Kohima Cathedral - an architectural marvel

The Cathedral is located on Aradura Hill in Kohima. It is one of the biggest cathedrals in North East India. Its splendid architecture makes it one of the important landmarks of Kohima. The unique design created by blending the traditional with the orthodox resulted in an architectural marvel. It is also home to the largest cross that is made of wood in the country. The magnificent crucifix is carved in wood and is 16 ft high, possibly one of the tallest wooden carved crucifixes in Asia. The Stations of the Cross posed in the main entrance is a special beautiful feature. It is the presentation of Jesus' final journey with the cross, the last journey to Calvary. The fourteen stations, pose a real replica to the faithful with its beautiful arrangement on the slope of the hill leading up to the Cathedral.

The Cathedral was inaugurated on the day of the Un's day of settlement. The Cathedral at this part of India has a very pleasant atmosphere for prayer and worship. The Catholic Cathedral in Kohima is a place worth seeing for its ideal blend of indigenous structural design.architectural might and complexity is a surprise. The semicircular building with its modern architectural thinking covers one side of the Araduura hill with every bit of construction planned in detail with no space wasted. Its façade is shaped like a traditional Naga House. A complete structure, including official and residential rooms!

The Cathedral owes its existence to Lt. Rev. Abraham Alnagimattathil, whose brain child this Cathedral is. He was the first bishop of Nagaland and he wanted to provide a place for all to pray and spend time in solitude with the self and the Divine.

The actual work began in 1986 and the dedication and consecration of the church was done in 1991. The lion's share of the three crore financial expense came from Japanese, who wished the church to be a place of prayer especially for the Japanese war victims who laid down their lives for their nation in the Second World War battle fought in Kohima. This is affirmed in the prayer inscribed in English & Japanese script in the Cathedral Campus. "...It is with thankfulness that we heard that Catholic Cathedral was being built at Kohima, where mass would be offered every morning in memory of the fallen..."


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