In November of this year, the Greek Church of the Transfiguration of the Savior in Kolkata celebrated its 100th anniversary at its present location.
On Sunday, December 8, 2024, we celebrated this anniversary and also held the inauguration of the church.
The foundation stone of the first church was laid in 1780 and it was inaugurated in 1782. In 1923, the Greek community decided to move the church to another part of the city. The construction of the new church was completed in 1924 and the doors were opened in November of the same year.
At the end of the service, a memorial service was held for the founders and benefactors of the church and for the once vibrant and numerous Greek community in Kolkata.
Later in the afternoon, a celebration was held with speeches on the history and significance of the Greek Church in Kolkata. Afterwards, children from our charitable institutions sang Byzantine hymns and performed traditional Indian dances in the church courtyard.
The events were attended by a large number of people, including the Ambassador of Greece in New Delhi, Ms. Aliki Koutsoumitopoulou, the Consul of the Greek Embassy, Mr. Dimitrios Sideris, the Consul of Cyprus in India, the Archons of the Patriarchate, Mr. Pavlos Bharat and Mr. Leonidas Tzoni, the Honorary Ambassador, Mr. Zeppos, and the Abbot of the Monastery of St. Nicholas of Varsos, Archimandrite Melchisedek Galanis.
The evening ceremony was honored by the presence of the Roman Catholic Bishop of Kolkata, and religious representatives of the Miaphysites, Hindus, and Muslims.
The local radio and television stations covered the celebrations, emphasizing that the Greek Orthodox Church of the Transfiguration of the Savior is a unique monument for the city of Kolkata.
Source: fosfanariou.gr & tv4e.gr
Translated by Ioanna Georgakopoulou
