History

 

The Archdiocese of Imphal covers the entire State of Manipur. It shares its border with the State of Nagaland to the north, Mizoram to the South, Upper Myanmar to the East and Cachar district of Assam to the West. Manipur, often called the  “Land of Jewels”, features a striking geographical division between its lush green hills and fertile valley. The central valley which comprises about 10% of the State's land area is known for its agricultural richness and serves as the political and economic hub of the state. The remaining 90% of the land comprises the hilly terrain that surrounds the valley. The valley is predominantly inhabited by Meiteis/Meeteis while the hill districts are home to numerous tribal communities. To get a better view of the Archdiocese of Imphal, it is important to have an idea of the history of Manipur.

 

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Political History

 

Earlier, Manipur was a princely kingdom under the King (Ningthou or Maharaja) of Manipur. It came under the British rule in 1891. The Manipur Constitution Act, 1947, established a democratic form of government with the Maharaja as the Executive Head and a Legislative Assembly constituted by election on adult franchise. The Legislative Assembly was dissolved at the integration of the State with the dominion of India in October, 1949. Then it was governed as though it were a Chief Commissioner’s Province and then as a Part “C” State under the Indian Constitution with effect from 26th January 1950. In 1951 an advisory form of popular government was introduced and in 1957 this was replaced by a Territorial Council of 30 elected and 2 nominated members. In 1963, a legislative assembly of 30 elected and 3 nominated members was established. The status of the Administrator was raised from that of a Chief Commissioner to that of a Lieutenant Governor in December, 1969. Thus, Manipur remained a Union Territory from 1956 and became a Full-fledged State in 1972. Manipuri was recognized as a national language in 1992.

 

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Church History

 

The American Baptists began a successful mission in Manipur in 1908 among the hill tribes of Manipur but the missionaries had no permission from the Maharaj of Manipur to work among the Meiteis. One of the outstanding pioneer missionaries was William Pettigrew. The first Catholic Missionary, Rev.Fr.Angsgar Koenigsbaver, SDS, a German Salvatorian missionary looking after Assam Mission, came to Manipur in the year 1912. He found 19 Catholics, 17 of whom belonging to the band of the regiment which was stationed here. The Maharaja of Manipur told Fr. Angsgar that he had no objection to the opening of a Catholic Mission in Imphal, the capital of the princely State. However, due to limited resources and personnel the opportunity to evangelize Manipur could not be realized.Thirty six years later, two Salesian missionaries, Fr. O. Marengo, SDB, and Fr. Attilio Colussi, SDB, who were working in Guwahati, Assam, visited Imphal in 1948. On meeting the Maharaja they were told: “You (missionaries) are welcome to Manipur. I am a former pupil of St. Edmund’s School, Shillong.” He then gave them permission to enter Manipur and operate their mission in the hills of Manipur. This implied that they were not to work in the Valley, which had been dominated by the Hindu Vaishnavites and some pockets of Muslims. The Missionaries visited Ukhrul, a hill station in the east, on that occasion. The organised work of evangelization in Manipur actually began with the erection of the Diocese of Dibrugarh in 1951, with Bishop O.Marengo, SDB as its first Bishop. As Manipur was drawn within his ecclesiastical jurisdiction, every year Bishop Marengo visited Manipur and pushed the work ahead with the co-operation of the burning zeal of the laity.The first Catholic community in Manipur was pioneered by Mr. Dominic Shomi, a former pupil of St. Anthony’s School, Shillong, and Mr. George Hongrei, a former student of Don Bosco School, Guwahati. In 1952, Fr. Marocchino, chaplain of the Kohima Hospital, was invited to Hungpung, a village near Ukhrul. Mr. Shomi had prepared 350 persons ready to embrace the faith. Fr. Marocchino gave them more instructions and received them into the Church on 11th February 1952. Bishop Orestes Marengo, SDB, then appointed Rev. Fr. A. Ravalico, SDB as Father in charge of Manipur Mission. In April 1953, Fr. A. Ravalico baptised these 350 Tangkhul Nagas from Hungpung village who had been already received into the Catholic Church as catechumens on 11th February 1952 by Fr. Marocchino, SDB, as mentioned above.A small plot of land with a house building near M.G. Avenue, Imphal, which belonged to a Bengalee, Mr. Pallit by name, then S.P. of Imphal, was purchased by Rev. Fr. Ravalico on 11th February 1956. He then christened the house as ‘NIRMALABAS’ (House of the Immaculate) changing its earlier name ‘Pallit Bhavan’.The best way to promote the work of evangelization, as Bishop Marengo saw it, was to have ‘resident Priests’ in the area. Now that the residential house, Nirmalabas, was being renovated and getting ready, Bishop Marengo sent Rev.Fr. Ravalico, SDB, and Rev. Fr. Peter Bianchi, SDB, as the very first resident Priests who reached Imphal on 6th March 1956. Initially they had to stay in a rented house in Imphal for about two monthsThe official starting of the ‘Immaculate Mission Centre’, Manipur, was on 9th May 1956 when Bishop O’ Marengo, SDB blessed and inaugurated ‘Nirmalabas’ and dedicated it as the first Catholic Mission Centre in the State, in the presence of over 300 Catholics from all over Manipur Mission. Rev. Fr. Ravalico SDB together with Rev. Fr. Peter Bianchi SDB, stayed in this house from that day on and continued the Mission work in Manipur. Later in the year 1957, Rev. Fr. Felix, SDB, and Rev. Fr. George Venturoli, SDB, joined them in their new ministry in Manipur. And thus the Church in Manipur began to take its roots gradually but firmly.The vastness of the Lord’s vineyard demanded more workers to the harvest. In 1958, Rev.Fr. Joseph Kachiramattam, the first diocesan priest to step into Manipur soil, arrived in Imphal and joined the community of the Salesian missionaries. Later, two other diocesan priests, Rev. Fr. Mathew Planthottam and Rev.Fr. Mani Parenkulangara reached Manipur in 1959 and 1961 respectively. Since then more priests and religious have strengthened the promotion of the evangelization work in Manipur. Among the pioneering Women Religious Congregations, the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians (FMA) was the first to arrive in 1958. They were followed by the Sisters of the Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament (SABS) and the Franciscan Clarist Congregation (FCC) in 1965, and the Congregation of Mother of Carmel (CMC) in 1966.

