Bhubaneswar: The National Eucharistic Congress to be held in Mumbai in November will listen to a Catholic priest’s testimony of faith on the Kandhamal pogrom.

Fr. Ajaya Kumar Sabhasundar, Odisha regional secretary of liturgy and resident professor at Khristo Jyoti Mohavidyaloyo, Regional Theologate of Odisha Catholic Bishops at Sambalpur, is to deliver the testimony on the “the Eucharist” during the November 12-15 congress at Archdiocesan Seminary Complex, Goregaon, Mumbai.

The Archdiocese of Bombay is hosting the program commemorating the golden jubilee of the National Eucharist Congress held in India’s commercial capital in 1964.

Fr Sabhasundar’s talk is scheduled at 3.30 pm on November 13.

Welcoming the priest, who hails from Odisha’s Kandhamal district, Cardinal Oswald Gracias, Archbishop of Bombay, said, “All the delegates would be happy to have a testimony on the Kandhamal situation, on how faith and the person of Jesus was your strength in the difficult moments.”

Archbishop John Barwa of Cuttack-Bhubaneswar and a few delegates from the archdiocese are also scheduled to attend the congress. The archdiocese covers Kandhamal that witnessed unprecedented anti-Christian violence in 2008.

More than 5,600 houses in 415 villages were looted and burned during the Kandhamal violence that began on August 24, 2008 and lasted four more months. The mayhem claimed more than 90 lives and reduced to ashes 395 churches and places of worship. Nearly 56,000 people became displaced and destitute.

More than 5,000 people have been invited from across India. This year, the main issues that the Congress will highlight are women empowerment and environment, according to an organizer, Fr. Warner D’Souza.

The event gives opportunity to affirm Christians’ faith in God and learn from the sacrifice Jesus made. By participation, Catholics learn to sacrifice, share and nourish, the priest added.

A video-recorded message from Pope Francis will also be relayed at the Congress.

During the four-day event, Catholic groups would show presentations and hold lectures on issues concerning the community, followed by drama, skits or songs during the evening session.

A representative from the Papal Legate will attend the Congress.

Across the world, 50 international Eucharistic Congress have been held. The next is scheduled for January, 2016, in Cebu, Philippines.