Archdiocese of Verapoly

Archdiocese of Verapoly Archidioecesis Verapolitana വരാപ്പുഴ അതിരൂപത
St Francis of Assisi Cathedral, Varappuzha, Ernakulam St Francis of Assisi Cathedral, Varappuzha, Ernakulam
Location
Country	India
Territory	Kerala districts of Ernakulam and Thrissur
Ecclesiastical province	Verapoly
Metropolitan	Verapoly
Deaneries	8
Statistics
Area	1,500 km2 (580 sq mi)
Population Total Catholics	(as of 2023) 3,908,084 369,840 (9.5%)
Parishes	182 total 88 parishes 32 quasi-parishes 62 mission stations
Information
Denomination	Catholic Church
Sui iuris church	Latin Church
Rite	Roman Rite
Cathedral	St Francis of Assisi Cathedral in Marine Drive, Ernakulam, Cochin
Patron saint	Saint Joseph
Secular priests	382 (total) 210 (diocesan) 172 (religious orders)
Current leadership
Pope	Leo XIV
Metropolitan Archbishop	Joseph Kalathiparambil
Auxiliary Bishops	Antony Valumkal
Website
Official website

The Archdiocese of Verapoly (Malayalam: വരാപ്പുഴ അതിരൂപത, Latin: Archidioecesis Verapolitana) is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or archdiocese of the Catholic Church, comprising Latin Catholics of Malabar and headquartered at the city of Cochin, in the south Indian state of Kerala. The archdiocese has administrative control over the suffragan dioceses of Cochin, Kottapuram, and Vijayapuram. The headquarters is located in Kochi along the Malabar Coast in India. It was originally formed as the Vicariate Apostolic of Malabar in 1657 and became a metropolitan see in 1886. Verapoly is the anglicised name of Varapuzha.

History

The Archdiocese of Verapoly was originally known as the Vicariate of Malabar erected from the Roman Catholic Diocese of Cochin, the first catholic diocese in Kerala. It has its origin in 1657, with the arrival of Carmelite missionaries, most prominent among whom was the priest Joseph of St. Mary, better known as Joseph Sebastiani. They had been deputed under Hyacinth of St. Vincent as Apostolic Commissar, by Pope Alexander VII to effect a reconciliation of Saint Thomas Christians of the Syro-Chaldaic Rite, who had seceded from the Archbishop Francis Garcia due to his over-stretched influence in the affairs of syro-chaldean eparchial province of India. The majority of them had, in 1653, revolted against the Archbishop and forsaking his authority by taking an oath for the purpose at the foot of a cross, thereafter called the Coonan Cross, situated in Mattancherry, and made their own Archdeacon Thomas their archbishop. By the efforts of Sebastiani, a large number of seceders were brought back to the Catholic fold. Nevertheless, they refused to be under the authority of Archbishop Garcia or under any prelate of the Jesuit Order known as the "Paulists".

Rome, being informed of the situation by Sebastiani in person, decided to entrust the Carmelites with the spiritual care of the Syro-Chaldaic Rite. For this purpose the Vicariate of Malabar was erected by Pope Alexander VII on 3 December 1659. Sebastiani was consecrated Titular Bishop of Hierapolis on 15 December 1659 and sent back to Malabar, with the title of Vicar Apostolic and Administrator of the Archbishopric of Cranganore. The new Vicariate eventually established its headquarters in the island of Verapoly.

The conquest of Portuguese territories in Malabar and especially of Cochin in 1663 by the Dutch and the consequent expulsion of all Catholic Missionaries from the territories occupied by the Dutch and elsewhere, threatened the very existence of the Malabar Vicariate. Nevertheless, it survived under the Indian Prelate Palliveettil Chandy (Alexander de Campo) whom Sebastiani had consecrated as his successor before he left Malabar in 1663. Before long Carmelites were allowed to resume their ministration which was by then extended also to the Catholics of the Latin Church who were under Portuguese protection.

On 13 March 1709 by a brief of Pope Clement XI Malabar Vicariate was suppressed and the Vicariate of Verapoly took its place with Bishop Angelo Francisco as its first Vicar Apostolic.

