Arch-diocese of Kottayam
Author: Jobi Varghese First featured: Jan 15, 2006 Last updated: Jan 15, 2006Kottayam is known as the land of Letters, Latex, and Rubber – the first sobriquet thanks to the inception and proliferation of the printing and publishing industry in the district way back in the early 19th century, and the latter two owing to the district’s vast expanse of rubber plantations and numerous latex processing units. Kottayam is a very scenic district, with several lakes and rivers, and full of greenery and cultivated land. The villages in the district exemplify nature’s beauty, and several resorts have sprung in the district over the last decade.
Kottayam is also a central point of Syrian Christians in India, both Catholic and Orthodox communities.
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The Arch-diocese of Kottayam spans not just the Kottayam district and surroundings, but the entire state of Kerala, throughout India, and also overseas.
In other words: "The Kottayam arch-diocese extends over the whole territorium propium of the Syro-Malabar Church." - Diocesan data, St Thomas Christian Museum, Syro-Malabar Major Archiepiscopal Curia, Kakkanad, Cochin
Knanaya Catholics & Kottayam Diocese
Knanaya Catholics are the descendents of a Persian merchant by name Thomas of Cana (Knai Thomman or Thomas Kinai) who settled in Kottayam in AD 345. Pope Pius X in 1911 erected the diocese of Kottayam as a separate diocese exclusively for the Knanaya community within the Syro-Malabar Church. Mar Mathew Makil was appointed the first bishop of Kottayam diocese in 1911. Bishop Mar Mathew Makil was succeeded by Mar Alexander Chulaparambil (1914-51), and Mar Thomas Tharayil (1951-74).
Mar Kuriakose Kunnasserry was ordained as the Co-Adjutor Bishop of Kottayam diocese in 1968. On the retirement of Mar Thomas Tharayil in 1974, Mar Kuriakose Kunnasserry took over as bishop of Kottayam diocese.
On May 9, 2005, the Major Archbishop of the Syro-Malabar Church elevated the Diocese of Kottayam to the status of an Archdiocese. Bishop Mar Kuriakose Kunnasserry was appointed the archbishop.
In January 1999, Mar Mathew Moolakkatt was appointed the Auxiliary Bishop of the Diocese of Kottayam.
For more information on Knanaya Catholics, please see: Knanaya Catholic
Mar Mathew Moolakkatt, New Archbishop
Mar Mathew Moolakkatt is the new Archbishop or Metropolitan of the Archdiocese of Kottayam. In an auspicious ceremony held at Christ The King Cathedral, Kottayam on January 14, 2006 and attended by several bishops of the Syro-Malabar Church and all priests of Kottayam Archdiocese, Mar Mathew Moolakkatt succeeded Mar Kuriakose Kunnasserry who retired as Archbishop after serving as bishop and archbishop for 38 years.
Foranes, Parishes, Population
There are 11 foranes under the Kottayam archdiocese, with the parishes under all foranes together numbering 128.
There are about 1,75,000 Knanaya Catholic faithful, and they come from about 38,000 families based around the world.
Arch-diocesan House & Cathedral Church
The Arch-diocesan house or Metropolitan's house is located near the Malayala Manorama office in Kottayam town.
The diocesan Cathedral is Christ the King Cathedral, situated next to the diocesan house.
Address:
Catholic Metropolitan's House
P.B.No. 71, Kottayam
Kerala - 686 001
Tel: (0481) 2563527/2563812/2564256 Fax: 2563327
E-mail: cbhktym@sancharnet.in / cbhktym@hotmail.com
Web: www.kottayamad.org
Kottayam Arch-diocese
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