Shillong, Oct 23: Archbishop of Shillong Archdiocese, Most Rev Dominic Jala was laid to rest on Wednesday.

After a long funeral service, which began with the celebration of the Holy Mass at the Cathedral of Mary Help of Christians at 1 pm, Archbishop Jala was buried in a grave close to the Cathedral Church.

In the past, the mortal remains of Bishops or Archbishops were buried inside the Cathrdral Church.

The Holy Mass was led by the Archbishop of Guwahati, and president of the North East India Bishop Conference, Most Rev John Moolachira as the main celebrant.

Other 15 Archbishops and Bishops from the Northeast and other dioceses in India, and hundreds of priests, sisters and brothers and church leaders from other denominations attended the funeral service.

Chief minister, Conrad K Sangma and other ministers, leader of opposition, Mukul Sangma and members of the state legislative assembly and autonomous district councils attended the funeral.

About one lakh attended the funeral which many suggested as one of the biggest funerals in Shillong for any prominent personality.

People gathered in the premises of the Cathdral and all spaces were filled with a sea of people who came to bid adieu to the Archbishop who had worked as priest of the Catholic Church for about 42 years including as the Archbishop of Shillong Archdiocese for nearly two decades.

The funeral was conducted two weeks after the Archbishop met an accident at Colusa County, Oakland in California, USA on October 10 (October 11 according to Indian time).

Archbishop Jala was 68.

The mortal remains reached Shillong from USA on October 20 after completing all formalities in California.

Another priest from Kerala, Father Mathew Vellankal of St. Bonaventure, Concord in California died along with the Archbishop after a Toyota Prius they were travelling in was hit by a tractor-trailer truck.

Father Joseph Parekkatt of St. Anne Parish in Walnut Creek, USA was injured, and out of danger now.

The funeral service was a bit emotional, with people shedding tears for having lost one of the tallest leaders of the Catholic Church and Christians in the Northeast.

Priests from the Archdiocese of Oakland, USA also attended the Archbishop’s funeral.

A condolence message from Pope Francis was read out during the service.

Diocesan administrator, Fr John Madur who had worked with the Archbishop for 18 years also spoke besides the brother of the Archbishop, Dr Louise Jala.

A crucifix was presented to the family members of the Archbishop before taking the taking the casket which contained the mortal remains of the Archbishop from the Cathedral to the place of burial.

The Archbishop was born at Mawlai on July 12, 1951 and was ordained as priest from the congregation of the Salesians of Don Bosco (SDB) on November 19, 1977.

Pope John Paul-II had entrusted Jala to shepherd the Shillong Archdiocese on December 22, 1999, after which he was ordained as Bishop on April 2, 2000.