Bengali Christians
Bengali Christians (Bengali: বাঙালি খ্রিস্টান) are adherents of Christianity among the Bengali people. Christianity took root in Bengal after the arrival of Portuguese voyagers in the 16th century. It witnessed further conversions among the Bengali upper-caste elite during the 19th century Bengali Renaissance.
বাঙালি খ্রিস্টান (Bangali Khrishtan), ফিরিঙ্গি (Firingi) | |
|---|---|
| Total population | |
| 1,370,000 | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
 Bangladesh | 640,000[1] |
 India | 730,000 (West Bengal)[2] |
| Languages | |
| Bengali | |
| Religion | |
| Christianity --- Catholicism --- Protestantism --- Indian Orthodox | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Bengali Muslims, Bengali Hindus, Bengali Buddhists | |
| Part of a series on |
| Bengalis |
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Bengali Christians have made significant contributions to Bengali culture, commerce and society. The region is home to venerable Christian missionary institutions, including the Missionaries of Charity founded by Mother Teresa.
History
Christianity was established in Bengal by the Portuguese in the 16th century. The Portuguese settlement in Chittagong hosted the first Vicar Apostolic in Bengal.[3] Jesuit missionaries also established churches in Bandel and Dhaka. In 1682, there were 14,120 Roman Catholics in Bengal.[1] William Carey translated the Bible into Bengali in 1809. Many upper-class Bengalis in the British Indian capital Calcutta converted to Christianity during the Indian Renaissance.
The Missionaries of Charity was founded by the Ottoman-born nun Mother Teresa in Calcutta in 1950. It played a major role in supporting and sheltering refugees during the Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971.
Denominations
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church in Bangladesh is based in the Archdiocese of Dhaka, with dioceses in Dinajpur, Mymensingh, Sylhet and Rajshahi and Archdiocese of Chittagong, with dioceses on Barisal and Khulna .[4]
- Province of Dhaka: Metropolitan Archdiocese of Dhaka
- Province of Chittagong: Metropolitan Archdiocese of Chittagong
The Roman Catholic Church in West Bengal is based in the Archdiocese of Calcutta.
Anglican Communion
There are three dioceses of the Anglican Church of Bangladesh:
- Diocese of Dhaka
- Diocese of Kushtia
- Diocese of Barisal
St. Paul's Cathedral, Kolkata is the seat of the Anglican Diocese of Calcutta (1813) of the Church of North India (CNI).
- Diocese of Barrackpore
- Diocese of Durgapur
- Diocese of Calcutta
Other Denominations
Other denominations include:[4]
- Assemblies of God in India(AG)
- India Pentecostal Church of God(IPC)
- The Pentecostal Mission(TPM)
- House church of Bangladesh (HCB)
- Armenian Apostolic Church
- Bengal Orissa Bihar Baptist Convention
- Brethren in Christ Church
- Church of God (Anderson)
- El Shaddai
- New Life Fellowship Association
- United Missionary Church of India
- The Salvation Army
- Victory Family Centre (VFC)
- Bangladesh Methodist Church(BMC)
Demographics
Bengali Christians are considered a model minority in South Asia and usually enjoy a high literacy rate, low male-female sex ratio and a better socio-economic status.[5] Christian missionaries operate many schools, hospitals and shelters for the poor. They receive support from the Indian and Bangladeshi governments.
Dhaka, Chittagong, Barisal, Khulna and Northern District Side have significant Christian populations.
Culture
Lusophone heritage
Many Catholic Bengali Christians have Portuguese surnames. In a tradition similar to Bengali Muslims (who have Arabic and Persian names), Bengali Christians adopted Portuguese surnames due to the early influence of Portuguese missionaries in spreading Christianity. Common Catholic Bengali Christian surnames include Gomes, Rozario, D'Costa, Gonsalvez, Cruze, Dias, D’Silva and D’Souza among others.[6]
Christmas is known as “Borodin” (Big Day) and is a public holiday in both Bangladesh and Indian West Bengal.
Easter is another main event of Christians around the World & Bangladeshi Churches celebrating this Spiritual Occasion with so much respectfully. Many Churches jointly arranged an Open Services - called Sunrise Services with the Believers.
