From medical to ‘divine’ interventions: How Catholics made their way in Nagaland

Kohima: Few, if any, in Nagaland will recall the name of Sir Akbar Hydari. The last Assam governor appointed by the British, Hydari’s tenure lasted only 18 months (May 1947-December 1948). But one of Hydari’s decisions created a lasting impact on Nagaland, and this week marks 50 years of that fateful decision. 

They may comprise less than 3% of the state population. However, Roman Catholics, who are celebrating 50 years of the diocese of Kohima in Nagaland this week, have made valuable contributions to society, and when you trace their history, it becomes clear why. 

World War II and the need for medical intervention

In his book ‘A Brief History of the Catholic Church in Nagaland’, Dr David Syiemlieh says that the end of World War II in the Naga Hills and the Independence of India that followed were, in many ways, led to the beginning of the Catholic Church’s mission among the Naga people.

Records reveal that the initial connection followed a government request. The then Governor of Assam, Sir Akbar Hyadari, requested Catholic nuns to offer their nursing services at the Naga Hospital, Kohima. This was before Nagaland was carved out of Assam. 

“Soon after hostilities ceased in what was the westernmost campaign of the Japanese, the British government of India showed its appreciation of the efforts of the Nagas in resisting Japanese expansion and control over the hills by constructing a much-needed hospital in Kohima. This was a ‘war gift’ that needed nurses to look after the patients,” Syiemlieh wrote.

As the British soon left the hills without filling in the requirement, Hydari communicated with the Bishop of Shillong, Bishop Stephen Ferrando, who then invited Missioneras de Cristo Jesu of Spain sisters to come and start the hospital.

A decisive phase of the Catholic Church in Nagaland began in 1948. Chaplain Emmanuel Bars and nuns Pilar Gonsalves and Guandulupe arrived in Kohima to offer their services at the newly constructed hospital. Before their arrival, the Government and catholic missionaries signed a six-year contract, which forbade them from exercising any pastoral ministry other than medical care. More nuns joined the hospital.

Fr Umberto Marocchino, a missionary in Tezpur, Assam, succeeded Bars in 1951. The priest began to distribute books about the Catholic Church, attracting many to the teachings of the Church. In December 1952, the priest baptised John Kevipele Belho from Kohima village, a day marked as a red-letter day for the Church in the state.

In 1953, the contract between the government and the Spanish sisters expired and it was not renewed. While the sisters departed from Kohima, the then deputy commissioner, SJD Carvalho, IAS, allowed Fr Marocchino to stay on as there was already a small Catholic community in need of a priest.

Further towards the north and closer to Assam plains, work was in progress to introduce the Catholic faith in Nagaland. Following a controversy that sparked in 1949 leading to the expulsion of some Lotha Nagas from the Baptist church in Lakhuti under Wokha district, the Church officially reached Nagaland.

Three out of five leaders who were expelled over a disagreement became the first Catholics in the Lotha area as they were accepted into the Church by Fr Bollini at Golaghat, Assam. A church was built in May 1951 and gradually the faith was accepted by more people in the village and it spread to other villages in the area.

In the words of James Thoppil, Bishop of Kohima, Lakhuti village became the first village in Nagaland to have a Catholic community in the Lotha area. The Church began establishing itself in the other parts of Nagaland as Kohima became a diocese in 1973.

Interestingly, much before these incidents, records revealed that the first catholic missionary to set foot in Nagaland was Fr Marcellinus Molz, a Salvatorian priest, who visited Tamlu in Longleng district in May 1908. 

The second catholic missionary to visit the Naga area was another Salvatorian priest, Fr Ansgar Koenigsbauer, who travelled from Dimapur to Imphal in 1912 to meet the king of Manipur. Koenigsbauer had then observed that the Catholic religion would not meet with many “obstacles” in the region.

During World War II, a catholic officer under the British government, Lawrence Godenho, arrived in Dimapur in June 1943. Records reveal that Gudenho was instrumental in facilitating the early Catholic missionaries by providing accommodation at Dimapur.

