Information on St. Mary's Church (Hyderabad, Telangana) - History & Architecture

The St. Mary's Church is located on SP Road in Secunderabad, in the state of Telangana, in South India. It is a popular Roman Catholic pilgrimage centre. It is situated just 1km away from the Secundrabad railway station. This particular church is largely dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary. In 1850, this church was constructed in a successful manner under the direct guidance of Fr. Daniel Murphy. The church is wide open to all. It is daily visited by adherent worshippers and tourists alike. The general timings of this church are from early morning 4.30 am to noon at 12.00 pm and from evening 3.00 pm to night till 8.30 pm. The masses are held with much devotion in Telugu, Tamil and English languages.

St. Mary's Church Religious Significance

The St. Mary's Church is one of the oldest catholic churches of the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secundrabad. It is very close to St. John church, Parade ground and Millennium Garden. The best time to visit this particular church would be during festivals such as Christmas and Easter plus during a wedding when the entire premises is brightly lit up and well decorated in a religious manner. On Sundays, a large number of local worshippers attend mass conducted in the early morning, noon and evening hours with much dedication and commitment. It is the only church in the city where carols are part and parcel of religious activities and functions.

St. Mary's Church Architectural Significance

The St. Mary's Church is known for its unique beauty and peaceful atmosphere in the busy road of Secundrabad. It is the best example of typical Gothic architectural style and pattern. This particular church has an altar that is largely dedicated to Mother Mary plus Baby Jesus which are surrounded by St. Patrick and other popular saints. The ground level of the church is adorned by a series of stained glasses and wooden pews are directly placed just in front of the altar with a lot of perfection. A small prayer room named as the St Jude's Shrine is situated just right side of this church. It has four big bells that were imported from Italy in 1901. The interior and exterior decoration is really amazing in all aspects. Most of the furniture that is used in the church is made with finest wood with artistic work and craftsmanship with a lot of perfection. The church premises have a good garden and lawn that is perfectly maintained. The garden adds more beauty to this church. The open ground in front of the church can be used for conducting various types of religious function and activities to a great extent.

Festivals at St. Mary's Church

The St. Mary's Church is known for celebrating a several Christian Festivals and Holy Days such as Advent, All Hallow's Eve, All Saints' Day, All Souls' Day, Ascension of Jesus, Ash Wednesday, Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Candlemas, Christmas Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Fast, Circumcision of Jesus, Corpus Christi, Easter, Epiphany, Feast of St. Basil, Good Friday, Holy Pascha, Holy Thursday, Holy Saturday, Holy Week, Immaculate Conception, Lammas, Lazarus Saturday, Lent, Meatfare Sunday, Palm Sunday, Saint Andrew's Day, Saint Francis Day, Saint Michael and All Angels, Saint Patrick's Day, Saint Stephen's Day, Theophany, Transfiguration of Jesus and Trinity Sunday or Day. All these festive and holy days are marked with special prayers at this church. A large number of local devotees visit this church on all these occasions and events with family members, relatives and close friends.