The bells began to ring, and the faithful gathered for a time of collective prayer as the Saint Lukes church in Srinagar — one of the oldest in Kashmir – sprang to life for the first time in three decades on Wednesday, just before the Christmas holiday season.

It was forced to close following the outbreak of militancy in the valley in the 1990s.

The church, which is located near the Chest Diseases Hospital on the slopes of the Shankaracharya hilltop in the Dalgate district of the city, will formally open its doors to the public on Thursday, according to officials. However, the prayer service was performed on Wednesday.

The refurbishment of the Church, which is around 125 years old, was carried out by the J-K Tourism Department as part of the "Smart City Project."

After 30 years of renovation and restoration to its former splendor, the church has been reopened, according to the church's officials.

Kennedy David Rajan, a Church official, confirmed that J-K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha will conduct an e-inauguration of the restored Church on Thursday.

He expressed delight at the Church's reopening following its reconstruction, saying the Christian community is pleased with the outcome.

Grace Paljor, principal of a private school in the area, expressed delight that a 125-year-old Church had been restored to its former grandeur and that prayers had been held there for the first time in three decades.

Sunday mass and Christmas mass are frequently attended by the valley's small Christian community, which mostly attends the Holy Family Catholic Church, a Roman Catholic church located on M A Road, as well as the Church Lane location here.

Churches may be found at Baramulla and Gulmarg, as well as across the valley.