By the brief "Multa Praeclara" of Pope Gregory XVI, dated 24 April 1838, the Sees of Cranganore and Cochin which at that time included also Quilon, were annexed to the Vicariate of Verapoly which thus came to comprise the whole of Malabar. However, in 1845, Quilon was severed from Verapoly as a Suffragan Vicariate.

When by the famous apostolic letter "Humanae Salutis Auctor" of Leo XIII dated 1 September 1886, the Hierarchy of India was established, the Vicariate of Verapoly was raised to the status of an Archdiocese with Leonard Mellano of St. Louis as its first archbishop who was the 17th in the line of the Vicars Apostolic.

On 19 March 1887 the Catholics of the Syriac Rite were separated from those of the Latin Church and placed under an administrator, Marcelino Bernard of St. Teresa, who was consecrated co-adjutor to Archbishop Mellano. By brief "Quod Jam Pridem" of Pope Leo XIII, dated 20 May 1887, the Syriac Rite Catholics were exempted from the jurisdiction of the Archdiocese of Verapoly and the two Vicariates of Trichur and Kottayam were erected for Syro Malabar Church (Malankara Chaldean Syrian church/St Thomas Christians/ Nazranis) with Adolpus E. Medlycott and Charles Lavigne as their Vicars Apostolic. Thus the Archdiocese of Verapoly came to consist exclusively of Latin Catholics.

Succession of Vicars Apostolic of Verapoly and Archbishops of Verapoly

• Giuseppe di Santa Maria Sebastiani (1661–1663), retired before the Dutch in 1663
• Alexander de Campo (1663–1678)
• Thomas de Castro (1675–1684)
• Raphael de Figuredo Salgado, 1681, retired on account of quarrels in 1694
• Custodio do Pinho (1694–1697)
• Angelus Francis of St. Teresa, 1700, was in 1709 entitled "Vicar Apostolic of Cranganore and Cochin" on account of long vacancy of those sees, died 1712
• John Baptist Multedo of St. Teresa (1714–1750)
• Florence of Jesus of Nazareth (1750–1773)
• Francis de Sales a Matre Dolorosa (1774–1787)
• John Mary of St. Thomas, 1780 (died before consecration)
• John Mary of Jesus, (1784–1802)
• Raymond of St. Joseph (1803–1816)
• Miles Prendergast (1819–1831), resigned
• Francis Xavier Pescetto of St. Anne (1831–1844)
• Ludovico Martini of St. Teresa (1839–1859), resigned
• Bernardino Baccinelli of St. Teresa, 1847 (1859), 1868, received archiepiscopal rank
• Leonardo Mellano of St. Louis, 1868, received archiepiscopal rank 1860, became first Archbishop of Verapoly in 1887, died 1897
• Bernard of Jesus (Felipe Arginzonis y Astobiza) (1897–1918), resigned
• Ángel María Pérez y Cecilia (1918–1934), resigned
• Joseph Attipetty (1934–1970), died
• Joseph Kelanthara (1971–1986), died
• Cornelius Elanjikal (1987–1996), resigned
• Daniel Acharuparambil, (1996–26 October 2009), died
• Francis Kallarakal, appointed on 20 February 2010; he was assisted by Auxiliary Bishop Joseph Karikkassery until the Auxiliary Bishop's appointment as Bishop of the Latin Catholic Diocese of Kottapuram, India, on Saturday, 18 December 2010. Term ended on 18 December 2016.
• Joseph Kalathiparambil, appointed on 31 October 2016. The Archbishop was formally installed on 18 December 2016.

