Holy Father, Pope Francis, has appointed Most Rev. Victor Lyngdoh, currently Bishop of Jowai, as Archbishop of Shillong, a hill station in the northeastern part of India and the capital of Meghalaya. The announcement was made public today at 4.30 at the Archbishop’s House, Shillong. The position fell vacant after the death of Archbishop Dominic Jala, who died in an road accident in a car accident on car accident in California on October 11 last year.
Earlier, he was appointed Bishop of Nongstoin, the headquarters of West Khasi Hills district in Meghalaya, 28 January 2006. Later, Pope Francis appointed Lyngdoh Bishop of Jowai on 15 October 2016 and he was installed on 20 November 2016.
He also chairs the Bible Commission in North East Bishops council of India.
Bishop Victor Lyngdoh was born on 14th January 1956, at Wahlang Village, East Khasi Hills District, Meghalaya. He entered St. Paul’s Seminary in Shillong pursuing his studies at St. Gabriel’s Higher Secondary School. He then studied Philosophy at Christ King College in Shillong, subsequently spending his Regency at St. Francis Xavier Church, Mawsynram. He then entered Sacred Heart Theological College in Mawlai. He was ordained priest on 25th January, 1987.
He has served in the following ministries 1987-1990: Assistant Parish Priest, Resurrection Church, Pynursla; 1988: Studied Audio-Visual for Evangelization at Christu Jyoti, Bangalore; 1991: Assistant Parish Priest, St. Joseph Church, Mawkhar, Shillong; 1991: Studied for B.Ed. at the College of Teacher Education in Shillong; 1992-1994: Parish Priest at Blessed Sacrament Church, Laitlyngkot and Headmaster at Laitlyngkot High School; 1994-2000: Parish Priest at St. Paul’s Church, Upper Shillong and Principal St. Gabriel’s Higher Secondary School; 2001-2005: Mission Procurator, Shillong Archdiocese; 2003-2005: Studied for M.Ed. at Madurai Kamaraj University; 2005: Renewal Course at Sadhana Institute, Lonavala; 2005-2006: Parish Priest at Mary Help of Christians Cathedral, Shillong; 2006-2016: Bishop of Nongstoin; 2016: Bishop of Jowai.