A historic church in Mysore

FROM HERE & THERE

In 1906, during his official visit to Mysore,  the Prince of Wales, later crowned King George V, is known to have offered prayers at the historic Bartholomew’s Church. According to church records, the junior Prince of Wales (Edward VIII) also offered prayers here when he visited Mysore in the year 1921.

Located near the landmark Mysore bus stand, the St. Bartholomew’s Church was built in the year 1832, during the reign of  Krishnaraja Wodeyar III, who graciously gifted the land needed for construction of the church that was built at a “cost of Rs.3500” shared by Christian soldiers and the civilians forming the local congregation. When the centenary of the church was held in 1930, it is said to have been renovated with stained glass windows gifted by Maharaja of Mysore. The 175th anniversary of the church was celebrated on a grand scale in 2005.

St. Bartholomew’s Church runs a school called Sunday School and also maintains the community cemeteries in and around Mysore. The European Cemetery on Mysore-Bangalore road, the Garrison Cemetery in Srirangapatna and the Benson Cemetery on Mysore-Nanjangud road  are the three cemeteries attached to St. Bartholomew’s Church.