Affiliated Bishops, living

• Francis Assisi Chullikatt (Priest: 3 Jun 1978 to 29 Apr 2006)
• Francis Kallarakal (Archbishop: 20 Feb 2010)
• Joseph Karikkassery (Priest: 19 Dec 1973; Auxiliary Bishop: 25 Nov 2006 to 18 Dec 2010)
• Alex Vadakkumthala

Suffragan dioceses

Source:

• Diocese of Cochin
• Diocese of Kottapuram
• Diocese of Vijayapuram

Saints and causes for canonisation

• John Vincent
• Zacarias of Saint Teresa
• Aurelian of the Blessed Sacrament
• Eliswa Vakayil
• George Vakayil
• Michael Koodalloor (Theophane of Kottappuram)
• Joseph Attipetty
• Immanuel Lopez

See also

• St. Philomena's Forane Church & St. Chavara Pilgrim Centre
• St George church

Canonical status and jurisdiction

Archdiocese of Verapoly is a metropolitan archdiocese of the Catholic Church.

• Part of: Ecclesiastical Province of Verapoly

External links

• Official website

From the 1913 Catholic Encyclopedia

Archdiocese of Verapoly — (Verapolitana.). Located on the Malabar Coast, India, having the Diocese of Quilon as suffragan; extends northwards to the River Ponany, southwards to the Rani River, bounded on the east by the Ghaut line and on the west by the Indian Ocean. The Catholic population within the confines of the archdiocese is divided into two parts-those of the Syrian Rite, called Thomas Christians, who are under the personal (and quasi-territorial) jurisdiction of the three Vicars Apostolic of Trichur, Ernakulam, and Changancherry; and those of the Latin Rite, originally converts of the Portuguese missionaries, who are territorially under the jurisdiction of the archbishop. These later form a Catholic population of 75,389, having 31 churches and 25 chapels, served by 25 European Fathers of the Carmelite Order (mostly Spaniards), about 40 native secular priests of the Latin Rite, and of the Syrian Rite. There are besides in monastic enclosure 10 Carmelite Fathers of the First Order and 12 of the Third Order, making a total of about 90 priests. Also 19 Carmelite Nuns of the Third Order, 6 Brothers of St. Teresa, and 15 catechists. Candidates for the priesthood are sent partly to St. Joseph's Central Seminary, Puttenpally, under the direction of the Carmelite Fathers, and partly to Kandy. The archbishop's present residence is at Ernakulam in the Cochin State, but the cathedral is at Verapoly.

History

This district was occupied in the first instance by a large community of Christians claiming to have been converted by St. Thomas the Apostle, and using a Syrian Rite. These were brought under the jurisdiction of the Portuguese after the Synod of Diamper in 1599, and ruled by Jesuit archbishops at Angamalé, and afterwards at Cranganore. After a few years, there arose a factional dispute which led to a revolt of practically the whole community. Carmelite missionaries were sent by Alexander VI in 1637 to bring about a reconciliation between the people and the Jesuits; but failing this they managed at least to bring the majority of them into ecclesiastical unity under their own rule. Thereupon the Carmelites (under Propaganda) were placed in full charge of the Syrian Christians, while those of the Latin Rite, who had been converted by Portuguese missionaries, were attached to the Diocese of Cochin. When the Dutch in 1663 drove the Portuguese out of Cochin, the Carmelites extended their care to the Latin Christians in Dutch territory. After 1700 the See of Cranganore acquired once more the allegiance of a certain portion of the Syrian Christians -- the rest, with the Latin Christians, remaining under the Carmelite Vicar Apostolic of Verapoly or Malabar. During this time the lines between the two jurisdictions were practically indefinite, and the faithful passed freely from one side to the other. In more recent times the vicar Apostolic had, besides Malabar, active centres along the coast northwards up to Portuguese limits, including Mangalore and Carwar; and there was a free interchange of missionaries between the Malabar and the Bombay vicariates. In 1838 by the Brief Multa praeclare jurisdiction was totally withdrawn from the Portuguese Sees of Cochin and Cranganore, though in many places the Portuguese clergy still remained in possession and maintained their claims to jurisdiction as derived from Goa.

The Vicariate of Verapoly, which extended indefinitely even as far as Tanjore, was curtailed by dividing of the Vicariate of Quilon in 1845, and the Vicariate of Mangalore in 183. Further retrenchments occurred when the hierarchy was established in 1886. By this act Verapoly was made into an archbishopric; Quilon became a suffragan bishopric; the padroado Diocese of Cochin was restored, but with limits much smaller than formerly; the next year the Syrian Christians were assigned to two new vicars Apostolic of the Latin Rite at Kottayam and Trichur, who thus took the place of the suppressed See of Cranganore; and only Latin Christians in the remaining territory were left to form the Archdiocese of Verapoly.

