Ecclesiastical Details - Catholics India

Diocese of Marthandom

Rite:

Syro-Malankara

Population:

20,669,924

Status:

Diocese

Catholics:

65000

Founded:

16-Dec-96

Diocesan Priests:

Total area:

32661 Sq.km

Religious Priests:

Province:

Trivandrum-Malankara

Religious Sisters:

Region:

Tamil Nadu

Seminarians:

Patron:

St.Paul & St. Theresse of Lissieux

Languages:

Tamil Malayalam and English.

Civil States:

Kanyakumari.

Contact Diocese Office :

Bishop's House Marthandom 629 165. TAMIL NADU

Telephone 1:

04651-27 01 80 / 27 29 10

Fax:

27 29 10

E-Mail Office:

bpdiomar@vsnl.net

Website:

eparchyofmarthandam.com

Most Rev. Vincent Paulos, Bishops of Marthandom

Name:

Most Rev. Vincent Paulos

Designation:

Bishops

Canonical Possession:

2010-

Telephone (P):

E-mail (P):

Other Present & Retired Ordinaries of the Diocese of Marthandom

Pilgrim Centres in theDiocese of Marthandom

Ecclesiastical Institutions

Social / Charitable Institutions / Care Centres

Educational Institutions

Parishes:

Hospitals:

Degree Colleges:

Major Seminaries:

Orphanages:

Technical Training Centres:

Minor Seminaries:

Special Schools:

High Schools:

Monastries:

Crèches:

Lower Primary Schools:

Convents:

Counselling Centres:

Presses & Media Centres:

Formation Houses:

Social Centres:

Professional Colleges:

Retreat Centres:

Dispensaries / Clinics:

420

Parallel Colleges:

Physically Challenged:

Higher Secondary :

Boarding Houses:

Upper Primary Schools:

HIV / AIDS Centres:

Nurseries/Pre-Primary :

De-addiction Centres:

Aged & Destitute:

History of the Diocese of Marthandom

It is firmly believed and traditionally accepted that St. Thomas one of the Apostles of Jesus Christ had come to India in 52 A. D. Out of the seven and a half churches established by St. Thomas the District of Kanyakumari is having the privilege of having the half church at Thiruvithamcode. Though there was a Christian community in Kanyakumari right from the beginning of the 1st century it could not grow to a sizeable Christian community.

In the 16th century the Portuguese Church Workers arrived in the District of Kanyakumari and as the result of their work the Christian community there began to grow. Later during the British regime in India the Protestant Church Workers also started their work among the people in the district of Kanyakumari which was in fact a part of the erstwhile State of Travancore.

On September 30 1930 when Metropolitan Mar Ivanios together with a group of
four people (a Bishop a priest a deacon and a layman) reunited with the Catholic Church the Malankara Church paved the way for regaining its Catholic communion. On June 11 1932 by the Apostolic Constitution Christo Pastorum Principe His Holiness Pope Pius XI established the Syro - Malankara Catholic Hierarchy comprising the Archdiocese of Trivandrum and the Diocese of Tiruvalla. Mar Ivanios the pioneer of the Reunion Movement extended his mission work to Kanyakumari district with Marthandam as its centre in 1934.

With the dedicated service of the priests and the religious from various dioceses and congregations many parishes and stations of the Malankara Church could be established in the district of Kanyakumari. After the demise of Mar Ivanios under the guidance of His Grace Archbishop Benedict Mar Gregorios of happy memory the number of parishes and missions increased. Vocation to priesthood and the religious life from this region also increased. At the demise of His Grace Mar Gregorios His Grace Most Rev Cyril Mar Baselios assumed the office of the Metropolitan Archbishop of the Metropolitan Eparchy of Trivandrum.

Considering the linguistic social and cultural heritage of the people of this region and the vast area of the Metropolitan Eparchy of Trivandrum at the request of His Grace Most Rev Cyril Mar Baselios His Holiness Pope John Paul II by an Apostolic Decree dated December 16 1996 bifurcated the Metropolitan Eparchy and erected the Eparchy of Marthandam having its headquarters at Marthandam. Thus the fourth Diocese of the Malankara Catholic Church came into existence and His Excellency Most Rev Lawrence Mar Ephraem took charge as its first Bishop.

The installation of His Excellency Most Rev Lawrence Mar Ephraem as the Bishop of Marthandam took place on January 23 1997 at the Christuraja Cathedral Marthandam. His Grace Most Rev Cyril Mar Baselios the Metropolitan Archbishop of Trivandrum officiated the liturgical ceremony and executed the Papal Bull of the erection of the new Eparchy of Marthandam.

After a prolonged illness His Excellency Bishop Lawrence Mar Ephraem slept in the Lord on April 8 1997.

On April 16 1998 His Holiness Pope John Paul ll appointed Most Rev Yoohanon Mar Chrysostom as the second Bishop of the Eparchy of Marthandam. His Excellency was consecrated as Bishop on June 29 1998 and was installed as the Bishop of Marthandam on July 1 1998.

Prelates of the Diocese of Marthandom

Bishops Name	Prelate's Status	Period	Bishops Name	Prelate's Status	Period
	Bishop	1996-1997