Roman Catholic Diocese of Vijayapuram

Diocese of Vijayapuram

*Dioecesis Viiayapuramensis*

വിജയപുരം രൂപത
Diocese of Vijayapuram; Dioecesis Viiayapuramensis; വിജയപുരം രൂപത
	Immaculate Heart of Mary Cathedral in Kottayam
Patron saint	Immaculate Heart of Mary
Current leadership
Pope	Francis
Bishop	Sebastian Thekethecheril
Metropolitan Archbishop	Joseph Kalathiparambil
Auxiliary Bishops	Justin Alexander Madathiparambil
Website
	Website of the Diocese

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Vijayapuram (

Verapoly

in India.

History

The Diocese of Vijayapuram was established on 14 July 1930 from the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Verapoly.^[1]

Leadership

Bishops of Vijayapuram (Roman Rite)^[2]
- Bishop Sebastian Thekethecheril (8 May 2006 – present)
- Bishop Peter Thuruthikonam (5 May 1988 – 8 May 2006)
- Bishop Cornelius Elanjikal (later Archbishop) (16 January 1971 – 26 January 1987)
- Bishop John Ambrose Abasolo y Lecue, OCD (25 December 1949 – 16 January 1971)
- Bishop Domenico Grassi, (3 December 1938 – 9 May 1951)
- Bishop Domenico Grassi, (Apostolic Administrator 13 April 1937 – 3 December 1938)
- Bishop Domenico Grassi, (1933 – 13 April 1937)
- Bishop Juan Vicente Arana Idígoras, OCD (24 March 1931 – 14 June 1946)

History

With the

Alleppey, Pathanamthitta, and Ernakulam

.

Many factors facilitated the formation of this diocese. The presence of Roman Catholics in this area is due to rapid migration from within and outside the state. The first phase of the migration started in the middle of the 18th century when Latin Catholics from the

OCD

, at the end of the 19th century geared upon the fourth phase of the history of the Diocese of Vijayapuram. Brother Rockey, as a zealous father, worked hard in Kottayam, Thellakom, Chengalam and Kumarakom and preached the Good News to the native people. He opted to serve the poor, sidelined, marginalized and downtrodden and thus secured the name "Apostle of the Outcastes".

The area Church work of the Archdiocese of Verapoly entrusted to the Carmelites was created to be the Diocese of Vijayapuram. The administration was in the hands of the Carmelites of the Navara Province.

Languages spoken: Malayalam and Tamil Revenue districts: Kottayam, Idukki, Ernakulam, Alleppey, Pathanamthitta