Mary Help Of Christians Cathedral, Shillong Overview

The Cathedral of Mary Help of Christians, also known as the Laitumkhrah Church is one of the most beautiful churches of Shillong, built on a steep plateau that requires one to climb a set of steps to reach. It is named after Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ. The church with its towering arches and big stained-glass windows has two levels: a chapel and a huge cathedral. A distinguishing fact about the church is that it is constructed to resist earthquake.

Mary Help of Christians Cathedral is located midway between Dhanketi and Laitunkhrah and is erected on the same site where the first-ever church of Shillong was built. It was made into a shrine in 1980 and it also houses the grave of First Archbishop of the city, Hubert D'Rosario near the altar. One can visit this church to look at the varied artwork depicting various chapters and scenes from the holy scriptures and the life stories of several saints. Besides admiring the architectural beauty and pristine scriptures, one can also catch the breathtaking views of Brahmaputra River and the snow-clad mountains, on a clear day. Photographers must not miss out on capturing the majestic mountains and pine trees that the church is flanked by. Also, do not miss out on the Grotto church that lies directly below it and can be best viewed from the viewpoint near the church.

Architecture of Cathedral of Mary Help of Christians

The opulent structure of the cathedral follows the Gothic style of architecture with interiors comprising of the terracotta cross stands, a bronze monument of the cavalry, huge stained glass windows made of Grenobke to reflect the colours in the sunlight and tall arches. It is built on sand, with trenches cut from rocks and half-filled with sand to absorb shocks during earthquakes. The church has two levels: the lower level which is a small chapel with a prayer hall filled with candles and prayer books and the upper level which is a huge cathedral having a big seating area.

There is a set of 14 stations of the Holy Cross which are terracotta pieces depicting the life stages of Jesus Christ. These artworks have been produced by the famous Art Institute of Munich in Germany. The interiors of the church house many art and scriptures depicting scenes from the Bible. The glass used for making the windows were brought from France in 1947. Facing the main altar is the grave of Rev Hubert D'Rosario, the first Archbishop of Shillong.

How To Reach Cathedral Of Mary Help Of Christians Shillong

The church is located on the Don Bosco Road in Laitumkhrah, which is basically the heart of the city. When in Shillong, one can simply walk up to the church. Alternatively, one can also take a cab from Police Bazar. The church lies around 2.7 kilometres from the Police Bazaar via the Hopkinson Road.