FORMATIVE YEARS

The church was a result of the vision and far farsightedness of our first Diocesan Metropolitan H.G. Dr. Paulos Mar Gregorios. He dreamt to have a place of worship for Orthodox Christians in trans-Yamuna area. In 1980, East Delhi offered attractive housing options for middle income families. The members residing in Mayur Vihar, Noida and surrounding areas suffered great hardship in travelling to Hauz Khas for Sunday worship and other spiritual needs. At the instance of His Grace, the then Diocesan Secretary, Rev. Fr. T. C. Mathai, submitted application to DDA on February 19, 1982 for allotment of land in the name of the Diocesan Council.

FIRST HOLY QURBANA

A prayer group was subsequently formed. It assembled every month at the residence of members in Mayur Vihar presided by the Vicar of St Mary’s Orthodox Cathedral. As numbers increased, the members felt the need to have Sunday worship. Rev. Fr. Sam V. Gabriel, the then Vicar of St. Mary’s Orthodox Cathedral celebrated the first Holy Qurbana at the residence of Shri Y.G. Varghese, 21-C, Pocket-IV, Mayur Vihar Ph-1 on December 7, 1986. At the meeting held after Holy Qurbana, a fifteen-member Church Committee was formed with Shri T.V. Jacob as Hon. Vice-Chairman, Shri K.P. Thomas as Hon. Secretary and Shri Johns George as Hon. Treasurer. It was decided to conduct Holy Qurbana on first Sunday evening of every month.

In February 1987 the newly-formed Church Committee and other well-wishers met at St Mary’s Orthodox Cathedral under the chairmanship of H.G. Dr Paulos Mar Gregorios and decided the modalities to form a society for establishing a Church in East Delhi. The name of St. John the Evangelist, suggested by His Grace was unanimously adopted in the meeting. The St. Johns Orthodox Church Society got registered under the Societies Registration Act vide Regn No. 18102 of 1987. Later the by laws of the Society was amended to become it an “All India“ Society which considered as a major achievement.

The nascent St. John’s Orthodox Church got its first regular vicar Rev. Fr. Varghese Chacko on March 24, 1987 and since then Holy Qurbana was celebrated twice a month. The St. Mary’s Orthodox Cathedral supported the Parish with an initial donation apart from the articles for Holy Qurbana. In April 1987, the first Passion Week service held at House No. 30-A, Pocket I, Mayur Vihar Phase-I was made memorable with the visit of His Grace Dr. Paulos Mar Gregorios. In the next year, the Good Friday service was shifted to an open space adjacent to DDA Market, Pocket-IV, Mayur Vihar-I. There one of the members Shri P.M. Mathunni offered his vacant house at 122, J Extension, Laxmi Nagar where a spacious hall in ground floor was available to conduct the Sunday worship. Holy Qurbana was celebrated on first Sundays at Mayur Vihar, third Sundays at Laxmi Nagar, and fifth Sundays at Noida. This arrangement continued till Rev. Fr. Jacob Abraham was appointed as the first full time vicar of the parish from April 1, 1989.

CHURCH BUILDING

The Vicar and office bearers worked relentlessly in their pursuit for land, which materialized in July 1989 when the DDA allotted a plot measuring 836 sq. Mts. for the Church at Pocket III Institutional Area Mayur Vihar Phase-1. The foundation stone was laid on August 5, 1990 by the Diocesan Metropolitan H.G. Dr. Paulos Mar Gregorios. His Grace donated Rs. 2 Lakhs which he received from World Council of Churches. A generous contribution of Rs. 50,000/- from Mar Gregorios Orthodox Church Janakpuri was a big help. The construction work started under the supervision of Shri (Late) John Abraham and Shri (Late) K.M. Varghese. The members along with Vicar, Rev Fr. Jacob Abraham took painstaking efforts to mobilize funds for construction. The Church building was consecrated on Mar 15, 1992 by the then Catholicos, H.H. Moran Mar Baselios Marthoma Mathews II, assisted by H.G. Dr. Philipose Mar Theophilos (the then Metropolitan of Bombay Diocese), H.G. Dr. Stephanos Mar Theodosius (the then Metropolitan of Calcutta Diocese), H.G. Dr. Paulose Mar Gegorios (the then Metropolitan of Delhi Diocese) and H.G. Job Mar Philoxenos (the then Asst. Metropolitan of Bombay Diocese).

The central altar was dedicated in the name of St. John, our Patron Saint and the side altars in the name of St. Mary and St. George. Presently, Holy Qurbana is being celebrated on all Sundays morning and Fridays evening. Average attendance in the Sunday service is around 400 and on Fridays around 100. In addition, Holy Qurbana is being celebrated in the chapel of St. John’s School Greater Noida West on all third Sundays from February 2021 onwards for the convenience of Orthodox members residing in Greater Noida area. The Church completed 30 years on 15 March 2022 after its consecration and celebrated its Pearl Jubilee during the year 2022 and donated an amount of Rupees 1.00 lakh to Aanchal, a School for differently abled students managed by Delhi Orthodox Diocese at Rohini.