St. George's Cathedral, Chennai
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St. George's Cathedral | ||
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Style Neoclassical | | |
Completed | 1815 | |
Construction cost | 57,225 Pagodas | |
Clergy | ||
Bishop(s) | Rt. Rev. J. George Stephen | |
Priest in charge | Rev. S. Immanuel Devakadatcham |
St. George's Cathedral is a
The architecture of St. George's Cathedral is remarkable for its tall
History
The church was opened in 1815. It is stated that the church was completed by the people themselves with the aid of a lottery fund.[1] It cost 41,709 pagodas and with the furniture, the organ and the architect's commission increasing the cost to 57,225 pagodas. 1 Pagoda was equivalent to 3.50 Indian rupees.
The
Congregation
Since 1815, the church has grown significantly in various ways. The south–eastern corner was set aside for the
Cathedral
St. George's Church became prominent as the cathedral of Madras in 1835.
Stained glass windows
The
Memorials, tablets and statues
At the left entrance to the cathedral is the statue of
There is a memorial tablet for the first Indian Bishop of Madras, David Chellappa (1955–1964) erected by the congregation of St. George's Cathedral. The consecration and installation of Bishop David Chellappa as the first Indian Bishop in Madras in 1955 was an important occasion in the cathedral. Two other memorials for Indians are that of Dewan Bahadur N. Subrahmanyam (1841–1911)—Administrator General of Madras who founded and endowed the Kalyani Hospital and Dr. R. D. Paul who died in 1975 "after a long and devoted service to the Church, the State and the Community".[2]
Many memorials were erected to the memory of British soldiers, religious leaders, educationists, police officers, engineers, businessmen, judges, medical officers and their families. There is a tablet for
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Rt. Rev. Frederick Gell
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Jacobus Anderson
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Rt. Rev. Thomas Dealtry
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Rt. Rev. Daniel Corrie
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Thomas Moore-Lane Memorial
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Sir John David Norton
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Henry Valentine Conolly Memorial
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Sir Joseph Henry Stone
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Rt. Rev. D. Chellappa
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Name board of St.George's cathedral, Chennai
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seating arrangement
Notable members
Notable people have worshipped in the cathedral as is revealed by the memorial tablets. There is a statue in memory of James Stephen Lushington, Bengal Civil Service, and son of
Military personnel
Many military personnel were prominent in their affiliation to St. George's Cathedral. Tablets have been raised in memory of Major George Broadfoot of the 34th Madras Infantry who fought in the First Anglo-Afghan War and fell at the Battle of Ferozeshah in 1845, Major General Sir Robert Henry Dick – a hero of the Peninsular War who died at the Battle of Sobraon, Major John Frederick Graham who fell at the Battle of the Somme in 1916, Col. John Impett who served at Waterloo at the age of 15 and died as Sheriff of Madras in 1866, Lt. Col. James Drever who died "from the effects of a coup de soleil in China"[4] in 1842 and Lt. James Forsyth who died of cholera while on expedition to China in the same year.[4]
The memorial to Sir Robert Henry Dick at the cathedral depicts a 42nd Highlander in full uniform resting against a pedestal, on which is inscribed the battle roll of the regiment[5]
Cathedral bells
The cathedral has eight bells that were manufactured by Messrs Mears & Steinbank, Founders, London in 1871. They were presented to St. George's Cathedral by G. Banbury during Christmas 1873. The chiming device was donated by Thomas Foulkes. All eight bells vary in size. The height of the largest bell is 42", its diameter is 48" and its circumference 150" approximately. The smallest bell is 24" in height, 30" in diameter and approximately 94" in circumference. These bells were installed inside the central portion of the pinnacle below the clock and about 50’ above the ground level. They are fixed on wooden beams about one foot in thickness on all sides – four bells at the bottom and four on the top.[6]
Cathedral organisation
St. George's Cathedral has a well-knit structural organisation for management. The trustees include senior members of the cathedral appointed by the Bishop of Madras. The trustees look after the assets of the cathedral. The Pastorate Committee consists of 10 elected members including the secretary, treasurer and assistant secretary. Women and youth are represented. Other important church members are the lay leaders, choir with leader and organist, music director of the men's chorus, superintendent of Sunday school, superintendent of the Home for Senior Citizens, the cathedral manager and sexton.
