Infant Jesus Church

The Christian presence and influence was felt from the birth of Santiniketan. The world famous poet, Rabindranath Tagore, invited Brahma Bandav Upadhaya and Animanada to start teching under the trees. Anglo da Fonseca, Andrews and others had influenced Rabindranth Tagore with their stay at Santiniketan. Fr. Charles Poncelet SJ visited Bolpur in the 1950s from Sahebdanga. From May 1981, Bolpur division was looked after by 56 the Salesian Fathers from Joypur, Suri and a plot of land was bought at Makrampur by Fr. Cyriac SDB for developing a centre. In 1993, the Salesian Congregation handed over Bolpur subdivision to the Archdiocese of Calcutta and Fr. Valerian Fernandes was appointed first Priest-in- Charge. He did a great pioneering job. After six months of wandering Mr. Swapan Ghosh offered him a room to stay. The spiritual need of the people made him move to Phuldanga village where Mrs. Myno Soren offered him a house. For three years the successive priests stayed there and celebrated Eucharist there in a make shift tent. Fr. Robert D' Souza moved to the new community centre which was blessed by Bishop Cyprian Monis on 7 Feb. 1997. It was erected into a Parish on July 4, 1999, and Fr. R. Robert D' Souza was installed as the first Parish Priest. In the Jubilee Year of Mercy a new Church which will be a pilgrim center for Birbhum District is under construction. Category: DIOCESAN Catholic: 1641

Jisu Niketan, Makrampur,, Bolpur Birbhum, 731204