Arch-Diocese of Ernakulam-Angamaly
Author: Jobi Varghese First featured: Feb 27, 2006 Last updated: Feb 27, 2006
|
Ernakulam is known as the commercial capital of Kerala. The town of Kochi (Cochin) is nicknamed the 'Queen of the Arabian Sea'. Angamaly, now a major town in Ernakulam District, had for long been the central point of St Thomas Christians till early 17th century.
Pope Leo XIII in 1896 reorganized the territories of the Syro-Malabar Church that then comprised the two Vicariates Apostolic namely Kottayam and Trichur, and established a third Vicariate Apostolic namely Ernakulam, leading to three Vicariates Apostolic namely Trichur, Kottayam, and Ernakulam. This is the beginning of the Diocese of Ernakulam. Mar Louis Pazheparampil was appointed as the first Vicar Apostolic or Bishop of the diocese.
Mar Pazheparampil passed away in 1919, and Mar Augustine Kandathil was appointed Bishop the same year.
The Syro-Malabar Hierarchy, a hierarchy for the St Thomas Christians, was established in 1923. Ernakulam was raised to the Metropolitan status or Archdiocesan status, and Mar Augustine Kandathil was made the first archbishop.
Mar Augustine Kandathil passed away in January 1956, following which Mar Joseph Parecattil was appointed archbishop of Ernakulam archdiocese in July 1956.
In 1956, the archdiocese of Ernakulam was bifurcated, leading to the formation of the diocese of Kothamangalam.
Mar Joseph Parecattil was appointed Cardinal in 1969. Mar Sebastian Mankuzhikary was made the auxiliary bishop the same year. When Mar Joseph Parecattil retired from office in early 1984, Mar Sebastian Mankuzhikary was designated as the apostolic administrator of the archdiocese.
In the year 1985, Mar Antony Padiyara was appointed as archbishop of Ernakulam archdiocese. Mar Antony Padiyara was made Cardinal in 1988. Mar Jacob Mananthodath became the auxiliary bishop of the archdiocese in 1992.
Major Archdiocese
On December 16, 1992, Pope John Paul II elevated the Syro-Malabar Church to the status of a Major Archiepiscopal Church or Sui Juris Church. The Holy See acknowledged the supremacy of the Archdiocese of Ernakulam in the Syro-Malabar Church, and made the archdiocese the See of the Major Archbishop of the Syro-Malabar Church. Thus, the archbishop of this archdiocese is also the Major Archbishop of the Syro-Malabar Church.
Ernakulam-Angamaly
Alongside elevating the Syro-Malabar Church to the Major Archiepiscopal status in 1992, the Vatican also changed the name of the archdiocese from Archdiocese of Ernakulam to Archdiocese of Ernakulam-Angamaly.
The pope appointed archbishop Mar Abraham Kattumana as Pontifical Delegate to the Syro-Malabar Church in 1992. Mar Kattumana met with a sudden demise in Rome in 1995.
In December 1996, when Cardinal Antony Padiyara retired as Archbishop of Ernakulam-Angamaly, Pope John Paul II appointed Mar Varkey Vithayathil as the Apostolic Administrator. Mar Varkey Vithayathil was appointed Archbishop in January 1997.
In 1997, auxiliary bishop Mar Jacob Mananthodath was appointed Bishop of the diocese of Palghat, following which Mar Thomas Chakiath was made auxiliary bishop of Ernakulam-Angamaly in February 1998.
On December 23, 1999, the Vatican appointed archbishop Mar Varkey Vithayathil as Major Archbishop of the Syro-Malabar Church.
Archbishop Mar Varkey Vithayathil was made Cardinal in 2001.
In 2002, Mar Sebastian Adayanthrath was appointed the second auxiliary bishop of the archdiocese.
The Major Archiepiscopal Curia
|
Mount St Thomas at Kakkanad, about 12 KM away from Ernakulam central, is a scenic hillock with sylvan settings.
For more information on the curia, please see: The Curia
Foranes, Parishes, Population
There are 14 foranes under the Ernakulam-Angamaly archdiocese. The total number of parishes is 181. In addition, the archdiocese has 149 filial churches also.
The population of Syro-Malabar Catholics in the diocese is nearly 5 lakhs.
Bishop's House & Cathedral Church
The Major Archbishop's office is known as the Syro-Malabar Major Archiepiscopal Curia, and is situated at Mt St Thomas, Kakkanad.
St Mary's Cathedral Basilica, the Diocesan Cathedral, is located near High Court Junction, Ernakulam.
Address:
The Archdiocesan Curia
Major Archbishop's House, P.B.No. 2580,
Ernakulam
Kochi - 682 031, Kerala
Tel: (0484) 2352629, 2352906, 2363664, 2380660
Fax: (0484) 2366028, 2355010
E-mail: abperang@asianet.com
Web: www.ernakulamarchdiocese.org
The Syro-Malabar Major Archiepiscopal Curia
Mount St. Thomas, P.B. No.3110, Kakkanad P.O.
Kochi - 682 030, Kerala
Tel: (0484) 2424768, 2424780, 2425727, 2426235, 2426236
Fax: (0484) 2422727
E-mail: mabpsmc@sancharnet.in
Photographs: Jobi Varghese © SyroMalabar.com
Ernakulam-Angamaly Archdiocese
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Copyright © 2006, SyroMalabar.com. All rights reserved.
|
www.syromalabar.com - A Website on the Syro-Malabar Church
THE CHURCH | DIOCESES | PARISHES | CHURCHES | PRAYERS | LYRICS
|
