Denomination Eastern Catholic Patron saint St. Thomas Bishop Yoohanon Mar Chrysostom Number of members 37,500 | Parishes 100 Area 2,100 km² | |
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Population - Total - Catholics (as of 2010); 1,234,016; 40,563 Vicar General Rt. Rev. Msgr. Jose Chamakalayil Episcopal Vicars Rt. Rev. Msgr. Chacko Thadathil | ||
The Eparchy of Pathanamthitta constitutes the Malankara Syrian Catholic community in the Vicinity of Pathanamthitta in the Indian State of Kerala. The Diocese came into existence with the consent of Pope Benedict XVI, on 25 January 2010. Yoohanon Mar Chrysostom became the first bishop of this Eparchy. St. Peter’s Malankara Catholic Church, Pathanamthitta serves as the Cathedral Church for this Eparchy.
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History
The Syro-Malankara Catholics are one of the oldest Saint Thomas Christians centered in Kerala, India. In the 16th century, the Church in the West came in contact with the Indian Church through the Portuguese merchants and missionaries. But the relationship was fragile and several conflicts evolved among them, which later resulted in the Coonan Cross Oath. The majority of them restored ecclesial relationship with the Portuguese hierarchy (Syro-Malabar Catholic Church) and the rest formed themselves into an independent ecclesial community and gradually got into an ecclesial relationship with the ancient Church of the Antioch. Later, on 20 September 1930 a group headed by Archbishop Mar Ivanios lead the reunion movement and returned to the Catholic Church. The Metropolitan Eparchy of Trivandrum was inaugurated on 11 May 1933 and Archbishop Geevarghese Mar Ivanios was installed as its first Metropolitan. To cope up with the tremendous growth of the church the Major Archeparchy of Trivandrum was ramified and a new Eparchy of Pathanamthitta was formed.
Statistics
As of 2010 there were 100 parishes in the Diocese, served by 89 priests. The diocesan area is basically hilly in nature including a considerable number of tribal colonies. The Exarcate of the United States found its first bishop, Aboon Thomas Mar Eusebius from the Sacred Heart Malankara Catholic Church in Mylapra near Pathanamthitta.