Mary Help of Christians Cathedral, Shillong

The Cathedral of Mary Help of Christians is a Cathedral in Shillong, Meghalaya. It is the cathedral of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Shillong which covers the Meghalaya. The Cathedral is the principal place of worship of the over 300,000 strong Catholics of the Shillong Archdiocese which covers RI Bhoi and East Khasi Hills district of Meghalaya. An Archdiocese is a “diocese" or area under the jurisdiction of an Archbishop. In all there are 33 church districts or “Parishes” in the Shillong Archdiocese. The Cathedral Church was built over 50 years ago. Since it also has the “cathedra” – the seat or throne of the Bishop – it is known as a Cathedral Church. This place of worship stands on the very site of the first Church built by the German fathers. The earlier 1913 building – the Church of the Divine Saviour – was a wooden structure. It was destroyed by the Good Friday fire of April 10, 1936. Built by the first Catholic missionaries to these hills, the Salvatorian Fathers from Germany, it was the first Catholic Cathedral Church in what was then the Mission of Assam.