Parish History

The Delhi Diocese of the Orthodox Church was constituted by the Holy Synod in 1975. His Grace Dr Paulos Mar Gregorios took charge as its first Metropolitan in 1976. It was about the same time that a handful of young Orthodox Christians in Ghaziabad (UP) got together under the banner of 'Christian Association.' Their primary activity was prayer meetings. Our learned Metropolitan took note of this feeble enterprise. In 1977 His Grace came personally to Ghaziabad along with a dynamic young Priest, Rev Fr PK Thomas and arranged for regular Orthodox worship. The CNI Church near the Railway Station and the old Holy Child School building were used for celebrating Holy Qurbana on Sundays and for special occasions as the Good Friday service.

Foreseeing the potential for growth and the need for regular pastoral care, His Grace appointed Rev Fr PK Thomas as the first Vicar of this new Parish in 1978. Subsequently, the St Thomas Orthodox Church Society was registered. The next step was the procurement of land and erection of a Church building. Despite heavy odds, a small plot of land got allotted by the GDA at Lajpat Nagar, Sahibabad, about 10 KMs West of Ghaziabad nearer to the Delhi Border.

As the members themselves had meagre resources, they had to work very hard soliciting funds, in fact collecting small amounts, going from house to house even though those members were of course financially weak but spiritually strong and highly motivated to carry out the task of building a church of their own, with which they could make an identity. The intercession of all our Saints, especially of St Thomas, our Patron and the abundant blessing of God Almighty made it possible for the Church Building to be erected. With a Hindu Temple and a Mosque nearby, our Church stands as a glowing symbol of religious harmony. The Church has certainly influenced the life of the people in the surrounding areas. With the celestial blessings flowing from the Church and the ardent prayers, the barren and wasteland of Lajpat Nagar in the seventies have blossomed into a dynamic township with several Housing Colonies, Schools, Hospitals, and Market etc. From a very small, humble beginning, our Church has now become one of the prominent parishes within the Delhi Diocese, with about 142 subscribing Families, 6 Prayer Groups, active units of Martha Mariam Vanitha Samajam, Youth Movement, MGOCSM, Indian Orthodox Diaspora Movement and regular Sunday School up to Class XII.