Cathedral Of Mary Help Of Christians, Shillong - Timings, History, Darshan, Pooja Timings

At a distance of 3.5 km from Shillong Bus Terminal, the Cathedral of Mary Help of Christians is a Roman Catholic Church located in the Laitumkhrah locality of Shillong. Also known as the Cathedral Catholic Church, it is the principal place of worship in Shillong and among the most famous places to visit in Shillong.

Dedicated to mother Mary, the Cathedral Church of Mary Help of Christians was built by the Germans in 1913. According to history, the construction of the present shrine was built after the first church got destroyed due to a fire accident in 1936. It got the status of a shrine in 1980, on completion of the Catholic Church's 100 years in North East India. This church falls under Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Shillong and is the principal place of worship of about 300,000 strong Catholics of Ri Bhoi and East Khasi Hills district of Meghalaya.

Situated atop an emerald-colored hill, the church was constructed in Gothic style of architecture. The church is quiet a big one and probably the largest in Meghalaya. The interiors comprise terracotta cross stands, a bronze monument of the cavalry, stained glass windows and houses the grave of Hubert D'Rosario, Shillong's first archbishop. A number of artwork displaying chapters and scenes from Holy Scriptures and the life stories of several saints can be seen inside the church. It also has an underground grotto church carved out of a hill, dedicated to Our Lady of Lourdes.

Timings: 7 AM - 6.30 PM