Arunachal Pradesh. The Claretian Missionaries of Northeast India took charge of a new parish at Nyokum Lapang, Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh (India), in October 24, 2010 at the invitation of Most Rev. John Thomas, Bishop of Itanagar.
The history of the Church in Arunachal Pradesh is unique in its origin. Persecution of Christians, burning of Churches were the order of the day in Arunachal Pardesh 30 years ago.
The missionaries were not allowed to enter there, but missionaries of neighboring states of Assam and Meghalaya attracted the youth of Arunachal Pradesh to their educational institutions, educated and baptized many of them and sent them back to Arunachal Pradesh as missionaries.
Thus the church in Arunachal Pradesh was started by the students, the youth and the missionaries. Gradually, the Church experienced a better climate from opposition to tolerance and to tranquility and two dioceses were erected in the State in 2005.
In the beginning of 1980’s, eigth families of Nyokum Lapang embraced Christianity and made a thatched shed, and practiced their faith in a hidden and secret way. In the year 1992, the parish of Itanagar was erected with Nyokum Lapang as the Parish Church, the Mother Church of Itanagar.
Later in 2008, the location of the parish centre was shifted to another new site form Nyokum Lapang. Bishop John Thomas the first bishop of Itanagar, by taking into consideration the historical importance of the church of Nyokum Lapang, erected it as a new parish with St. Joseph as it Patron on October 24, 2010.
On this auspicious day, Fr. Tomy Edacherryparambil, CMF., was installed as the parish priest. Many priests, religious and the faithful attended the sacred ceremony, and the faithful of the area expressed their joy and jubilation by tagging a cultural program.
The claretian missionaries, who reached in Arunachal Pradesh in the year 1998, are taking care of a parish at Boasimla and are also running a College at Ziro to impart quality education in the State where the literacy rate is very low.
