.ursulinegreaternoida.org/Achievements.aspx|work=Official Website of Ursula Convent School, Greater Noida|access-date=18 October 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Interschool Results for August 2012 - ::Vishwa Bharti Public|url=http://www.vbpsnoida.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=131&Itemid=122|work=Official Website}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Achievements|url=http://cambridgenoida.org/achievements/|work=Official website- Cambridge School}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Painting Competition Notice |url=http://www.stjosephsgn.com/Download.aspx?Doc=Notice.pdf |work=Official website- St. Joseph's School |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140226115136/http://www.stjosephsgn.com/Download.aspx?Doc=Notice.pdf |archive-date=26 February 2014 }}</ref> Although NCYS prefers pre-registration through participant schools, spot registration is also usually available.

Blood donation camps are also organised by NCYS on Good Friday every year, in association with local blood banks like [[Rotary Club]].<ref>{{cite journal|title=New Delhi Update|journal=Bulletin of Rotary Club of New Delhi|date=April 2012|volume=VII|issue=41|page=Page no. 3|url=http://www.rotaryclubofnewdelhi.com/Bulletin/April_09_2012.pdf|access-date=18 October 2013}}</ref> It is meant to be an act of following [[Jesus]] symbolically, as [[Christians]] believe that [[Jesus|He]] also shed his blood on the cross for others.

== NCWA ==
The church is also one of the five major members of the Noida Christian Welfare Association (NCWA)<ref>{{cite news|title=Inter-Denominational Children's Fest 2012' on October 13 at Noida|url=http://www.orthodoxherald.com/2012/10/11/inter-denominational-childrens-fest-2012-on-october-13-at-noida/|access-date=18 October 2013|newspaper=The Orthodox Herald|date=11 October 2012}}</ref> which conducts various social activities for the welfare of the Christian community in Noida. It also organises annual [[Christmas]] processions though various areas of Noida stopping at all five member churches.<ref>{{cite web|title=NCWA Invitation to Christmas Procession|url=http://marthoman.tv/news_bureau/2012/December/15/12%20X%20mas%20invitation.pdf|work=Invitation from NCWA on the Orthodox Church website|publisher=NCWA|access-date=11 October 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=NCWA Christmas 2012 Procession Route |url=http://marthoman.tv/news_bureau/2012/December/15/route%2012.pdf|work=NCWA Christmas 2012 Procession Route from the Orthodox Church website|access-date=11 October 2017}}</ref>

== Persecutions ==
There have been many attacks on the priests living here. On 20 October 2008, Conrad Dominic Xavier, a call centre employee, was found murdered in Maria Sadan in Sector- 27.<ref>{{cite news|title=BPO employee found dead in Noida |url=http://newzstreet.com/news.php?news_id=10 |newspaper=Newzstreet |date=29 October 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140227071811/http://newzstreet.com/news.php?news_id=10 |archive-date=27 February 2014 }}</ref> Dominic was allowed to live in the Mass centre along with the church helper, as he had told the priest that he was new to the place and had no one to approach in the city. Parishioners suspect that the intention was to harm the priest but Dominic became the victim by mistake.
The murderer, Shailendra Chauhan, alias Uday Singh, who later admitted the crime was arrested from [[Delhi]] by the [[Delhi Police]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Noida Cops seek man's custody for 2008 murder|url=http://www.indianexpress.com/news/noida-cops-seek-man-s-custody-for-2008-murder/482953/|newspaper=The Indian Express|date=30 June 2009|access-date=2015-08-25}}</ref>
In January 2009, Chauhan had attacked and critically wounded Fr. Jipson of St. Mary's Church, with a poison filled injection. The man also admitted to having vandalised a church in [[Sarita Vihar]], Delhi.<ref>{{cite news|title=Malegaon blast accused's aide held for attacking churches, killing worker|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india/malegaon-blast-accused-s-aide-held-for-attacking-churches-killing-worker/story-ueVwUyxncAbuRx13uomPMJ.html|newspaper=Hindustan Times|date=27 June 2009}}</ref>

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* [http://www.stmaryschurchnoida.org/ Official Website]
* [http://www.ncysonline.org/ Official Website of NCYS]
* [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXFyVDAnk6jgTXXUC33bWNA/ Official You tube channel for Live Mass]

{{Portal|Catholicism|India}}

[[Category:Roman Catholic church buildings in Uttar Pradesh]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Noida]]

St. Mary's Church, Noida - Revision history

THIMMIRI RAVEENDRA: starting a data