In 1950, Lawrence Paolelong Rongmei, instructed in the faith by Godenho, became the first Naga Catholic to receive baptism in the Church. The baptism was administered by Fr Felix Bollini, the then parish priest of St Teresa Parish in Golaghat, Assam. That same year, two other Nagas from the Rongmei tribe were baptised at Golaghat.

A lasting, holistic impact on modern Nagaland

“Catholic Church (Diocese of Kohima, though late to arrive in Nagaland, is reckoned today as a vital force that touches, influences and shapes the lives of thousands in Nagaland,” said Thoppil during a recent gathering of the faithful of the Church.

In present-day Nagaland, Catholics comprise less than 3% of the total population in the Baptist-majority state, as per data provided by the Church. Looking back, Christianity came to Nagaland through the American Baptist missionaries.

The influential Nagaland Baptist Church Council (NBCC) marked its sesquicentennial (150 years) celebration in November last year. While there are several Christian denominations in Nagaland, in the run-up to the golden jubilee of the Catholic Church, we take a look at how the Church made its way into the state.

The Diocese of Kohima

The Catholic Church in Nagaland was under the jurisdiction of the Diocese of Dibrugarh till the Diocese of Kohima and Imphal was created in May 1973 for the two states of Nagaland and Manipur. 50 years on, Catholics in Nagaland are gearing up to celebrate the golden jubilee of the diocese of Kohima.

The diocese of Kohima began with eight parishes/centres in Kohima, Dimapur, Wokha, Tuensang, Jalukie, Jakhama, Kiphire and Chizami. It now has 57 parishes/centres covering all tribes of Nagaland. As per data, there are 76 priests and 227 nuns from the various tribes of Nagaland.

While the main celebrations will be held from October 27-29 at the historic Cathedral in Kohima, Fr Vemedo Joseph, the parish priest of Mary Help of Christians Cathedral said the preparations for the celebrations began about a year ago.

Speaking to EastMojo, Fr Vemedo said that to mark the event of the spiritual celebration, they sent the pilgrim statue of the Mary Help of Christians across all parishes/centres to reawaken the patronage to Mother Mary (mother of Jesus). The statue, he said, will return to the Cathedral on Thursday.

“Why this special role of Mother Mary in the Catholic Church is that she is placed as our mother who will always intercede for us. None of us have the same intensity of faith, so we go through our mothers like the way we humans go to our mothers. That way, Mother Mary comes as very significant to the Catholic Church,” he explained. 

He further explained that Mother Mary fills the feminine void of worship.

As for the physical preparation, he pointed out that the Cathedral church, which will host thousands of faithful during the three-day celebration has undergone a major facelift since it was built in 1991.

While all preparations are in place to host the golden jubilee celebrations, Fr Vemedo recalled how the Church has positively contributed to Naga society over the past decades. The Church, he said, has toiled in many dimensions-health, education, economic upliftment, spiritual awakening and faith formation.  

“There is always hope and faith though we may not live up to the ideals of the Church. But, Christ himself has established this Church through his disciple, more so through the leadership of St Peter. In that leadership, we are continuing that. When we come, we see hope, we see faith, courage, conviction and values that the Church has to offer through the Sacraments,” he added.

The Church’s education ministry

“One of the greatest and tangible, most appreciated and benefited ministry carried out by the Church is in the field of education,” Bishop James Thoppil said.

The Nagaland Board of School Education (NBSE) High School Leaving Certificate (HSLC) result for 2023 showed that 23.80% passed out from Catholic schools as compared to 23.38% in 2022.

Besides one University in Dimapur, the Catholic Church carries out its mission through 29 higher secondary schools, 31 high schools, 15 elementary schools and 29 primary schools across Nagaland providing education to students of all religions.

Besides education, the Catholic Church, over seven decades, has been providing services at the religious, social, medical, economic, cultural, linguistic, moral, relational and political levels, said Thoppil.

However, to date, he observed that there exists “strong antagonism” to the Catholic faith in some areas and tribes fortified by village and tribal stipulations in the name of tribal or village unity which is contrary to the freedom of religion guaranteed by the Indian Constitution.  

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