Islamabad: Archbishop Joseph Arshad of Islamabad-Rawalpindi, on 6 May, together with priests from his archdiocese, solemnly inaugurated and blessed the new Catholic Church of St Thomas the Apostle, in Taxila Cantonment, Rawalpindi district, Punjab province.

The site bears an archaeological and historical importance as it is believed that St. Thomas the Apostle arrived here around AD33 to preach the Gospel.

At that time, King Gondophares ruled the region from his capital, of Sirkap, which today is an archaeological site on the bank opposite the city of Taxila, 35 km from Islamabad.

The Church was built and solemnised after almost two and a half decades of hard work, the dreams of the faithful came true with the permission of the construction department.

“The inauguration of this beautiful church is a historic moment; previously, there was no church in Taxila. We all prayed and celebrated in the open air,” Fr James Shamaun, the new parish priest explained. “It is a true miracle that God has given us this land and after more than 25 years of battles, the project was approved.”

The church named after St. Thomas the Apostle was consecrated in the presence of hundreds of believers.

“We are grateful to Saint Thomas the Apostle for choosing this continent and harvesting the seeds of faith in our land,” said Archbishop Arshad. “Today the completion of this church is a test of the faith of the people.”

The ancient stone cross, found in 1935 at Sirkap near Taxila, is a testament to the Christian community's existence here since ancient times. The cross is now housed at the Cathedral Church of the Resurrection, Lahore.