Immaculate Conception Cathedral – Champanagar

Contact Details:

Immaculate Conception Cathedral
Champanagar
Bhagalpur- 812 004,
Bihar.
Phone : 0641-2500679,09430456011.

Parish Priest – Fr. Mathew A.C.
Church Established – 1783.

Brief History:

The oldest church in Bhagalpur Diocese; had a resident priest from 1783. The first church built at that time was destroyed by the earth quake of 1891. Fr. John O.C. rebuilt it in 1901 and served as a Cathedral till the present Cathedral was consecrated by Cardinal Lawrence Pleachy S.J. of Calcutta on February 10, 1977. The old Cathedral was built by Italian artisans of Bologna as is inscribed in the marble slabs in front. Bhagalpur has the earliest baptismal records starting from 07-03-1892. Bishop Urban had two great benefactors in building the Cathedral viz. Dr. Jim McConnell and the late Mgr Francis Ackerson of Johnstown, Pa. The old priests after the Patna Jesuits are Fr. Acquinas TOR, Fr. Anthony Xalxo TOR, Fr. Abraham Kadanthott, Fr. Thomas Kozhimala, Fr. Varghese Panangatt, Fr. Celestine Murmu, Fr. Augustine Pereira, Fr. Alphonse F., Fr. Joseph Chruchilampil, Fr. Mathew A.C. (2006- ). The Cathedral has a floating population and is filled with the Regional Minor Seminarians (60), Holy Family Novices, the Sisters of St. Joseph, MC Sisters, and St. Ann’s Sisters besides the school teachers, inmates of Nirmal Hriday and Shishu Bhavan. Local catholics may be about 500. Sr. Celestine Quadros is the only vocation from Bhagalpur.