History
The Indian Christian Church in Doha boasts a history spanning over 70 years. As oil exploration began in Qatar in 1939, Indian individuals started migrating to the region. Initially, diverse Christian denominations united to conduct community prayers. With the passage of time, an increasing number of members from various Christian Churches arrived and recognized the necessity for dedicated places of worship.
In 2002, His Highness Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani, the then Amir of Qatar, issued an Amiri Decree that granted Christian communities permission to establish their own Churches for practicing their religious customs. The Government of Qatar bestowed legal recognition upon Catholic, Anglican, Greek Orthodox, other Eastern Orthodox, Coptic, and Indian Christian Churches. To expedite and facilitate this process, the Government appointed a Director within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In May 2005, representatives from the country’s Christian Churches signed a fifty-year land lease agreement with the Government. This agreement paved the way for the construction of six Churches in Mesaimeer, Doha.
Responding to the Government’s directives, the Christian Churches Steering Committee (CCSC) was instituted to oversee shared concerns and amenities among the various Churches. These included the Inter Denominational Christian Church, Roman Catholic Church, Anglican Church, Coptic Church, other Eastern Orthodox Churches, and Greek Orthodox Church within the religious complex. The CCSC also acted as an intermediary with relevant government departments pertaining to communal facilities. The representatives of the six Churches formalized a memorandum-of-understanding, signifying their commitment to manage the day-to-day affairs of the Complex. Furthermore, additional plots were allocated for the construction of the Maronite Church and the Evangelical Churches Alliance Qatar