The Metropolitan Archbishop of Thrissur is the chief bishop and principal leader of the nearly half a million Syro-Malabar Catholics in what used to be the largest Catholic diocese in India, when it included the Syro-Malabar archdiocese of Thrissur and the dioceses of Irinjalakuda, Palghat, and Ramanathapuram. He is also the Archbishop of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Archdiocese of Thrissur. The title carries significant influence because the archbishop serves as the custodian of St. Thomas Church (Palayur), where Christianity first arrived on the Indian subcontinent. Additionally, the archdiocese has produced two saints: Maria Theresa Chiramel and Euphrasia Eluvathingal.[1][2]
Politics
The Archbishop of Thrissur has been a vocal supporter of Christian politicians in Thrissur District and Kerala for a long time. However, the archbishop has been a staunch critic of the Communist Party of India and its policies in Kerala after India's Independence. Later in the decade, the archbishop emerged as a powerful force in Kerala politics, shaping outcomes in contests ranging from Kerala Legislature constituencies to India's lower house, the Lok Sabha.Thrissur District's assembly constituencies like Ollur Assembly Constituency, Chalakudy Assembly Constituency, Manalur Assembly Constituency, Thrissur Assembly Constituency, Wadakkanchery Assembly constituency and Irinjalakuda Assembly Constituency have a significant Syro malabar population, which elect representatives to Kerala Legislature. Thrissur Lok Sabha constituency, one of the 20 Lok Sabha constituencies in Kerala, is also in Thrissur District.[3][4]
The trend started when Mar Joseph Kundukulam, the first Archbishop of Thrissur, befriended the late former Chief Minister of Kerala, K. Karunakaran. It is alleged that the archdiocese supported K. Karunakaran in his candidacy to the Kerala Legislature. This marked the beginning of the bond between the Indian National Congress and the Syro-Malabar Catholic Archdiocese of Thrissur. [5] After the death of Kundukulam, Mar Jacob Thoomkuzhy was elected as the next archbishop. However, Thoomkuzhy was less interested in Kerala politics. Later Mar Andrews Thazhath was selected to head the archdiocese. In 2007, he campaigned against the policies of the V.S. Achuthanandan-led government toward the Church and its institutions. He even threatened the Communist-led government, warning that the Church might re-enact the "Liberation Struggle" of the late 1950s.[6]
Oommen Chandy Ministry
Relations between the Oommen Chandy ministry and Andrews Thazhath were not cordial. The trouble started when Indian National Congress and Kerala Congress decided to field P. C. Chacko for Thrissur Lok Sabha constituency in the 2014 Indian general election. The Metropolitan Archbishop of Thrissur was unhappy with P. C. Chacko due to his poor performance in earlier terms, his identity as a non-Syrian Catholic, and his status as an outsider to the Thrissur District. In 1991, P. C. Chacko won the Thrissur Lok Sabha constituency but subsequently vacated the contest, fearing backlash. In 2009, Indian National Congress forced Metropolitan Archbishop of Thrissur to accept P. C. Chacko as the candidate. By 2014, the Metropolitan Archbishop of Thrissur opposed the Indian National Congress's decision to field Chacko again, citing the local preference for a candidate residing in Thrissur District and criticizing Chacko's perceived neglect of local development. Although P. C. Chacko held high offices such as national spokesman for the Indian National Congress and Chairman of the Joint Parliamentary Committee, he did little to advance the development of Thrissur. Later on, K. P. Dhanapalan MP from Chalakudy (Lok Sabha constituency) was fielded from the Thrissur Lok Sabha constituency.[7][8]
List of bishops and archbishops of Thrissur
| Bishops and archbishops of Thrissur | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| From | Until | Incumbent | Notes |
| 1887 | 1896 | Adolph Medlycott | He was the first and only bishop from outside Kerala to be consecrated for this see. Consecrated on 11 December 1887, resigned in 1896, died on 4 May 1918. |
| 1896 | 1919 | John Menachery | Consecrated on 25 October, died on 19 December 1919. |
| 1921 | 1942 | Francis Vazhapilly | Consecrated on 6 July 1921, died on 12 May 1942. |
| 1944 | 1970 | George Alapatt | Consecrated on 1 May 1944, died on 6 November 1973. |
| 1970 | 1997 | Joseph Kundukulam | First Metropolitan Archbishop of Thrissur. Nominated on 4 June 1970, consecrated on 16 August 1970, died on 26 April 1998. |
| 1997 | 2007 | Jacob Thoomkuzhy | Second Metropolitan Archbishop of Thrissur. |
| 2007 | Present | Andrews Thazhath | Third Metropolitan Archbishop of Thrissur. |
| Source(s):[9] | |||
References
- 1."Classic battle in Left bastion: Church vs State". Tehelka. Archived from the original on 13 September 2012. Retrieved 7 January 2011.
- 2."Battle cry". Frontline. Archived from the original on 17 April 2008. Retrieved 7 January 2011.
- 3."Catholics Want a Piece of Kerala's Political Pie". Hinduismtoday. Retrieved 16 December 2011.
- 4."Church and a state". The Indian Express. Retrieved 16 December 2011.
- 5."KCBC's condolence". The Hindu. 25 December 2010. Retrieved 4 September 2019.
- 6."Battle cry". Frontline. Retrieved 16 December 2011.
- 7."CHACKO'S ESCAPE BRINGS THRISSUR INTO FOCUS". Daily Pioneer. Retrieved 13 August 2014.
- 8."Congress bows to church: Drops PT Thomas, moves PC Chacko". IndiaToday. Retrieved 13 August 2014.
- 9."Former Bishops". Trichur Archdiocese. Archived from the original on 12 July 2011. Retrieved 16 December 2011.