Syro-Malabar Catholic Archeparchy of Thrissur

The diocese was founded on 20 May 1887 by Pope Leo XIII by his papal bull Quod iam pridem. The boundaries of diocese were from Periyar (river) in Aluva to Bharathappuzha. Later it was extended to Palakkad district and extended to Coimbatore District in Tamil Nadu and was the largest Catholic diocese in India.

Rev. Medlycott has given a description about the state of facilities for education in the vicariate on his arrival in 1887 and on his return in 1896 as below:

The Vicariate of Trichur had a Catholic Syrian population of 108,422 with eighty-three parish churches and twenty-two chapels-of-ease, served by 118 priests of the Syrian Rite, besides 23 Syrian Carmelite Tertiary monks, in two monasteries; there was also a convent of 24 native Tertiary nuns with a middle-class school of 33 girls. The bishop on taking charge found that there were practically no schools, except one provided for clerics; he took early steps to open as many elementary parish schools as possible; within nine years (1888-96) the vicariate was provided with no less than 231 elementary parish schools for both sexes, educating over 12,000 children, besides a high school (St. Thomas's College), with 95 students; there were also 56 boys in St. Aloysius's High School, under the Tertiary monks.... plans were prepared to house the above college in a handsome structure. This was the condition of things when the bishop went to Europe on sick leave. [1]

The total number of parishes is 215. In addition, there are 36 stations in the archdiocese. The population of Syro-Malabar Catholics in Thrissur Archdiocese is about 4,60,848. There are 16 foranes under Thrissur Archdiocese. They are:

• Syro-Malabar Catholic Diocese of Ramanathapuram
• Syro-Malabar Catholic Diocese of Irinjalakuda
• Syro-Malabar Catholic Diocese of Palghat

• Mar Adolph Medlycott (1887 − 1896)
• Mar John Menachery (1896 − 1919)

• Mar Francis Vazhapilly (1919 − 1944)
• Mar George Alapatt (1944 − 1970)

• Mar Joseph Kundukulam (1970 − 1997)
• Mar Jacob Thoomkuzhy (1997 − 2007)
• Mar Andrews Thazhath (2007 −)

• St. Euphrasia Eluvathingal[2]
• St. Maria Theresa Chiramel[3]
• Ven. Augustine John Ukken[2]
• Ven. Joseph Vithayathil[3]
• Servant of God Fr. Antony Thachuparambil[2]
• Servant of God Sr. Maria Celine Kannanaikal, UMI[3]

• Archdiocese of Thrissur