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The
territory of Raigarh diocese comprises the civil districts
of Raigarh and Jashpur in the State of Chhattisgarh. The
diocese was erected on December 13, 1951 by dismemberment
from Ranchi and Nagpur dioceses.
Before 1948, the entire area
was divided into seven feudatory States. Up to 1905, no
Catholic priest was allowed in these states. In 1905 there
was a strong movement towards Christianity among the Oraons
of the Jashpur state. Feudal ruler’s police was unable
to crush this movement and thousands of aboriginals were
baptized. As the priest was forbidden to erect even a shed
to live in, the first resident priest lived in a tent at
Ginabahar from June 1912 till June 1915, when he was allowed
to build himself a little hut. It was only in 1917 that
he received permission to construct small bungalow. In the
course of time, four other mission stations were founded,
but all the while pastoral and educational works laboured
under severe restrictions.
In 1933, a considerable number
of Adivasis of the neighbouring state of Udaipur resolved
to embrace the Catholic faith The Durbar of Udaipur violently
opposed this movement. Till 1941 no priest was authorized
to cross the border, except when summoned to the sick bed
of a dying Christian and four times a year to celebrate
Holy Mass. But he was always under police surveillance and
never permitted to stay more than 48 hours.
In the beginning of 1948 the
feudal rulers were abdicated and their states were merged
into India. The Indian constitution granted freedom of conscience
to all. The Government of Madhya Pradesh made attempts to
enforce the old anti- Christian laws, but finally had to
fall in line with the statutes of the Constitution. In the
midst of various difficulties the work went on making steady
progress. In December 1977, the Diocese of Ambikapur was
erected to which the entire district of Surguja was entrusted.
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