Holy Trinity Church, Bengaluru

The story of Holy Trinity Church, Bengaluru

Holy Trinity Church is the Anglican church standing at Trinity circle at the east end of the MG Road, and the one thing you notice immediately from the record is that it was built for the British Regiment stationed in Bangalore. It was built in 1851, and it is regarded as the largest “military” church in southern India, with space for 700 people.

The church came out of pressure from the local English regiment in Bangalore. The East India Company decided to build a second church in the station after those protests, because St Mark’s Cathedral had been serving the English-speaking congregation and could not meet the growing demand. Bishop Corrie chose the spot, and the foundation stone was laid on 16 February 1848.

What you see as you look at the building is a church in the English Renaissance style. Inside, the walls are lined with ornate marble murals and tablets that speak about great men and women who toiled for the church, and some statues were specially carved in England. Rev W W Lutyens designed the furnishing and embellishments. The bell was cast by Mears Foundry of London in 1847, and the pulpit and pipe organ were also built in London. The stained glass, depicting the baptism of Jesus in splendid color, and the baptismal pond were brought from London. Queen Victoria’s own West Kent Regiment presented the cross in memory of those who died when the unit was based in Bangalore.

The church has had a long institutional life since then. It was consecrated on 25 July 1852 and opened on 8 August, 1852. After Independence, it was taken over by the Christian Indian Military personnel and their families, was called Holy Trinity Garrison Pastorate then, and in 1965 it was renamed as Holy Trinity Church by the Mysore Diocese of the Church of South India. More recently, it was renovated at a cost of around Rs 25 lakh in 2003.

Today it remains an active church with a congregation of over 450 families. It is under the Karnataka Central Diocese, and its rededication was marked during its sesquicentennial celebrations. If you want one detail to look for right now, make it the belfry, the marble tablets, and the restored stained glass that tie the present church to its London-made fittings.