![Stjohnswilderness](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5d/Stjohnswilderness.JPG)
St. John in the Wilderness is a Protestant church dedicated to
John the Baptist. It was built in 1852 and is located near
Dharamshala,
India, on the way to
McLeod Ganj
McLeod Ganj, also spelt McLeodganj, (pronounced ''Mc-loud-gunj'') is a suburb of Dharamshala in the Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh, India. It is known as "Little Lhasa" or "Dhasa" (a short form of Dharamshala used mainly by Tibetans) because ...
, at Forsyth Gunj. Set amidst
deodar forest, and built in
neo-Gothic architecture, the Church is known for its Belgian stained-glass windows donated by Lady Elgin (Mary Louisa Lambton), wife of
Lord Elgin
Earl of Elgin is a title in the Peerage of Scotland, created in 1633 for Thomas Bruce, 3rd Lord Kinloss. He was later created Baron Bruce, of Whorlton in the County of York, in the Peerage of England on 30 July 1641. The Earl of Elgin is the h ...
. The Church is under Diocese of Amritsar.
Rev.Ajay Singh is the presbyter in charge of this church
Though the church structure survived the
1905 Kangra earthquake
The 1905 Kangra earthquake occurred in the Kangra Valley and the Kangra region of the Punjab Province (modern day Himachal Pradesh) in India on 4 April 1905. The earthquake measured 7.8 on the surface wave magnitude scale and killed more th ...
, which killed close to 19,800 people, injured thousands in the Kangra area, and destroyed most buildings in
Kangra,
Mcleod Ganj
McLeod Ganj, also spelt McLeodganj, (pronounced ''Mc-loud-gunj'') is a suburb of Dharamshala in the Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh, India. It is known as "Little Lhasa" or "Dhasa" (a short form of Dharamshala used mainly by Tibetans) because ...
and
Dharamshala; its spire,
Bell tower
A bell tower is a tower that contains one or more bells, or that is designed to hold bells even if it has none. Such a tower commonly serves as part of a Christian church, and will contain church bells, but there are also many secular bell tower ...
, was destroyed. Later, a new bell, cast in 1915 by
Mears and Stainbank, was brought from England and installed outside in the compound of the church.
Tourism History
'' Kangra district'' Official website.
Memorial
Its churchyard is the final resting place of Lord Elgin
Earl of Elgin is a title in the Peerage of Scotland, created in 1633 for Thomas Bruce, 3rd Lord Kinloss. He was later created Baron Bruce, of Whorlton in the County of York, in the Peerage of England on 30 July 1641. The Earl of Elgin is the h ...
, who served as Governor General of the Province of Canada, oversaw the creation of responsible government in Canada, and later, while in China, ordered the complete destruction of the Old Summer Palace. He became Governor-General & Viceroy of India in 1861 during the British Raj, though he soon died at Dharamshala on 20 November 1863, and was buried there.
Gallery
Image:Stjohnsign.JPG, Church of St. John in the Wilderness. Despite the sign, Sunday services as of 12 Sep 2010 were at 10am in English and 11:30am in Hindi.
Image:Stjohnwilderstainglass.JPG, Stained glass window inside the church
Image:St. John in the Wilderness churchyard, McLeod Ganj, India - September 2014.jpg, The churchyard
Other church
There is a church by the same name in Nainital as well, built in 1844.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Saint John in the Wilderness
Anglican church buildings in India
Churches completed in 1852
19th-century Anglican church buildings
Gothic Revival church buildings in India
Buildings and structures in Dharamshala
Churches in Himachal Pradesh
1852 establishments in India
British-era buildings in Himachal Pradesh