Thousands Join Shillong Eucharistic Procession Led by FABC President Cardinal Ferrão

Thousands of Catholic faithful from across Meghalaya’s Khasi and Jaintia Hills gathered in Shillong, northeast India, on November 8 for the annual Eucharistic Procession organized by the Archdiocese of Shillong, with Cardinal Filipe Neri Ferrão, president of the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences (FABC), leading the public celebration.

The event began with a solemn Mass at the Cathedral of Mary Help of Christians in Laitumkhrah, presided over by Cardinal Ferrão, archbishop of Goa and Daman, who traveled to Meghalaya for the celebration. He was joined by Archbishop Victor Lyngdoh of Shillong and Auxiliary Bishop Bernard Laloo.

In his homily, Cardinal Ferrão urged Catholics to deepen their relationship with Jesus through the Eucharist and translate their faith into everyday acts of compassion, service and justice.

Reflecting on the theme, “Nourished by the Eucharist, Called to Be Salt of the Earth and Light of the World,” he called on the faithful to build communities rooted in love, uphold human dignity and become courageous witnesses of Christ in society.

Following the Eucharistic celebration at Kalbari, thousands of participants from parishes across the region joined the traditional procession through the streets of Laitumkhrah, a neighborhood in Shillong, the capital of Meghalaya in northeastern India.

Cardinal Ferrão, accompanied by Archbishop Lyngdoh and Bishop Laloo, led the procession, carrying the Blessed Sacrament in a monstrance mounted on a vehicle. Priests, religious sisters, altar servers and laypeople walked along the route, praying and singing hymns in public witness to their belief in Christ’s presence in the Eucharist.

Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma, other government dignitaries and local leaders also attended the gathering.

The procession brought together Catholics from communities across the Khasi and Jaintia Hills, making it a major public expression of faith and unity in the predominantly Christian northeastern Indian state.

Parishioners from the Christian Medical Centres (CMCs) and various blocks of Laitumkhrah Parish, together with religious sisters, prepared the procession route with flowers, flags and religious images.

The annual celebration provides Catholics an opportunity to publicly express their devotion to the Blessed Sacrament and renew their commitment to living the Gospel in their families and communities