Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Shillong explained

Jurisdiction:Metropolitan Archdiocese
Shillong
Latin:Archidioecesis Shillongensis
Local:Ka Jyllaniam Bah Shillong
Country:India
Province:Province of Shillong
Sui Iuris Church:Latin Church
Rite:Roman Rite
Cathedral:Cathedral of Mary Help of Christians in Shillong
Area Km2:5,196
Population:1,233,000
Population As Of:2021
Catholics:346,060
Catholics Percent:28.1
Parishes:43
Priests:189
Metro Archbishop:Victor Lyngdoh
Website:shillongarchdiocese.org
Map:Map of Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Shillong.png
Territory:East khasi Hills and Ri Bhoi District
Metropolitan:Metropolitan Archdiocese of Shillong
Headquarters:Archbishop House, Cathedral of Mary Help of Christians, Laitumkhrah, Shillong
Denomination:Roman Catholic
Churches:Approx. 3000 - 3500 chapels
Established:1934
Founded:1890

The Metropolitan Archdiocese of Shillong (Latin: Shillongensis) is a Roman Catholic archdiocese with its jurisdiction in the two district of Ri Bhoi and East khasi Hills State of Meghalaya, in northeastern India. The Archdiocese of Shillong is also the metropolitan diocese of the Province of Shillong, an ecclesiastical province in Northeast India. It serves 346,060 followers in 43 parishes under 7 zones in the 2 districts. The rural parishes are usually divided into sub districts and further into "balang shnong" or village churches while urban parishes are divided into CMCs and balang dong in the district. The Archdiocese usually organised programmes,teaching and worship at Diocese level, Zonal Level, Parish level, CMC/ village level and Small Christian communities or Kynhun Balang barit (KBB).

History

Cathedrals

The cathedral of the Archdiocese is the Cathedral of Mary Help of Christians, in Shillong. It was built over 50 years ago. This place of worship stands on the very site of the first Church built by the German fathers (Salvatorians from Germany). The earlier 1913 building – the Church of the Divine Saviour – was a wooden structure. It was destroyed in the Good Friday fire of 10 April 1936. Built by the first Catholic missionaries to set foot on these hills, the Salvatorians from Germany, it was the first Catholic Cathedral in what was then the Mission of Assam.

Ordinaries

The Catholic Church's presence in the northeastern region of India, particularly in Assam and Meghalaya, has been marked by a succession of ecclesiastical leaders. Beginning with Apostolic Prefects overseeing the early missionary efforts, the hierarchy evolved to include bishops and later metropolitan archbishops.

Apostolic Prefects of Assam

Bishops of Shillong
Metropolitan Archbishops of Gauhati–Shillong
Metropolitan Archbishops of Shillong – Gauhati
Metropolitan Archbishops of Shillong

Ecclesiastical Province of Shillong

The Shillong Archdiocese serves not only as an ecclesiastical seat but also as the metropolitan Archdiocese of the Shillong province. A province within the Catholic Church is a grouping of dioceses under the authority of an archbishop. In the case of the Shillong province, it comprises the Shillong Archdiocese itself, along with the Tura Diocese, Aizawl Diocese, Agartala Diocese, Jowai Diocese, and Nongstoin Diocese. This arrangement reflects the hierarchical structure of the Church, wherein archbishops oversee the administration and spiritual welfare of multiple dioceses within their respective province.

The Archbishop of Shillong though have no ruling power over the other dioceses but in disputes within a diocese of the province, the diocese may seek assistance from the metropolitan archdiocese of their ecclesiastical province where the metropolitan Archbishop may intervene under canon law.

The Province of Shillong comprises the following suffragan dioceses that has Shillong as its metropolitan see:

Parishes

The Archdiocese of Shillong comprises 43 parishes divided into 7 zones:

Zone 1

Zone 2

Zone 3

Zone 4

Zone 5

Zone 6

Zone 7

In 2024, 7 new Parishes were established namely Mawïong Parish, Mawtawar Parish, Umpling Parish, Nongrah Parish, Madanrting Parish, Mawñianglah Parish and Mawpdang Parish

Saints and causes for canonisation

Sources and external links

25.5667°N 144°W

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Saints & Blessed – CCBI. 17 October 2019.
  2. Web site: 1890. newsaints.faithweb.com. 17 October 2019.