Guwahati, September 2, 2026:
The Diocese of Dibrugarh is set to take up the Northeast Church’s annual Jubilee journey in 2026 as part of the region’s preparation towards the Maha Jubilee 2033, with “Priests and Religious” set as the theme for prayer and reflection.
The decade-long journey, initiated by the Northeast India Regional Bishops’ Council (NEIRBC), began in Itanagar in 2024 with the theme “The Holy Eucharist.” Each year, a diocese is entrusted with a particular theme through which the local Church is invited to pray, reflect and prepare for the Maha Jubilee while sharing in a common spiritual journey with the Church across Northeast India.
The journey continued in 2025, when Aizawl and Bongaigaon marked the second stage of the regional preparation. In Aizawl, the Jubilee journey coincided with the centenary of the Catholic faith in Mizoram, commemorating a century since Catholicism took root in the state. The centenary provided an occasion for the Church to give thanks for the faith received and handed on through generations.
In Bongaigaon, the regional Jubilee theme was celebrated alongside the Silver Jubilee of the Diocese and the Silver Jubilee of its Bishop, bringing together the history of the local Church and its continuing mission. The celebrations demonstrated how the regional Jubilee journey can be integrated with significant milestones in the life of each diocese.
Dibrugarh: Priests and Religious
The journey now moves to Dibrugarh with a particular focus on priests and religious men and women, whose service has been central to the missionary presence of the Church in Upper Assam.
The theme assumes an even deeper meaning in the Diocese at a time when communities are recovering from severe flooding. Sivasagar, one of the districts within the Diocese of Dibrugarh, was among the worst affected by the floods that struck Upper Assam during July and August .
At the height of the crisis, Sivasagar was reported as the worst-affected district in Assam, with hundreds of villages inundated and large numbers of people displaced. Although the flood situation has since improved considerably, Sivasagar continues to report affected villages and communities.
The Diocese of Dibrugarh responded to the crisis by mobilising priests, religious congregations, parish communities, volunteers and social-service institutions for relief and pastoral accompaniment. Relief efforts have included food, drinking water, hygiene materials and other essentials, while the Church has also begun looking beyond emergency relief towards the rehabilitation of families who lost homes, crops and livelihoods.
The floods have therefore placed the 2026 theme in a very concrete pastoral context. “Priests and Religious” is not simply a theme for reflection but an opportunity to recognise the presence and service of consecrated persons among communities facing hardship, displacement and uncertainty.
A year of transition for Dibrugarh
The Jubilee year also comes at an important moment in the episcopal life of the Diocese.
On 16 July 2026, Pope Leo XIV appointed Bishop Albert Hemrom of Dibrugarh as Coadjutor Archbishop of Guwahati. Bishop Hemrom has served as Bishop of Dibrugarh since 2021, after previously serving as its coadjutor bishop.
His appointment brings a further dimension to the Jubilee journey. As Dibrugarh reflects on the contribution of priests and religious to the growth of the local Church, it is also entering a period of transition in its episcopal leadership.
The coming months may therefore make the 2026 Jubilee an occasion of thanksgiving for Bishop Hemrom’s ministry in Dibrugarh, prayer for the Diocese and its future leadership, and renewed commitment to the missionary service of priests and religious.
Whether the Diocese receives a new bishop during the Jubilee period or continues its celebrations under Archbishop-designate Hemrom will unfold in due course. For now, the Jubilee offers the local Church an opportunity to remain focused on its mission amid both pastoral challenges and ecclesial transition.
The journey continues towards 2033
The regional plan will continue in the coming years, with Social Responsibilities in Agartala and Laity in Kohima in 2027; Catechesis in Diphu and Sacraments in Tezpur in 2028; Youth in Miao in 2029; and Gospel and Culture in Imphal in 2030.
In 2031, the focus will move to Vocation and Formation in Jowai and Family in Nongstoin. Guwahati will take up Ecumenism in 2032.
The journey will culminate in 2033, with Women and Mary as the Model in Tura and finally Christ the Redeemer in Shillong, marking the celebration of the Maha Jubilee.
From Itanagar to Dibrugarh, and from one local Church to another, the initiative seeks to make the preparation for 2033 a genuinely regional experience—one in which each diocese contributes its own history, challenges, celebrations and missionary witness.
For Dibrugarh, the 2026 journey comes at a particularly meaningful moment: a Church celebrating its priests and religious, accompanying communities recovering from floods, and preparing for a new chapter in its episcopal life.
The journey continues.
From the Eucharist to Christ the Redeemer, the Church of Northeast India journeys together towards 2033.