A prayer service was held on August 14, 2025, at Our Lady of Charity Parish, Kandhamal, in the Indian state of Odisha, to honor the memory of Emeritus Archbishop Raphael Cheenath, SVD, of Cuttack-Bhubaneswar, on his 9th death anniversary.
More than a hundred faithful, including Kandhamal survivors, priests, religious, youth, and children, took part in the event. Kandhamal had borne the brunt of the 2008 anti-Christian violence in Odisha.
Vicar General Father Pradosh Chandra Nayak spoke about Archbishop Cheenath’s pivotal role in the fight for justice following the violence. He recalled how the late prelate bravely fought in the Supreme Court of India for enhanced relief, rehabilitation, and proper compensation from the Government of Odisha for the victims, addressing the loss of life, destruction of churches, institutions, and homes.
The Archbishop stood steadfastly with the people in their darkest hour: 60,000 were forced to flee to the forests to save their lives; more than 6,000 houses were destroyed; over 100 people were killed; and many women, including Catholic nuns, were gang-raped.
“I am grateful and thankful to Emeritus Archbishop Cheenath, whose relentless fight ensured that I received compensation from the Odisha Government for my younger brother, Father Bernard Digal,” said Benedict Digal.
Father Bernard Digal, former Treasurer of the Archdiocese of Cuttack-Bhubaneswar, was brutally murdered during the violence.
Radio Veritas Asia (RVA), a media platform of the Catholic Church, aims to share Christ. RVA started in 1969 as a continental Catholic radio station to serve Asian countries in their respective local language, thus earning the tag “the Voice of Asian Christianity.” Responding to the emerging context, RVA embraced media platforms to connect with the global Asian audience via its 21 language websites and various social media platforms.
Latest News
