AGARTALA, 23 April, 2017: The newly built Catholic Cathedral
of St Francis Xavier was blessed and dedicated today at Durjoynagar, Agartala in
the presence of a large gathering of faithful and Church dignitaries. His
Eminence, Cardinal Patrick D’Rosario CSC, DD, the Archbishop of Dhaka and the
president of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Bangladesh blessed and dedicated
the newly built Cathedral. He was joined by 10 other Bishops from different
parts of Northeast India and also Delhi. Over five thousand faithful from all
parts of the State took part in the sacred ceremonies.
At the start of the
day’s programs, the congregation was instructed about the nature of a Cathedral.
A Cathedral is the center of the life of the local Church. From the Cathedral
the Bishop teaches, sanctifies, and guides the people of God, the church. For
the Diocese of Agartala which comprises the entire state of Tripura, the newly
blessed Cathedral is a symbol of the unity of the Church and the responsibility
of the Bishop as the head of the local Church, to oversee and safeguard the life
of the Catholic people of the Diocese.
Young people in
traditional attire danced and welcomed the Cardinal and the Bishops to the
entrance of the Cathedral. The inaugural function at the entrance consisted of
cutting the ribbon by Bishop Lumen and the blessing and dedication of the
Cathedral, the altar, and every other part of the edifice by the Chief
celebrant, Cardinal D’Rosario.
Bishop Lumen was joined on this festive occasion by his
colleague Bishops from the dioceses of Shillong, Guwahati, Tura, Miao,
Itanangar, Aizwal, and Delhi. Archbishop Emeritus Thomas Menamparampil was also
present.
Cardinal D’Rosario presided over the Holy Mass that followed
and Archbishop Dominic Jala of Shillong, delivered the Homily. He dwelt on the
four pillars on which the edifice of Christian faith stands – the Word of God,
listening to the Apostles who preach the Word, the breaking of the Bread and
Prayer.
In the short felicitation that followed the Mass, the
Cardinal congratulated Bishop Lumen for building such a beautiful Cathedral and
also for realizing in the Diocese what the Cathedral stands for: unity of all
faithful, irrespective of differences in ethnic and cultural differences. The
chief contractors were also felicitated. Mr Paul Darlong, on behalf of the laity
congratulated Bishop Monteiro. The five thousand people who gathered for the
occasion from all parts of the diocese dispersed after a sumptuous meal.
The Diocese of Agartala came into existence in 1996, when the
state of Tripura was bifurcated from the erstwhile diocese of Silchar, of which
it was until then, a part. On 26 May the same year Holy Cross priest Lumen
Monteiro was raised to the order of Bishop and given charge of the new
Diocese.
Check this site: http://www.tripurainfo.
Joseph Pulinthanath
Spokesperson of the Diocese
Most Rev. Lumen Monteiro, CSC,
DD
Bishop's House
Airport Road, Durjoynagar
Agartala - 799009, INDIA
eMail: lumenmonteiro@gmail.com
Airport Road, Durjoynagar
Agartala - 799009, INDIA
eMail: lumenmonteiro@gmail.com
