Diocese of Medak
Encyclopedia
The Diocese of Medak is one of the 22 diocese
s of the Anglican Church of South India
.
region of Andhra Pradesh
state: Adilabad
, Medak
, Nizamabad
, Rangareddy and Hyderabad
.
The diocese traces its history to its first bishop
Frank Whittaker, who laid the foundation for the bishopric's administrative organisational structure just prior to the independence of India. The diocese was formed on 3 October 1947 and today the diocese is headed by Whittaker's successor, the present-day Bishop of Medak, who has his seat in Medak Cathedral
.
.
Diocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
s of the Anglican Church of South India
Church of South India
The Church of South India is the successor of the Church of England in India. It came into being in 1947 as a union of Anglican and Protestant churches in South India. With a membership of over 3.8 million, it is India's second largest Christian church after the Roman Catholic Church in India...
.
Geography and history
The diocese of Medak is one of the largest dioceses in the Christian world, including five revenue districts of the TelanganaTelangana
Telangana is a region in the present state of Andhra Pradesh, India and formerly was part of Hyderabad state which was ruled by Nizam. It is bordered with the states of Maharashtra on the north and north-west, Karnataka on the west, Chattisgarh on the north-east and Orissa to the east...
region of Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh , is one of the 28 states of India, situated on the southeastern coast of India. It is India's fourth largest state by area and fifth largest by population. Its capital and largest city by population is Hyderabad.The total GDP of Andhra Pradesh is $100 billion and is ranked third...
state: Adilabad
Adilabad district
Adilabad District is a district in Andhra Pradesh, India. The district headquarters is at Adilabad town. A famous Temple of the Goddess Saraswathi, the Hindu Goddess of Education, is located here in the town of Basara.-Origin of name:...
, Medak
Medak district
Medak District is located in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India. Sangareddy is the district headquarters of Medak. The district had a population of 2,670,097, of which 14.36% were urban as of 2001...
, Nizamabad
Nizamabad district
Nizamabad District is located in the north-western region in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India. It is also known as Induru. Nizamabad is the current and official name of the district....
, Rangareddy and Hyderabad
Hyderabad District, India
Hyderabad District , is a district in the state of Andhra Pradesh in India that contains a part of the metropolitan area of Hyderabad. It is headed by a district collector who is drawn from the IAS cadre and is appointed by the state government.-History:...
.
The diocese traces its history to its first bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
Frank Whittaker, who laid the foundation for the bishopric's administrative organisational structure just prior to the independence of India. The diocese was formed on 3 October 1947 and today the diocese is headed by Whittaker's successor, the present-day Bishop of Medak, who has his seat in Medak Cathedral
Medak Cathedral
Medak Cathedral is the seat of the Bishop in Medak for the Church of South India . The Cathedral is the largest of all churches in Andhra Pradesh. The Cathedral also sees over the Diocese of Medak, which is the single largest diocese in Asia and the second largest diocese in the world. It was...
.
Bishop of Medak
The Bishop of Medak oversees the diocese of Medak. Due to the diocese comparatively late date of foundation in 1947, its list of bishops is short when viewed next to the ancient dioceses of the Anglican CommunionAnglican Communion
The Anglican Communion is an international association of national and regional Anglican churches in full communion with the Church of England and specifically with its principal primate, the Archbishop of Canterbury...
.
- Frank Whittaker 1947–1960
- Eber PriestleyEber Priestley-Writings:* The Church of South India: Adventure in Union* The New Pattern of the Church: A Summary of Developments in the Diocese of Medak-References:NotesFurther reading...
1961–1967 - H. D. L. Abraham 1968–1975
- B. G. Prasada Rao 1976–1981
- P. Victor PremasagarVictor PremasagarVictor Premasagar was the fourth successor of Frank Whittaker as Bishop in Medak. He was an Indian churchman and Old Testament scholar. He also became Moderator of the Church of South India.-Early years:...
1982–1992 - B. P. SugandharB. P. SugandharBadda Peter Sugandhar was the fifth successor of Frank Whittaker as Bishop in Medak in the Church of South India . He was consecrated by Vasant P...
1992-2008 - P.Surya Prakash 2008-2009 { Moderator Commissary }
- Samuel Kanaka Prasad 2009-