By Purushottam Nayak
Bhubaneswar: The Odisha chief minister has allotted 20 million rupees for the beautification and renovation of St. Vincent’s Pro-Cathedral Church in Bhubaneswar, the state capital.
This was announced July 3 by Ananta Narayana Jena, the local legislator, at a function to celebrate the martyrdom of Saint Thomas the Apostle, the patron saint of the archdiocese of Cuttack-Bhubaneswar.
According to Jena, the government plans to give a new shape to the pilgrimage center of Christianity in the state.
The plan includes construction of a three-story building and beautifying it with modern art, Jena said.
Jena also said Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik seeks cooperation and collaboration of all people irrespective of caste creed and religion,
Archbishop John Barwa of Cuttack-Bhubaneswar thanked the chief minister for the grant and commended him for his new initiative for the church in the state capital.
He said July 3 this year marked the 1970 years of Christian presence in India. Christians in India trace the origin of their faith to Saint Thomas the Apostle, who they believe had arrived in Kerala in 52 AD.
Christians from all denominations observed the day as the Indian Christian Day.
The archbishop prayed for the success of Patnaik’s efforts to bring economic, social and spiritual development and prosperity of the state.
“Only brotherhood, helping hand and adherence to secularism can bring progress,” he added.
The archbishop requested the government to provide a burial ground for the Christians of Bhubaneswar.
The pro-cathedral now serves some 20,000 Catholics in Bhubaneswar.
The pro-cathedral church was built on a free land the government of Odisha (then Orissa) offered in 1958 on a long-lease basis for religious purposes.
The history of the pro-cathedral church began with the arrival of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Annecy in Bhubaneswar. On March 5, 1951, they were allowed to have a private chapel. Priests from Cuttack used to come to offer Mass for the nuns and a small migrant community in the city.
In 1958, it was declared a semi-public chapel, and two years later Father Antony Attuly was posted in Bhubaneswar as the first chaplain. In April 1963 the foundation stone for the present church was laid and it was blessed on December 24, 1968.
The Archdiocese of Cuttack-Bhubaneswar comprises civil districts of Boudh, Cuttack, Kandhamal, Kendrapara, Khurda, Jagatsingpur, Jajpur, Nayagarh and Puri.
In 1974, the Cuttack Mission was divided into Cuttack-Bhubaneswar archdiocese and Berhampur diocese. Henry D’Souza was appointed the first archbishop of Cuttack-Bhubaneswar. In the same year he shifted his residence from Cuttack to Bhubaneswar.