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The Archdiocese of Ernakulam was established as a Vicariate in 1896 by
Pope Leo XIII by the Bull "Quae Rei Sacrae". The headquarters of the
Archdiocese of Ernakulam is the capital city of the former Cochin
state. The faithful of the Archdiocese and the main bulk of the Syrian
Christian population of Kerala are the descendants of those who were
converted to Christianity by St. Thomas, the Apostle of Christ who
landed at Cranganore in 52 A.D. The Syrian Christians had their own
bishops from the Middle East till 1597 when the last foreign (Syrian)
Bp Mar Abraham died.
After the death of Alexander Parambil who was an Indian and the first
Vicar Apostolic of Malabar (1663), the Malabar Catholics of Syrian
Rite were brought under the jurisdiction of Padroado, and later
brought under the foreign Carmelite Vicars Apostolic of Malabar
residing at Varapuzha.
After the establishment of the Syro-Malabar Hierarchy in 1887 by the
Brief "Quod Jam Pridem" of Pope Leo XIII, Most Rev Mar Aloysius
Pazheparambil was appointed first Vicar Apostolic of Ernakulam on
August 11, 1896. Mar Aloysius Pazheparambil was succeeded by the late
Most Rev. Dr. Augustine Kandathil in 1919. On December 21, 1923 he was
nominated Archbishop of Ernakulam when the Syro-Malabar Hierarchy was
constituted by Pope Pius XI. He was succeeded by his auxiliary Bp
Joseph Parecattil in 1956. In the same year the diocese of
Kothamangalam was bifurcated from the Archdiocese. He was made a
Cardinal in 1969 and was the Archbishop until he retired from office
on April 1, 1984. His auxiliary Mar Sebastian Mankuzhikary took over
the administration of the Archdiocese as Apostolic Administrator. The
then Archbishop of Changanacherry, Mar Antony Padiyara was transferred
to this Metropolitan See on May 18, 1985 and he assumed charge of the
Archdiocese on July 3, 1985. Mar Mankuzhikary continued as Auxiliary
until April 28, 1986 when he was nominated Bishop of the new Diocese
of Thamarassery and assumed its charge on July 3, 1986. His Eminence
Cardinal Parecattil who was leading a retired life was called to
eternal reward on February 20, 1987.
Pope John Paul II raised Mar Antony Padiyara to the dignity of a
Cardinal on June 28, 1988. On September 6, 1992 Rev. Dr. Jacob
Manathodath was nominated Bishop Auxiliary to Cardinal Antony Padiyara.
On January 29, 1993, it was made public that His Holiness Pope John
Paul II had elevated the Syro-Malabar Church to the rank of
Archbishopric Major with the title of Ernakulam - Angamaly and its
seat in Ernakulam. And His Eminence Antony Cardinal Padiyara was made
the first Archbishop Major. Bishop Jacob Mananthodath was nominated
Bishop of Palghat.
Cardinal Antony Padiyara retired from his office on December 18, 1996.
Rev. Fr Varkey Vithayathil, cssr, was made Titular Archbishop of
Antinoe and the Apostolic Administrator of the Syro-Malabar Church and
of the Archdiocese of Ernakulam-Angamaly. Abp Vithayathil assumed
office on January 18, 1997.
The present Archdiocese of Ernakulam comprises of the taluks of
Kunnathunad, Kanayannoor, Vaikom, Shertallay, Mukundapuram spread out
in the districts of Ernakulam, Trichur, Kottayam and Alleppey in
Kerala State.
Auxiliary Bp Sebastian Adayanthrath
Born : April 05, 1957
Priestly Ordn.: Dec. 18, 1983
Episcopal Ordn.: April 20, 2002
Auxiliary Bp Thomas Chakiath
Born : Sept. 10, 1937
Priestly Ordn.: Nov. 30, 1964
Episcopal Ordn.: April 14, 1998
Address:
Major Archbishop's House, P. Box No. 2580 - Ernakulam, Cochin - 682
031, Kerala, India
Tel: +91 484 - 2352906, 2352629 (O), 2355010 (P), Fax: +91 484 -
2355010
E-mail: cardinal@ernakulamarchdiocese.org,
Website:
http://ww.ernakulamarchdiocese.org
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