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Christ Church was built in 1863 as the garrison church for British Forces in Aden, with Queen Victoria as one of its
early benefactors. It remained active until 1970 when, following the British withdrawal in 1967, the communist
government of South Yemen requisitioned the building. It was then used as a storage facility, and later a gymnasium,
until the reunification of North and South Yemen in 1990.
From 1987 until 1993 the then Bishop of Cyprus and the Gulf, John Brown, was in negotiation with the government of
South Yemen, and subsequently the united Republic of Yemen, for the restoration of the church to the diocese. The
combination of an agreement that the church would build, fund and run a medical clinic for mothers and babies, and
a fatwa issued by the Grand Mufti of the Yemen ordering that Christians should be permitted to worship freely "just
as Muslims are permitted in Britain" clinched the matter. The church was restored, and finally rededicated in 1997.
Both the church and the clinics have come on greatly through the leadership of successive chaplains, and under the
guidance of Bishop John’s successors.
The church has a vibrant, multi-national congregation of expatriates worshipping weekly. There is also a constant
stream of visitors passing through: seafarers from the port, visitors to the country and expatriates living in other cities.
The chaplain at Christ Church is also the agent of the Mission to Seafarers in the Port of Aden. On a week-by-week
basis, this work involves pastoral ship-visiting. One sailor told the chaplain that the Mission to Seafarers' agents
were the only people who ever came on board not wanting something for themselves. From time to time there are
more challenging issues to deal with: entire crews have been abandoned in the port of Aden without pay, with
individuals sometimes owed tens of thousands of dollars.
For more information about Christ Church and how you can help, please email the Chaplain.
early benefactors. It remained active until 1970 when, following the British withdrawal in 1967, the communist
government of South Yemen requisitioned the building. It was then used as a storage facility, and later a gymnasium,
until the reunification of North and South Yemen in 1990.
From 1987 until 1993 the then Bishop of Cyprus and the Gulf, John Brown, was in negotiation with the government of
South Yemen, and subsequently the united Republic of Yemen, for the restoration of the church to the diocese. The
combination of an agreement that the church would build, fund and run a medical clinic for mothers and babies, and
a fatwa issued by the Grand Mufti of the Yemen ordering that Christians should be permitted to worship freely "just
as Muslims are permitted in Britain" clinched the matter. The church was restored, and finally rededicated in 1997.
Both the church and the clinics have come on greatly through the leadership of successive chaplains, and under the
guidance of Bishop John’s successors.
The church has a vibrant, multi-national congregation of expatriates worshipping weekly. There is also a constant
stream of visitors passing through: seafarers from the port, visitors to the country and expatriates living in other cities.
The chaplain at Christ Church is also the agent of the Mission to Seafarers in the Port of Aden. On a week-by-week
basis, this work involves pastoral ship-visiting. One sailor told the chaplain that the Mission to Seafarers' agents
were the only people who ever came on board not wanting something for themselves. From time to time there are
more challenging issues to deal with: entire crews have been abandoned in the port of Aden without pay, with
individuals sometimes owed tens of thousands of dollars.
For more information about Christ Church and how you can help, please email the Chaplain.
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