 

The Diocese of Kohima-Imphal which included the two states of Nagaland and Manipur was erected on 29th January 1973 by Pope Paul VI, with Rt. Rev. Abraham Alangimattathil, SDB, as its first Bishop.Bifurcating the Diocese of Kohima-imphal, the Diocese of Imphal comprising the entire State of Manipur, was erected by Pope John Paul II on 21st April 1980, with Rt. Rev. Joseph Mittathany, the then Bishop of Tezpur, as its first Bishop. Later, on 1st August 1995, His Holiness, John Paul II, raised the Diocese to the status of an Archdiocese with Most Rev. Joseph Mittathany as the Archbishop.The Holy Father appointed Very Rev. Fr. Dominic Lumon Coadjutor Archbishop elect of Imphal on January 18, 2002 and he was ordained as such by Most Rev. Joseph Mittathany on April 7, 2002. The Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI accepted the resignation of Most Rev. Joseph Mittathany as the Archbisop of Imphal at the completion of 75 years of age, and by virtue of ‘Coadjutorship’ Most Rev. Dominic Lumon took over as the Archbishop of Imphal on 12th July 2006. The Vatican announced the appointment of Very Rev. Fr. Linus Neli as the new Archbishop of Imphal on 7th October 2023. This followed the acceptance of the resignation of Archbishop Dominic Lumon, who retired upon reaching the age of 75. Most Rev. Linus Neli was consecrated the Archbishop of Imphal on 8th December 2023. With a distinguished background in canonical and theological scholarship, and pastoral care, Archbishop Linus Neli, brings a wealth of knowledge and a renewed vision for the Archdiocese. Archbishop Linus Neli is the third Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Imphal.

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THE ARCHDIOCESE OF IMPHAL AT A GLANCE

 

Establishment : 21 April, 1980

Patron : St. Joseph

Area : 22, 327 sq. km.

Districts : 16

Total Population : 2.85 Million

Catholics : 101,918

Languages : Over 34

Main Langauges : English, Anal, Hmar, Kharam, Kom, Lamkang, Mao, Manipuri, Maram, Maring,

Mayon, Mizo, Monsang, Paite, Poumai, Rongmei, Tangkhul, Thadou, Zou, etc.

Major Religions : Hinduism, Christianity, Sanamahism, Islam, Jainism, Buddhism, etc.

Parishes : 51

Quasi Parishes : 13

Ecclesiastical Institutions : 7

Diocesan Priests : 110

Religious Priests : 75

Religious Sisters : 384

Touring Catechists : 56

Local Catechists : 433

Major Seminarians : 43 (D)

Minor Seminarians : 41 (D)

Formation Houses : 3

Convents : 89

Hospitals : 1

Dispensaries : 13

Rehabilitation Centres : 4

Grehini Centres : 2

Students’ Hostels : 47 for boys; 49 for girls

Colleges : 4

Hr. Sec. Schools : 13

High Schools : 38

Junior Schools : 26

Students in Catholic Schools : 66,657 (approximately)

Technical School : 1

Diocesan Bi-monthly : Catholic Manipur