100-year-old St. Mary’s Church Jamshedpur gets a new look, inauguration on October 26

St. Mary’s Church, Bistupur, reborn in faith and heritage

Jamshedpur’s oldest Catholic Church to be blessed after renovation on Sunday

Mail News Service

Jamshedpur, Oct 25: St. Mary’s Church, Bistupur the oldest Catholic church in Jamshedpur and the mother church of all Catholic parishes in the city will be blessed on Sunday, October 26, 2025, at 4 p.m., marking the completion of its centenary renovation.

The historic church, completed and blessed in 1921, has stood as a symbol of purity, unity, and brotherhood for over a century. To commemorate its 100 years, the parish undertook an extensive renovation project that has now given the church a fresh new look while preserving its heritage structure.

Addressing a press meet at the church premises on Saturday, Rev. Fr. Jeyaraj Ignatious, Parish Priest of St. Mary’s Church, said, “We couldn’t celebrate the centenary of the church in 2021 due to Covid restrictions. Hence, this year, we are celebrating it with the blessing of the newly renovated church.”

Fr. Jeyaraj informed that the renovation work took around two and a half years to complete. “The church has not been expanded but redesigned with better interiors and a modern finish. The seating capacity has been increased from 250 to 350 to accommodate more parishioners,” he said.

Highlighting the key changes, he added, “We have not altered the original structure as it is a heritage building. However, we have introduced a new false ceiling and improved the front façade. A new altar, or vedi, has been constructed and placed in the same position as before, blending tradition with a renewed sense of devotion.”

The redesigned church is the vision of Rev. Fr. Jeyaraj, who personally supervised the design to retain the original charm while enhancing comfort and aesthetics. “It was not about changing the church but reviving its spirit. The new look reflects our gratitude and joy as we complete 100 years,” he said.

The blessing ceremony on Sunday will be led by Rt. Rev. Vincent Aind, Archbishop of Ranchi, along with Rt. Rev. Telesphore Bilung, SVD, Bishop of Jamshedpur, and Rt. Rev. Felix Toppo, SJ, Archbishop Emeritus of Ranchi. Several priests, nuns, and parishioners from across Jamshedpur and nearby regions will attend the ceremony, which will be followed by a fellowship meal.

Fr. Jeyaraj extended his gratitude to the local community and Tata Steel administration for their support during the restoration process. “The blessing of the Lord is the greatest,” he said. “We invite all people of Jamshedpur to join in this holy celebration and share in the joy of this historic moment.”