ST - JOHN CHURCH PESHAWAR 1851 AD.

 

ST-JOHN CHURCH 1851 AD 

 Places to See inside of Church is

1.  Church made in 1851 ( Before India and Pakistan Was colonized )
2.   Edwards School
3.  Field Marshal Claude Auchinleck Monument British commander of Peshawar
4.   Arch Bishop of Canterbury Monument .
5.  Old Plaques of Fallen British Soldier who Fought from Queen of England .

St John Church was Established by British and it St. John’s Cathedral is the oldest church in Peshawar. The foundation stone of this church was laid on 23rd March 1851.

This Church Represented the Protestant Christianity and was made after the First Anglo Afghan War of 1839-42 and the Pashtun Although won the War but Peshawar was not recovered from British although Sikhs Had lost Empire , which was under  Ranjeet Singh till 1839 until his Empire demise, which had Started in 1829 on Peshawar.

 Ranjeet Singh had 12 European Generals in his Army and one of those His European Governor Paulo Avitable was Governor of Peshawar and he was Instrumental in  Welcoming the British here , the Resident of Paulo Avitable is in Gor Khatri complex of Peshawar and His Army was Stationed in Bala Hisar Fort .

ST-JOHN CHURCH 2021 

British Troops After Demise of Ranjeet Singh in 1839 Took Over Peshawar and Stationed  in Chirat , Warsak and Peshawar City and Need for a Cantonment and Garrison Arose , with Garrison the Churches Anglican , Catholic and Protest came in being in Peshawar and St-John is the second Oldest made on 23 March 1851 by British commander of Peshawar .

There are a number of monuments outside chiseled in stone and marble. One memorial honours the great General of World War-2 , Sir Field Marshall Claude Auchinleck.

He was Supreme Army Commander of Both India and Pakistan at time of Partition of India as Field Marshall in 1947 of Both Pakistan and India and remained In Charge till 1948 of Both countries even After Independence.

He had previously been the commander of the Peshawar Brigade from 1933-36. and he was First Army Chief of Pakistan as Field Marshal with Sir Frank Messervy as His Assistant who Commanded Pakistan Part of Army as First Army Chief.

Sir Claude Auchinleck was commissioned as an unattached second lieutenant in the Indian Army on 21 January 1903 and joined to the 62nd Punjabis in April 1904. He learnt Punjabi and, able to speak fluently with his soldiers Mostly Punjabis, he absorbed a knowledge of local dialects and customs: 

this familiarity engendered a lasting mutual respect, enhanced by his own personality , and his Troops were Mostly Punjabi Muslims and Punjabi Sikhs , so it helped him Tremendously . This Monument to him In Front of St John Church is Testament of Long History of British and its Association with Pakistan .

Inside the St John Church Walled Area is also a School Known as Edwards School and it was one of the First School of Western Education in Pakistan , and it was part of Famous Edwards College Name after King Edward and it is Situated a few Km from this Church .

Local who studied in this school and the Convent Schools for Women which is Nearby Formed the Educated class of Peshawar .

ST-JOHN CHURCH 1860

This Wonderful History can be seen and Enjoyed here and also this church has Plaques that can show the Old Soldier who died fighting here a Heroic Battle for the Queen of England and to form British Raj and it is Passage in history and great for Tourist and People of Peshawar .

INSIDE OF ST-JOHN CHURCH PESHAWAR 

Interesting the Office of Diocese , is also found inside of Church and it contains a Plaque commemorating the Archbishop of Canterbury who visited this Church few Years Back .  

ST John Church Diocesan Center

Diocese of Peshawar - Church of Pakistan 1- Sir Syed Road Peshawar 25000 , NWFP, Pakistan Phone: +92-91-5276519 / 5271839 Fax: +92-91-5277499 Email: info@peshawardiocese.org diocese@brain.net.pk commdeskdop@gmail.com Website: www.peshawardiocese.org Time of Visit 9 Am - 4 PM .