St. Andrew’s Church, Chennai

February 25, 1997

St. Andrew’s Church, Chennai

A commemorative postage stamp on the St. Andrew’s Church “The Kirk“, one of the oldest church in Madras to serve the Scottish community :

Issued by India

Issued on Feb 25, 1997

Issued for : The Department of Post is happy to issue a special postage stamp on St. Andrew’s Church.

Credits :
Stamp & FDC : Secretary, St. Andrew’s Church
Cancellation : Smt. Alka Sharma

Type : Stamp, Postal Used

Colour : Multicolour

Denomination : 800 Paise

Overall size : 3.91 x 2.90 cms.

Printing size : 3.55 x 2.54 cms.

Perforation : 13 x 13

Paper : Imported un w/m Adhesive Gravure Coated Stamp Paper in Sheets 50.8 x 53.5 cm.

Stamps Printed : 0.7 Million

Number per issue sheet : 35

Printing Process : Photogravure

Printer : India Security Press, Nasik

About :

St. Andrew’s Church (The Kirk) situated at Egmore, Madras, is considered to be the most beautiful neo-classical church in India. The building modelled along the lines of St. Martin-in-the-Fields at London, presents a lovely profile of Georgian Church Architecture. It was consecrated on 25^th February 1821.
Its imposing exterior, perfect symmetry & soaring spire, evoke exclamations of wonder from passersby who see it for the first time.
The church steeple is 166½ feet high, taller by 11½ feet than that of St. Martin’s. Its interior dome is 51 feet in diameter, carried on 16 fluted Corinthian columns. The complex dome is also supported by an angular arch. The church foundations are built on 150 brick and pottery wells – then a substitute for the pile-work. The stucco of the dome is coloured in lapis lazuli, giving the illusion of an azure sky.
The church established for the worship of the Scottish Community, then living in Madras, has since Independence been administered and used by the Indian Christian Community.
It was a school started in this church in 1835 which grew to become the present Madras Christian College. This Church also has a tradition of supporting the growth of music. Famous musicians such as Dr. Norman Lindsay, Sir Charles McPherson, and Victor Paranjothi have all ministered in this Church and led the musical programmes.
This Church also has regular ongoing programmes for Leprosy mission, school for the mentally disabled, adult education, vocational education, free day care centres for the poor, village clinic and rural development.