#27DaysTo2016: 18 Indian churches you must visit on Christmas and New Year’s Eve

[Kashmiri Pandit]

Churches are always associated with grandeur and beauty. The beautiful architecture, the stained glass windows, the paintings, depiction of ancient happenings… Churches instil a peace within you and at the same time, leave you awestruck. There are a lot of churches in India and the architecture of these churches is beautiful as most of the churches were constructed in the colonial era, with British or French architecture. In the smaller colonies like Goa and Pondicherry, the churches are specially gorgeous as they are amazingly huge structures with amazing and spacious interiors. Simla in Northern India is famous for churches too. India even has many churches in North East India that are just as beautiful and massive.

Christianity as a religion in India has been present since ancient times and it is believed that the religion existed in India even before Europe was Christianised! As compared to the constant Hindu-Muslim conflicts, Christians and Hindus as well as Christians and Muslims have peacefully co-existed with incidents of turbulence few and far between. Churches in India are mainly present in states with a massive Christian population though every Catholic school does have their own little church with a chapel. Christmas is celebrated with much fanfare and the churches are lit up beautifully with fairy-lights around Christmas and New Year’s eve.

Here are some of the most beautiful churches in India you can visit around Christmas and New Year’s eve.

1. Basilica of Bom Jesus, Goa

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2. Velankanni Church, Nagapattinam

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3. Moravian Church, Leh

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4. Mount Mary Church, Mumbai

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5. Sé Cathedral, Goa

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6. Kadamattom Church, Ernakulam

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[Kashmiri Pandit]

7. Medak Cathedral, Telangana

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8. Malayatoor Church, Kerala

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9. Our Lady of Dolours Church, Trichur

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10. St. Paul’s Cathedral, Kolkata

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11. Parumala Church, Kerala

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12. Rosary Church, Bangalore

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[Kashmiri Pandit]

13. Christ Church, Shimla

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14. St. George’s Syro, Kochi

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15. St. Joseph’s Cathedral, Hyderabad

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16. Immaculate Conception Cathedral, Pondicherry

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17. St John In The Wilderness, Nainital

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18. Shillong Catholic Cathedral, Meghalaya

Image Credit: Wikimedia

 

[gslv mk3]

15. St. Joseph’s Cathedral, Hyderabad

This is not Hyderabad...Its in Kerala

 

[Kashmiri Pandit]

This is not Hyderabad...Its in Kerala

This is to be expected of Indian Media

 

[Skull and Bones]

I used to visit 3-4 churches on cycle every year on christmas eve just for the cake. This time, I'll spend my Christmas eve in NYC, Rockefeller is a must visit.

 

[Jamwal's]

Am i missing Goa ?

 

[Josef K]

Am i missing Goa ?

If you mean Basilica of Bom Jesus, it is right on top of the list. But the moron who compiled this list missed Our Lady of Snows Basilica in Tuticorin and San Thome Church in Chennai. For chrissakes, Our Lady of Snows was founded in the 16th century just right before Bom Jesus and probably the first or second Basilica in India and the incompetent moron journalist who compiled the list missed that!!!

Stupid asses masquerading as journalists these days. S/He even probably did his research on Wikipedia.

 

[kaykay]

I have been to Velankanni church various times. With family too.