Oxford Mission Church

Oxford Mission Epiphany Church, commonly known as Oxford Mission Church is an Anglican church in Barisal, a southern city in Bangladesh.[2] It is one of the oldest and arguably the second largest church in Asia by land area.[3]

Oxford Mission Epiphany Church
এপিফানী গির্জা
LocationPoet Jibanando Das Street, Bogra Road, Barisal
CountryBangladesh
DenominationAnglican
ChurchmanshipChurch of Bangladesh
History
Founded1903 (1903)
Founder(s)Oxford Mission
Architecture
Architect(s)Sister Edith Langridge, Father E. L. Strong
StyleGreek architecture
Administration
DioceseDiocese of Barisal
Clergy
Bishop(s)Rt Revd Shourabh Pholia[1]

History
Oxford Mission Church Barisal

In the early 18th century, the ancient river port city Barisal attracted many Christian missionaries. Oxford Mission, an England-based Anglican missionary started its journey in this region from at the end of the 19th century and formed Brotherhood of the Epiphany in 1895.[4] In 1902, a Sisterhood was formed at Barisal under the guidance of Father Strong to work alongside the Brotherhood. The missionary opened an English boarding school, Christian youth hostels, an orphanage, a primary school and a medical centre in its compound at Bogra Road. The work of the sisters was very broad in scope, including evangelism, medical work, educational activity amongst women under the leadership of Edith Langridge. Later a branch house was formed at Jobarpar, Agailjhara thirty miles north of the town.

The Epiphany Church was established in 1903 based on a sketch of Sister Edith and inaugurated on 26 January that year.[5] Father E. L. Strong, chief of the brotherhood had overseen the completion of the church's design, final shape and construction through a second phase in 1907.[5] Frederick Douglass served as the engineer. The church was built on 35 acres of land surrounded by high wall and rows of palm trees.[6]

The church has been preserved as a cultural heritage and survived many natural disasters occurred in the country.

Architecture

The structure of the church reflects Greek architectural style. It appears to be a five-storied building from the outside, it actually has a single floor with a large prayer hall.[7] There are many doors on three sides, 40 archways and numerous corridors around the church. The large cross on the main altar was brought from Bethlehem, Palestine. The interior has been designed with wood carvings and the floor including the baptism bath basin decorated with marble tiles. Another notable attraction of the Oxford Mission Church is the red brick bell tower and the giant bell it houses. The bell is rung seven times every day five minutes before prayers. The bell tower also houses the church's office room.[8]

There are 13 small and large ponds and Oxford Mission High School, hospital, library, students' hostel and living quarters of the father and sisters inside the compound.[9][10]

References
  1. "Bishop of Barisal - Anglican Communion: Position". Anglican Communion. Retrieved 13 January 2019.
  2. Jack, James Charles (1918). Bengal District Gadgeteer : Bakarganj. Calcutta: Bengal Secretariat Book Depot. p. 32. Retrieved 12 January 2019.
  3. "Oxford Mission Church: The 114-year-old spectacular red beauty of Barisal". Dhaka Tribune. 24 December 2017. Retrieved 12 January 2019.
  4. "The Oxford Mission". www.oxford-mission.org. Retrieved 11 January 2019.
  5. "Oxford Mission, a century old church in Barisal". The Daily Star. 26 September 2016. Retrieved 12 January 2019.
  6. নয়ন জুড়াচ্ছে বরিশালের ১১৪ বছরের পুরনো ‘লাল গির্জা’. Bangla Tribune (in Bengali). 25 December 2017. Retrieved 12 January 2019.
  7. অক্সফোর্ড মিশন (in Bengali). 18 December 2016. Retrieved 12 January 2019.
  8. "Oxford Mission, a century old church in Barisal". The Asian Age. Retrieved 12 January 2019.
  9. বরিশালের অক্সফোর্ড মিশন চার্চ এশিয়ার সেরা পুরাকীর্তি. banglanews24.com (in Bengali). 25 September 2017. Retrieved 12 January 2019.
  10. অক্সফোর্ড মিশন গির্জা, দেশের খ্রিস্ট ধর্মীয় সেরা পুরাকীর্তি. Dainik Destiny (in Bengali). 10 January 2018. Retrieved 12 January 2019.

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