Syro-Malabar Catholic Eparchy of Palghat

The Eparchy of Palghat is a diocese of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church, centred on the city of Palakkad in the state of Kerala, in South India. It is a suffragan bishopric of the Archdiocese of Trichur. The current bishop is Peter Kochupurackal, who was appointed in 2022.

Eparchy of Palghat
Location
CountryIndia
Ecclesiastical provinceSyro-Malabar Catholic Archeparchy of Thrissur
MetropolitanSyro-Malabar Archbishop of Thrissur
Information
DenominationSyro-Malabar Catholic
RiteEast Syriac Rite
Current leadership
PopeFrancis
Major ArchbishopMetropolitan and Gate of All India Mar George Alenchery
BishopMar Peter Kochupurackal
Metropolitan ArchbishopMar Andrews Thazhath
Bishops emeritusMar Jacob Manathodath

History of Diocese of Palghat (Palakkad)
Mar Jacob Manathodath, bishop of Palakkad diocese, releasing the biography of Venerable Payyappilly Mar Varghese Kathanar during his 82nd death anniversary by handing over a copy of it to his great-nephew Mathai Payyappilly Palakkappilly

The Eparchy of Palghat was erected on 20 June 1974, through the Decree "Apostolico Requirente" by Pope Paul VI, bifurcating the eparchy of Trichur and adding into the territory of the new eparchy a few parishes of the eparchy of Tellichery, which were in the district of Palakkad. It was a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Ernakulam. The eparchy was inaugurated on 8 September 1974. The episcopal ordination of Msgr. Joseph Irimpen and his assumption of office as the first bishop of the eparchy took place on the same day. It is now a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Trichur. The eparchy covers an area of 28515 km2 and it comprises the civil district of Palakkad in Kerala and the districts of Coimbatore, Erode, Karur and Tirupur in Tamil Nadu. At the time of the inauguration of the Eparchy it had a total of 16 parishes and 8 stations. The number of diocesan priests was 14 and that of the adherents was 20810. It has now 69057 adherents, 127 priests incarnated to it and 99 parishes and 45 stations. Bishop Irimpen retired from his office on 6 December 1994 and died on 23 August 1997. Msgr. Joseph Veliyathil served the Eparchy as its Administrator from 6 December 1994 to 1 February 1997. Pope John Paul II nominated Bishop Jacob Manathodath, then the Auxiliary Bishop of Ernakulam-Angamaly as the Bishop of Palghat on 11 November 1996. Bishop Manathodath took canonical possession of the eparchy on 1 February 1997.

The diocese of Palghat was bifurcated and a new diocese, named Ramanathapuram, was erected on 18 January 2010.


Statistics of the Diocese of Palghat (As of April 2010)

Diocese of Palghat - Geographical Area, 4,480 km2 (Palakkad Dt)

  • Catholic Families: 12,521
  • Catholics: 56,668
  • Priests:
    • Diocesan 121
    • Working 8
  • Religious Men 59
  • Religious Women 1,051
  • Diocesan Seminarians :
    • Theologians 15
    • Regents 11
    • Philosophers 25
    • Minor Seminarians 34
  • Foranes 8
  • Parishes 74
  • Stations 43

References

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