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{{Short description|Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church in Uttar Pradesh, India}}
{{Use Indian English|date=January 2023}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2023}}
{{Infobox church
| name = St. Thomas Orthodox Syrian Church
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| image = Front St Thomas Orthodox Syrian Church Allahabad Dec23 A7C 08492.jpg
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| caption = Front view in 2024
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| country = [[India]]
| denomination = [[Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church]]
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| membership = 17
| attendance = 40-50
| website = {{url|https://delhiorthodoxdiocese.com/directory/parish-directory/parishes-in-uttar-pradesh/st-thomas-orthodox-church-allahabad/}}
| former name = Garrison Church
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| dedication = Queen Victoria
| dedicated date = 1897 ({{ago|1897}})
| consecrated date = 8 February 1889 ({{ago|1889}})
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| status = Known as St. Thomas Orthodox Syrian Church from 1948 ({{ago|1948}})
| functional status = Active
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| spire quantity = 1
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| materials = Wood
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| diocese = [[Delhi Orthodox Diocese|Diocese of Delhi]]
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| language(s) = [[Malayalam]] and English
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| rector =
| vicar = Rev. Fr. Binu B. Thomas
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[[File:Right Side St Thomas Orthodox Syrian Church Allahabad Dec23 A7C 08503.jpg|thumb|left|Right (south) facade]]
'''St. Thomas Orthodox Syrian Church''' is located in the Cantonment of [[Prayagraj]] (formerly Allahabad) in Uttar Pradesh in north India.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025 |title=Way: St. Thomas Church (918749867) |url=https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/918749867 |access-date=4 October 2025 |website=[[OpenStreetMap]]}}</ref> The wooden building was completed in 1889 as the Garrison Church. In 1948 it was renamed as the St. Thomas Orthodox Syrian Church. The church is a parish in the [[Delhi Orthodox Diocese|Diocese of Delhi, Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church]].

== History ==
[[File:Info St Thomas Orthodox Syrian Church Allahabad Dec23 A7C 08490.jpg|thumb|left|Historic information board]]
The church was built by [[Horace Barnet]], a military engineer. It was consecrated as the St. David's Garrison Church on 8 February 1889 by the Bishop of Calcutta [[Ralph Johnson (bishop)|Ralph Johnson]]. The church was dedicated to [[Queen Victoria]] in 1897.<ref>{{Cite news |date=3 January 2013 |title=Lecture on Churches of Allahabad |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/allahabad/lecture-on-churches-of-allahabad/articleshow/17869365.cms |access-date=4 October 2025 |work=[[The Times of India]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=21 December 2012 |title=Marvel of British military engineering |work=[[Hindustan Times]] (Lucknow)}}</ref> On 1st April 1948, after [[Indian Independence Act 1947|Indian independence]] it was transferred to the Indian Church Trustees, Calcutta. Later, it was transferred to the Malankara Syrian Church and given its current name, St. Thomas Orthodox Syrian Church.{{cn|date=October 2025}}

== Architecture ==
[[File:Rear St Thomas Orthodox Syrian Church Allahabad Dec23 A7C 08499.jpg|thumb|Rear of the church]]
The church is notable for its unique, entirely wooden construction, which is a rarity among the prominent colonial-era stone and brick religious buildings in Prayagraj. Designed by British military engineer Horace Barnet, the structure is often regarded as a marvel of British military engineering.<ref>{{Cite news |date=December 21, 2012 |title=Marvel of British military engineering |work=Hindustan Times}}</ref> It was originally erected as a Garrison Church to accommodate the British soldiers stationed in the Allahabad Cantonment. The building features a single spire, a raised wooden foundation, and an east-west orientation typical of traditional colonial church designs.

== Services ==
The parish has several activities for the parishioners.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024 |title=St. Thomas Orthodox Church, Allahabad |url=https://delhiorthodoxdiocese.com/directory/parish-directory/parishes-in-uttar-pradesh/st-thomas-orthodox-church-allahabad/ |access-date=4 October 2025 |website=[[Delhi Orthodox Diocese|Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church, Delhi Diocese]]}}</ref>
* [[Holy Qurbana]] [[Eucharist|Eucharistic]] [[liturgy]] services are conducted in [[Malayalam]] every Sunday and on feast days
* Prayer services held weekly
* Sunday School
* Martha Mariam Samajam (women's wing)<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024 |title=Martha Mariam Vanitha Samajam (MMVS) |url=https://delhiorthodoxdiocese.com/spiritual-organizations/martha-mariam-samajam-mms/ |access-date=4 October 2025 |website=[[Delhi Orthodox Diocese]]}}</ref>
* [[Mar Gregorios Orthodox Christian Student Movement]] (MGOCSM)
* The Orthodox Christian Youth Movement of the East (OCYM)<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025 |title=The Orthodox Christian Youth Movement of the East |url=https://www.ocym.org/ |access-date=4 October 2025 |website=The Orthodox Christian Youth Movement of the East}}</ref>
* Akhila Malankara Orthodox Shusrushaka Sangham (AMOSS)<ref>{{Cite web |date=2015 |title=Akhila Malankara Orthodox Shusrushaka Sangham (AMOSS) |url=https://mosc.in/spiritual/akhila-malankara-orthodox-shusrushaka-sangham-amoss/ |access-date=4 October 2025 |website=[[Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church|The Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church]]}}</ref>

== See also ==
* [[All Saints Cathedral, Prayagraj]]
* [[St. Joseph's Cathedral, Prayagraj]]
* [[Delhi Orthodox Diocese]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}

{{Commons category|St. Thomas Orthodox Syrian Church, Prayagraj}}

{{coord missing|Uttar Pradesh}}

[[Category:Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church]]
[[Category:19th-century churches in India]]
[[Category:Churches in Prayagraj]]

St. Thomas Orthodox Syrian Church, Prayagraj - Revision history

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