Diocese of Coimbatore of the Church of South India

The Coimbatore Diocese is one of the 22 dioceses of the Anglican Church of South India (CSI).

Diocese of Coimbatore
Location
CountryIndia
Ecclesiastical provinceChurch of South India
Statistics
Congregations105
Members150000
Information
CathedralImmanuel Cathedral, Coimbatore
Secular priests112
Current leadership
BishopTimothy Ravinder Dev Pradeep

History of the Diocese

Antony Watson Brough (1861-1936), a missionary who came to Coimbatore from Australia in 1894, has played a major role in the history of the Diocese, served at Coimbatore for two years, moved to Erode in 1897 and established a hospital in Erode, particularly to look after the health needs of Muslim women. Though the hospital is now called CSI Hospital, it is popularly known as Gosh Hospital. It is next to the church, named in his memory, on Brough Road. He also set up one more hospital in Chennimalai, in memory of his son, who died on the battlefront during World War I. In all, Brough established 94 schools in and around Erode and two hospitals.[1]

The diocese was formed at Brough Memorial Church, Erode, on 27 September 1950.

About the Diocese

CSI Coimbatore Diocese is the largest in terms of area, covering the Nilgiri, Coimbatore, Erode, Salem, Namakkal, Dharmapuri and Krishnagiri.

The diocese has 105 pastorates, 112 pastors and a membership of 150,000.

Bishops of Coimbatore CSI Diocese

Cathedral and other major CSI churches in the diocese

Coimbatore

CSI Immanuel church is the cathedral church of the diocese. The church is one among the oldest churches in Coimbatore built in the year of 1830. The church is located in Avinashi road at Gopalapuram. The church underwent a major renovation work in the year 2006.

  • All Soul's Church, Race Course, Gopalapuram, Coimbatore

Between 1863 and 1869, 8.5 acres were acquired from Anga Naicken and Rangaswamy Gounder in Race Course, at a total cost of Rs. 1488. Prison Superintendent James Grimes and Survey Superintendent Colonel Hessey supervised the construction which began in 1866. In less than Rs. 20,000, All Souls' was built and furnished. The All Soul's Church was consecrated for worship on 27 January 1872 by Gell and Henry Pope was the first resident Chaplin. The church is a successor of the seventeenth century All Souls' Anglican Chapel.

Cruciform shaped chancels accommodate the choir on side and the congregation on the other. The chancels have a low wooden roof, double sided gabled entrances supported by a single column and two pointed arches. The arch openings lead to a 12 feet wide hall culminating in the raised sanctuary. A king post truss supports the steep tiled timber rafter roof. The roof has an intricate woodwork with the lower beams of the truss ending in cross shapes. The walls are of Ashlar masonry and the windows are made of exquisite stained glass. A porch was added at the western end in 1902, in memory of King Edward VII.[2]

  • CSI Christ Church, Coimbatore

The foundation was laid on 15 October 1898 by Frederick Gell, Bishop of Madras and the church was dedicated on 11 June 1910. The church was extended in the year 1970.

  • Christ Church, Coimbatore

Nilgiris

St. Stephen's Church is located on the road to Mysore in Ooty and it is one of the oldest churches in the Nilgiris district.

  • Wesley Church, Coonoor
  • C.S.I WEesley Church Hulical Pastorate, Glendale Estate, Coonoor

Salem
Main article: Christ Church, Salem

Christ Church is located on Fort Road, near the District Collectorate, in the heart of Salem City, Tamil Nadu, India. The church has been serving the community for the last 140 years, since its consecration in 1875. The church services at Christ Church are conducted both in English and Tamil. The church was designed by architect Robert Fellowes Chisholm, who was a pioneer of the Indo-Saracenic architecture, and also designed the Senate House buildings of the University of Madras and the Madras Presidency College[3]

  • C.S.I. Nathaniel Memorial Church, Sankagiri, Salem

Others

The construction of the church started in 1930 and it was completed in the year 1933 by Antony Watson Brough. The church was dedicated in 1933 by Vedanayagam Samuel Azariah. Built with lime mortar with egg and the stones were brought from Karur, it is constructed in the Indo-Saracenic style architecture.[4]

  • CSI St. Johns Church, at Kosavampalayam Road, Palladam
  • CSI Yesu Ratchagar Church, Kangayam
  • C.S.I Christ Church, Krishnagiri
  • CSI Christ Church Mettur Main road Bhavani
It is one of the main churches established by the London mission.once it belonged to the SIUC.

Educational institutions in the Diocese
Arts & Science Colleges
  • Bishop Appasamy College of Arts and Science
  • Bishop Appasamy College of Education
Engineering College
Polytechnic College
  • CSI Polytechnic College, Salem
Technical College
Teacher Training Institute
  • CSI Teacher Training Institute for Women, Hasthampatti, Salem
Primary and secondary education
  • Nursery schools -13
  • Primary and middle schools -69
  • High schools -5
  • Higher secondary Schools -10
  • Matriculation schools-3
Matriculation higher secondary schools
  • CSI Boys Higher Secondary School (Formerly Known as London Mission High School & Union High School), Coimbatore
  • CSI Girls Higher Secondary School, Coimbatore
  • CSI CMM Higher Secondary School, Ooty
Kindergarten teacher training
  • Kindergarten Teacher Training Institute, Gopalapuram, Coimbatore

See also
Anglican
General and other denominations

References
  1. Erode museum to host exhibition on A.W. Brough
  2. The western sentinel of Race Course
  3. Saravanan, S P (6 December 2014). "Christ Church celebrates 140 years of service in Salem" (Salem). The Hindu. Retrieved 14 August 2015.
  4. CSI Brough Memorial Church's Facebook Page

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