Some 200,000 people walked through the streets of Shillong on Nov. 8 for the annual the Eucharistic procession, a major event in the northeastern Indian town.

“We feel missing something if we do not attend this procession,” said Queen Mary Rynmbai, who traveled 50 kilometers from her Nogpogh parish to attend the spiritual event. Rynmbai is the vice president of her parishe’s Catholic Women’s Association.

Archbishop Dominic Jala of Shillong said the attendance in this year’s procession was higher because the archdiocese was celebrating its platinum jubilee. Moreover, Shillong “is the mother diocese” of all Catholics in the region, the Salesian prelate added.

The procession, also called the “big procession” by many, is the culmination of all processions parishes of the archdiocese conduct during the year.

“I remember taking part in the Shillong procession with my family from my childhood,” said Carolyn Duia, who came from Mawkhirdam parish, some 30 kilometers away.

“We wear new clothes for the procession, as it is a special event of the year,” she said pointing to the participants’ colorful and beautiful dresses.

Duia also said people from most parishes in the archdiocese join the procession conducted by the cathedral parish because the “this is a very significant for all of us.”

Some 1,000 Catholics from neighboring Nongstoin diocese came with their bishop, priests and nuns. The Catholics of Shillong who live and work in outside Meghalaya also come home in time for the procession.

The three-hour long procession concluded at around 5 p.m. with the Eucharistic Benediction by Salesian Archbishop Thomas Menamparampil of Guwahati.

Salesian superior general Father Pascual Chavez Villanueva’s message during the procession reminded the gathering to pray for pioneering missioners who made great sacrifice in “sowing seeds of faith in this region.”

Salesian missioners led the evangelization of the tribal dominated seven states in the region, since 1921 when the area was entrusted to them.

Shillong diocese was created in 1934 and over the years was divided several times to create more dioceses as the Church grew faster. In 1969 it was made Shillong-Guwahati archdiocese, and was further divided in 1992 to create Guwahati diocese.

During the past 75 years, the Church has grown and spread all over northeastern India. The Church has 15 dioceses, each owing its initial mission to the Church based in Shillong.

Source:  Cathnews India

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