A Christian group of Mizoram has claimed that it will build the world's largest church building in Serchhip district of the North-eastern state. The proposed church building will be erected on a land measuring 23,809.52 square metres, 809.52 square metres more than the area occupied by St Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City, which is currently the largest church in the world, the chief of the religious group said. The 'Zofate Pathian Biakinpui' (Big church for all Mizos) will be set up at Thenzawl town, around 87 km from here, said Rev Dr Zaichhawna Hlawndo, who founded the Zoram Thar Zofate Lairelna Inpui, a non-denominational church, in February 2016. Releasing the blueprint of the church here on Monday, Hlawndo said the church will belong to all 'Zofate' (Mizo tribes across the world) and will be constructed through public donations and voluntary services.
The length and breadth of the church area will be 270 feet each and its height will be 177 feet, he said. There will be 30,000 seats inside the building and its courtyard will be large enough to accommodate about 70,000 people, Hlawndo said. The building can be used by any church or Christian group for worship or religious assembly, he said. It will belong to all Mizo tribes, the Zoram Thar group leader said adding that land has been purchased for building it but construction work is yet to start. The group members claim that they are descendants of Joseph, one of the 12 sons f Biblical patriarch Jacob. Hlawndo worked as a missionary under the Presbyterian Church of Mizoram in various parts of the world and has settled in the United Kingdom before he returned to the state in 2012. He floated 'Zoram Thar' four years later.
He claimed that he received a ‘divine call’ to return to Mizoram while in transit at Dubai airport. The group had contested 24 seats in the last assembly polls in 2018 but failed to win a seat. It had organised a religious conference of all Mizo tribes in December last year during which memorial stones for various Mizo tribes were erected. The conference was held at the proposed site of the "world's largest church".
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