JK LG gives message of brotherhood at reopening ceremony of St Lukes church in Srinagar
Srinagar Dec 23 PTI Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor LG Manoj Sinha urged people on Thursday to strengthen the values of brotherhood peace and selfless serviceAddressing the re-opening ceremony of the historic St Lukes church here that has been fully renovated conserved and opened for the public to offer prayers the LG said the lost glory of the oldest church in Srinagar has been restored which is historicReopening of the St Lukes church in Srinagar after restoration is a historic occasion to celebrate and imbibe Jesus Christs message of sacrifice service redemption love and compassion he saidSinha said the church which was built in 1896 on the southwest slope of the Shankaracharya Hill is a unique symbol of Jammu and Kashmirs composite cultureHe congratulated the people of Jammu and Kashmir especially the Christian community and all the artisans involved in the renovation and conservation of the church besides the officials associated with the Smart City programmeThe restoration and conservation work of the St Lukes church was carried out under the Smart City projectThe surrounding landscape has also been upgraded including access to the church lighting and the allied components The interiors of the church have been redone with the construction of the altar wooden flooring seating arrangements window panes the access gate and the porchIndia is home to diverse religions and cultures for centuries But despite this diversity the people of the country live in unity without any discrimination the LG saidHe urged people to inculcate the spirit of social harmony and strengthen the values of brotherhood peace and selfless serviceSt Lukes message of peace and harmony to all human beings is more relevant today than ever before Today while facing the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic the whole world is realising that no nation or society can survive in isolation Our dependence on each other our connect with each other have increased substantially Sinha saidHe remembered Dr Arthur Neve who served the people of Jammu and Kashmir for three decades by establishing the church as well as by saving lives as a doctorThe LG also extended his warm wishes to the people for the upcoming Christmas festivalOn the eve of Christmas when we remember Jesus Christ let us also reiterate our strong resolve to follow the path of truth non-violence and universal brotherhood Every person should sincerely play their part in promoting harmony in the society he saidSpecial prayers were held to mark the day while a documentary on the history and restoration of the church was also shown on the occasionThe Christian community of Srinagar has expressed happiness at the governments initiative to renovate and reopen the church ahead of ChristmasThe St Lukes church is a single-storey building constructed on a cruciform plan It follows the Gothic style of architecture which is distinct from the other important monuments dotted in the landscape of Srinagar Attached to the porch there is a bell tower that is three-story in height mounted by a high-pitched CGI roof with dormer gables on each sideBefore its restoration the church was lying in a dilapidated condition with the structural members suffering major damage The CGI roofing was completely damaged the rainwater intrusion from the roof aggravated the decay of important components PTI SSB MIJ RC
Srinagar Dec 23 PTI Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor LG Manoj Sinha urged people on Thursday to strengthen the values of brotherhood peace and selfless serviceAddressing the re-opening ceremony of the historic St Lukes church here that has been fully renovated conserved and opened for the public to offer prayers the LG said the lost glory of the oldest church in Srinagar has been restored which is historicReopening of the St Lukes church in Srinagar after restoration is a historic occasion to celebrate and imbibe Jesus Christs message of sacrifice service redemption love and compassion he saidSinha said the church which was built in 1896 on the southwest slope of the Shankaracharya Hill is a unique symbol of Jammu and Kashmirs composite cultureHe congratulated the people of Jammu and Kashmir especially the Christian community and all the artisans involved in the renovation and conservation of the church besides the officials associated with the Smart City programmeThe restoration and conservation work of the St Lukes church was carried out under the Smart City projectThe surrounding landscape has also been upgraded including access to the church lighting and the allied components The interiors of the church have been redone with the construction of the altar wooden flooring seating arrangements window panes the access gate and the porchIndia is home to diverse religions and cultures for centuries But despite this diversity the people of the country live in unity without any discrimination the LG saidHe urged people to inculcate the spirit of social harmony and strengthen the values of brotherhood peace and selfless serviceSt Lukes message of peace and harmony to all human beings is more relevant today than ever before Today while facing the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic the whole world is realising that no nation or society can survive in isolation Our dependence on each other our connect with each other have increased substantially Sinha saidHe remembered Dr Arthur Neve who served the people of Jammu and Kashmir for three decades by establishing the church as well as by saving lives as a doctorThe LG also extended his warm wishes to the people for the upcoming Christmas festivalOn the eve of Christmas when we remember Jesus Christ let us also reiterate our strong resolve to follow the path of truth non-violence and universal brotherhood Every person should sincerely play their part in promoting harmony in the society he saidSpecial prayers were held to mark the day while a documentary on the history and restoration of the church was also shown on the occasionThe Christian community of Srinagar has expressed happiness at the governments initiative to renovate and reopen the church ahead of ChristmasThe St Lukes church is a single-storey building constructed on a cruciform plan It follows the Gothic style of architecture which is distinct from the other important monuments dotted in the landscape of Srinagar Attached to the porch there is a bell tower that is three-story in height mounted by a high-pitched CGI roof with dormer gables on each sideBefore its restoration the church was lying in a dilapidated condition with the structural members suffering major damage The CGI roofing was completely damaged the rainwater intrusion from the roof aggravated the decay of important components PTI SSB MIJ RC