The cathedral management works under the leadership of the presbyter and associate presbyter. It is an elective, democratic system and everyone has her part to play.
Progress since 1947
Since 1947, the cathedral has acquired a new setting and atmosphere. The trustees and the congregation have demonstrated their loyalty in various ways. Several building projects, including a new parsonage, the vergers quarters and the parish hall, have been achieved. Today St. George's Cathedral, with a church membership of over 1200 families, continues its role as the mother church and as the church of the city. The Community Welfare Centre, Leprosy Project, Sunday School, Youth, Women's, Men's and Teen Fellowships, Green Pastures, Prayer Groups, Gospel Teams, Quiz Programs, Bible Study Groups and the Home for the Aged have progressed well. The Community Welfare Centre has a Sewing School, a Typewriting Institute, a Day Care Centre, a Medical Clinic, and other extension projects. The pipe organ has been repaired and the cemetery cleaned up.
Cathedral layout
Bishops of the Diocese of Madras
- Daniel Corrie 1835–1837
- George John Trevor Spencer 1837–1849
- Thomas Dealtry 1849–1861
- Frederick Gell 1861–1899
- Henry Whitehead 1899–1922
- Edward Harry Mansfield Waller 1923–1941
- Arthur Michael Hollis 1942–1954
- David Chellappa 1955–1964
- Lesslie Newbigin 1965–1974
- Sundar Clarke 1974–1989
- Masillamani Azariah 1990–1999
- V. Devasahayam 1999–2015
- J. George Stephen. 2016 – present
Presbyters of St. George's Cathedral
- Clarence Edwin Brett 1947
- John Murdoch Wallace 1947–1948
- Robert Leslie Watson 1948–1958
- E.J.M. Wyld & R.L. Manson 1957–1958
- Ian Matheson Calvert 1959–1962
- David Max Samuel 1962–1964
- Sundar Clarke 1964–1969
- Eugene Paul Heideman 1969–1970
- Ebenezer Immanuel 1970–1975
- Swamiappan David 1975–1980
- Christopher Solomon 1980–1984
- R. Trinity Baskeran 1984–1985
- D. Amos Manoharan 1985–1990
- David Devairakkam 1990–1995
- Oliver T. Arockiam 1995–1999
- N.G. Mathew 1999–2003
- Noel Jason 2003–2006
- D.C. Premraj 2006–2011
- Immanuel Devakadatcham 2011–2018
- YL Babu Rao 2018–2019
- Lawrence Jebadoss 2019– 2021
Images
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Resurrected Lord
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Lectern
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Episcopal and bishop's chair
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Lady chapel
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Chalice
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Main altar cross
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Processional cross
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Seats of choristers
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St. George's Cathedral - side view
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Cathedral - front entrance
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St. George's Cathedral, c. 1905
Notes
- ^ Lawrence, H.S.S.(2007). St. George's Cathedral. p. 4.
- Lawrence, H.S.S.(2007). St. George's Cathedral. p. 8.
- ^ Lawrence, H.S.S.(2007). St. George's Cathedral. p. 11.
- ^ Lawrence, H.S.S.(2007). St. George's Cathedral. p. 12.
- ^ Cotton, Julian James (1945). List Of Inscriptions On Tombs & Monuments in Madras Vol 1. Madras, British India: Government Press. p. 488. Retrieved 2 June 2016.
- Lawrence, H.S.S.(2007). St. George's Cathedral. pp. 19–20.
References
- St. George's Cathedral is a historical work written by Dr. H. S. S. Lawrence published in September 2007. The book traces the history of the cathedral from its early beginnings in 1815 to the present date.