Notable Bengali Christians
Religious Leaders
- Brahmabandhav Upadhyay, theologian
- Sister M. Gertrude, MC
- Cardinal Patrick D'Rozario
- Poulinous Costa, Archbishop
- Michael Rosario, Archbishop
- Golaknath Chatterjee, Missionary and grandfather of Amrit Kaur
- Dr. Kali Charan Chatterjee, Missionary
- Rev.Nirod Biswas, first Indian Anglican Bishop of Assam
- Moses Montu Costa, the late Archbishop of Chittagong
- Rt. Rev Samuel S Mankhin, Moderator Bishop, Dhaka Diocese
- Rt. Rev Shourabh Pholia, Bishop of Barishal Diocese
- Theotonius Amal Ganguly, former Bishop of Dacca
- Rt. Rev Hemen Halder, Bishop of Kushtia Diocese
- Krishna Mohan Banerjee, Missionary
- Joy Govinda Shome, theologian and founder of Calcutta Christo Samaj
- Alvin P Bhakta, Reverend
- Nathaniel Shetu Munshi Reverend
- Nibaron Das Bishop
- Dr. Simon Sarker Reverend
- Stephen Singh Pastor
- Allen Joseph Gomes Pastor
- Stephen S Biswas Pastor
- Rev. Susomy Das Reverend
- Rev. Maria Das Reverend
- James Jipu Roy Reverend
- William Das Pastor
- Rev. Dr. Simon R. Biswas (Pastor)
- Rev. Abdul Karim Miah [Reverend]
Freedom Fighters
Arts
- Michael Madhusudan Dutt, 19th century poet and playwright
- Toru Dutt, poet
- Indu Chatterjee, classical dancer
- Badal Sircar, noted Bengali playwright and dramatist.
- Samar Das, musician
- Andrew Kishore, playback singer
- Robin Ghosh, playback singer and film music composer
- Tony Dias, Bangladeshi television actor and director
- Piya Dias, Actor and Model
- Anima Mukti Gomes, Singer of Bangla Folk Songs
- Liton D'Costa, Musician - Rhythmer
- Gorge Lincoln D'Costa, Musician
- Jeffry Jude Purification, Musician
Industry
- Samson Chowdhury, founder of Square Pharmaceuticals
- Topon Chowdhury
- Samuel S Chowdhury
- Anselm A. Quiah, Managing Director of Homebound
- Allen Joseph Gomes - Pastor, founder of Antioch
Scholars
- Chandramukhi Basu, first female graduate of British India
- Ashis Nandy, renowned Indian sociologist
- Sukumari Bhattacharji, Indologist
- Patrick Das Gupta, physicist and retired Professor, University of Delhi
- Antony Gomes, physiologist and retired Professor, University of Calcutta
- Aparna Gomes, Biologist and Retired Scientist, Indian Institute of Chemical Biology
- James Gomes, Professor of Biology, Indian Institute of Technology, New Delhi
Educators
- Reverend Lal Bihari Shah, set up the first school for the Blind in Eastern India at Behala, Kolkata
- Mona Hensman, nee Mitter, former Principal, Ethiraj College for Women, Chennai
- Surendra Kumar Datta, former Principal, Forman Christian College, Lahore, Pakistan.
- S. K. Rudra, first Indian Pricipal of St. Stephen's College, Delhi
Journalists
- Pritish Nandy
- Nirmal Nibedon
Politicians
- Hubert Costa, Bangladeshi-Polish Member of Parliament
- Promode Mankin, First Catholic and first member of the country's among Christian community to become a government minister in Bangladesh (as a member of the Bangladesh Awami League) and formerly representing Mymensingh-1 (constituency) (whom his son became his successor).
- Jewel Areng, son of Promode Mankin. He is the youngest member of parliament (as a member of the Bangladesh Awami League) and the only Catholic, currently representing Mymensingh-1 (constituency) (whom his father was also his predecessor).
- Harendra Coomar Mookerjee, First Governor of West Bengal
- Gloria Jharna Sarker, Bangladesh's first Christian Woman MP (2019)
Bangladesh Army
Indian Defence Services
- Lionel Protip Sen, General in the Indian Army
Sports
- Reverend Sudhir Kumar Chatterjee, Indian footballer
- Paresh Lal Roy, Indian boxer
References
- Luchesi, Brigitte (1999), "Bangladesh", in Fahlbusch, Erwin, Encyclopedia of Christianity 1, Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans, pp. 182–183, ISBN 0802824137
- http://ncm.nic.in/minority_population.pdf
- http://www.ctgdiocese.com/chronicle-snippets/
- World Christian Encyclopedia, Second edition, 2001 Volume 1, p. 368-371
- http://www.medindia.net/news/indiaspecial/Indian-Christians-Treat-Their-Women-Better-Sex-Ratio-Highest-31076-1.htm
- http://www.dhakatribune.com/feature/2014/jan/25/voc%25C3%25AA-fala-bangla