AZAMGARH

st marys church varanasPatron Saint : St. Francis XavierYear of Establishment : 1934

Parish Priest : Fr. Louis Braggs

Assistant: Fr. Joby John

Address  :

Catholic Church

Atlas Pokhra

Azamgarh

U.P. 276001

Telephone: Res. : (05462) 220552; Off.  : (05462) 220080

Catholics:  55

HistoryFrom the records of Allahabad, it is clear that Azamgarh was a visiting station by Bolognese Capuchin fathers. In 1906, it was visited from Gorakhpur. In 1912 and 1913, it was visited from Benares. But in the later years it was completely abandoned.In 1933 a property of Mr. Barber was bought which had two large houses with a large compound. Fr. Paschal Sinha was appointed the first resident priest. Fr. Sinha found the place very dry despite his hard efforts to have some people to be parishioners.

In 1937 Fr. A. Rodrigues with the help of two Franciscan Missionary Brothers tried to do some mission work in the surroundings areas without much success. The short-lived diocesan congregation of Brothers was started here. For some time there was also a small technical training school. For some years Azamgarh also became the diocesan pastoral centre.

In 1970 Jyoti Niketan School was started. Missionary Sisters of the Queen of the Apostles opened their house in 1971. Though it was the diocesan pastoral centre, evangelical and catechetical work did not find a fertile ground in Azamgarh. The school has picked up its popularity with a good number of students from the Muslim locality.

Yet amidst all these developments, the old church building and the priest house continue to exist as they are till the day and speak the history of the mission efforts to establish the christian community in Azamgarh.

Institutions

1.     Jyoti Niketan Convent (SRA Sisters)

Superior                :     Sr. Jyotika, SRA

2.     Jyoti Niketan School

Principal               :     Fr. Louis Braggs