SHILLONG: A historical musical drama on Fr. Constantine Vendrame, the first Salesian Don Bosco missionary to the Northeast was staged for three consecutive days from October 19 at Sacred Heart Theological College (SHTC), Mawlai.
Over 1,500 persons witnessed the musical including Fr. Marius Thongnibh, parish priest of Mawlai, Sylvester Kurbah, Headman Mawlai Phudmuri and Urban Affairs Minister R.V. Lyngdoh.
“He is one of the greatest missionaries God has ever sent to our land. We cannot explain much about him within this few hours. And the new generation may not know much about this man but through this play we surely hope to learn something about him,” said Lyngdoh.
The original script and music score of Dr. Barnes Mawrie the College President and the artistic direction of Br. Jomon Augustine brought alive the Italian missionary Vendrame, who came to Shillong in 1924. He is known as the ‘apostle of Shillong’ and the pioneer of Catholicism in the region.
The director of the play acknowledged, “It’s a great pleasure to direct and stage this drama on great missionary like Fr. Vendrame, whom people appreciate so much, especially in areas where he has evangelized.”
Kurbah, headman of Mawlai Phudmuri, recalled the contribution of Fr. Vendrame in his speech for the legacy he left behind for the uplift of Khasis in Shillong.
“He has contributed a lot for Khasi people here in Shillong both spiritually and intellectually. In the beginning, he built a small chapel at Mawlai but now it has turned into a Holy Shrine. We need to pray for the speedy canonization of Fr. Vendrame to the sainthood. He left his home and family for the betterment of Khasi People in here,” he added.
The SHTC has been successfully bringing out the musical drama once in every two years. The next musical drama will be in 2019.
