The St. Francis Xavier church, Yapral, was re-dedicated here on Sunday, after it was restored by it parishioners. Archbishop of Hyderabad, Rev. Thumma Bala, blessed the church, which is believed to be more than 170 years old.
The St. Francis Xavier church is reported to have been built by Father Daniel Murphy (who also built the St. Mary’s minor basilica in Secunderabad) in 1842. According to a follower, Aju Thomas, apart from a contribution by the authorities, most of the money used to restore the church was received from the contributions of its parishioners.
The Valerian Grammar School in Secunderabad was also started in 1982 from the church. According to a press note, the parish of the St. Francis Xavier church and the school went through a severe financial crisis a few years ago and recovered with proper accounting system.
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