Mary Help of Christians Cathedral, Kohima

Kohima's Catholic cathedral, dedicated to Mary Help of Christians and widely called the Cathedral Church, is the seat of the city's diocese. Its design borrows from traditional Naga house forms and follows the slope of the hill it occupies, and inside hangs a wooden crucifix about 16 feet tall, said to be one of the biggest in Asia. Work started in 1986 and the building was consecrated in 1991.

The project was conceived by Abraham Alangimattathil, Kohima's first bishop, whose tomb is in the complex. Much of the money is said to have come from Japanese veterans and bereaved families remembering soldiers killed in the 1944 Battle of Kohima, and the church later hosted reconciliation meetings of Japanese and British veterans. The building spreads over some 25,000 sq ft with a gate on each side; its curved gallery seats about 3,000, stained glass over the central podium lets in daylight, and a crib carved from Bethlehem olive wood is kept on permanent display. Christmas is the busiest season.