Succession of Vicars Apostolic (all Carmelites)

Joseph a Sta. Maria de Sebastiani 1656 (1661), retired before the Dutch in 1663; Alexander de Campo, 1663-1678; Thomas de Castro, 1675-1684; Raphael de Figuredo Salgado, 1681, retired on account of quarrels in 1694; Angelus Francis of St. Teresa, 1700, was in 1709 entitled "Vicar Apostolic of Cranganore and Cochin" on account of long vacancy of those sees, died 1712; John Baptist Multedo of St. Teresa, 1714-1750; Florence of Jesus of Nazareth, 1750-1773; Francis de Sales a Matre Dolorosa, 1774-1787; John Mary of St. Thomas, 1780 (died before consecration); John Mary of Jesus, 1784 (death not marked); Raymond of St. Joseph, 1803-1816; Miles Prendergast, 1819, resigned 1831; Francis Xavier Pescetto of St. Anne, 1831-1844; Ludovico Nartini of St. Teresa, 1839, resigned 1859; Bernardino Baccinelli of St. Teresa, 1847 (1859), 1868, received archiepiscopal rank; Leonardo Mellano of St. Louis, 1868, received archiepiscopal rank 1860, became first Archbishop of Verapoly in 1887, died 1897; Bernard of Jesus, present archbishop since 1897.

Religious Institutions

For Men

St. Teresa's Monastery, Ernakulam, with 7 Discalced Carmelite Fathers of the First Order and 3 lay brothers; Monastery of the Immaculate Conception, Magnumel, near Verapoly, with 9 Tertiary Carmelite Fathers, and 9 lay brothers, besides novices; St. Philomena's Monastery, Cunemao, near Verapoly, with 3 Tertiary Fathers, 3 lay brothers and some postulants.

For Women

St. Teresa's Carmelite Convent, with 7 Tertiary sisters; St. Joseph's Convent, Verapoly, with 8 sisters; and St. Joseph's Convent, Kottayam, with 4 sisters, besides novices in each convent.

Educational Institutions for Boys

St. Joseph's Preparatory Seminary, founded in 1908, with 16 students; St. Albert's High School, Ernakulam, teaching up to matriculation with 600 pupils, of whom above 100 are boarders.

For Girls

St. Teresa's Convent Boarding School, Ernakulam, with 191 pupils; St. Joseph's Boarding School Convent, Verapoly, with 95 pupils; St. Joseph's Convent Boarding School with 144 pupils; all under Tertiary Carmelite sisters. Also 10 vernacular schools and 123 parochial schools, with a collective roll of 4625 boys and 2918 girls.

Charitable Institutions for Boys

St. Joseph's Orphanage, Ernakulam, vernacular, English and industrial schools, with 30 orphans; Good Shepherd Orphanage, Kottayam, under Brothers of St. Teresa, with industrial school, etc., 28 orphans.

Orphanages for girls

St. Teresa's Orphanage, Ernakulam, with 84 orphans; St. Joseph's Orphanage, Verapoly, with 45 orphans; St. Joseph's Orphanage, Kottayam, with 39 orphans, all under Carmelite Sisters.

Various

St. Joseph's Hospital, Magnumel, and dispensary with 128 indoor and about 12,000 outdoor patients during the year. Four catechumenates at Verapoly, Magnumel, Cranganore and Kottayam. The number of conversions recorded in 1909 was 632. The publications of the archdiocese are: "Messenger of the Sacred Heart" in Malayalam; "Promptuarium Canonico-Liturgicum" for the clergy; both printed at the Industrial School Press, Ernakulam.

External links

• Official website
• Catholic Hierarchy ^{[self-published]}
• Gig-Catholic Information ^{[self-published]}

9°59′02″N 76°16′30″E / 9.9838°N 76.2751°E