Matters India Reporter

Mirik, Nov. 27, 2021: The only Catholic church in the hill tourist town of Mirik November 27 marked its silver jubilee with the dedication of a life size statue to its pioneer Italian missionary.

Salesian Father Luigi Jellici, who started a mission in Sonada in 1963, reached Mirik in 1995. He set up a school and Don Bosco chapel which today has grown into a high school catering to Nepali children of local tea gardens up to class 12.

One of the Indian pioneer priests with Father Jellici at the start of the mission was Father Mathew Pulingathil who is the current parish priest of Don Bosco Church Mirik.

The celebrations began with Bishop Stephen Lepcha of Darjeeling-Sikkim accompanied by as many as 33 priests, scores of Religious Sisters, Catechists and some 300 lay faithful, dedicated the life size statue of Father Jellici placed in the presbytery lawn.

Priests at the celebrations belonged to Darjeeling-Sikkim, Jalpaiguri, Bagdogra, Purnea, Krishnagar and Calcutta dioceses.

Speaking at the homily Bishop Lepcha praised the manifold ways development was brought to Mirik with the arrival of the Church. He also challenged the faithful not only to be job seekers but to develop start ups and business to be job providers.

While encouraging the faithful to be “walking Bibles” with their lives, Bishop invited those strayed away from the community to return. He also reminded parishioners to be witnesses of praying community, pointing to 42-year old Miss Cecilia Rai of Murmah village who was lying on the floor of the church and had the gift of intercessory prayer.

Known for famous tea plantations producing Darjeeling tea and orchards yielding high quality oranges, Mirik is a small hill town much smaller than other hill towns of Darjeeling, Kurseong, Darjeeling and Kalimpong with a population of 11,363 people according to census 2011.

Mirik is also well known for cultivation of Cymbidium Orchids which command one of the highest prices in both domestic and world flower markets.

Some 52 km by road from Siliguri, Mirik situated at about 5,000 ft above sea level, has nothing to boast about other than a lake which has over 3 kms road skirting it.

From the lake tourists can see towering above the cluster of buildings the Don Bosco Church steeple.

Visitors pray at the grotto dedicated to Our Lady of Lourdes, and climb up to the church which is a mixture of indigenous and traditional architectural styles. The insides of the church has elements of local and ethnic flavour with both side walls decorated with religious motifs in iron and colored glass. The ceiling, front and back sides including the sanctuary are fully paneled in pine wood creating an ambient of peace and prayer.