# Roman Catholic Diocese of Cochin

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Cochin (Latin: Diœcesis Coccinensis) is a Roman Catholic Diocese in Kochi, Kerala, India. A constituent of the sui iuris Latin Church, the diocese was established in 1557 after the domination of the Portuguese-speaking missionaries. The diocese is a suffragan church to the ecclesiastical province of the Metropolitan Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Verapoly, and serves the Latin Catholics of Malabar.
The diocese is situated with the Arabian Sea in the west, the Archdiocese of Verapoly in both north and east, and the Diocese of Alleppey in the south. The Santa Cruz Cathedral Basilica in Fort Cochin is the diocese's cathedral where the Diocesan Administrator resides. Pope Francis appointed James Raphael Anaparambil, Bishop of Diocese of Alleppey, as apostolic administrator sede plena to the diocese on 11 October 2024.

## History

The early Christian missionaries arrived in India from Portugal in 1550, pioneering the Portuguese mission in the country. Subsequently, the Christians of Kochi began practicing the Latin liturgical rite. St. Francis Xavier often visited the land of Kochi, where he offered holy mass at the St. Francis Church, in which lies the body of Vasco da Gama buried in 1524. The Order of the Franciscans built a monastery in 1518 and two more, of the Jesuit Order, in 1550 and 1561. In 1553 the Dominicans sisters started a College and Monastery in Kochi, and before 1557, publication began and book printing began in Kochi. The Society of Jesus was then founded by Father Balthazar Gago, S.J. in 1550 and in 1560, the King of Portugal built for the Society of Jesus, the college of Kochi, and in 1562, a novitiate of the Society was established there. Following the rising of the land, Pope Leo X, in 1514 erected the Diocese of Funchal, and in 1534, the Diocese of Goa which was joined by the people in Kochi. The diocese of Cochin was elected by Pope Paul IV on 4 February 1557, in his decree "Pro Excellenti Praeeminentia" for the two new suffragan dioceses (the other being Diocese of Malacca). After its erection as a diocese, it was the second and preceded southern and eastern India, Burma, and Ceylon (now Sri Lanka). It was later reorganized following the Concordat of 23 June 1886, between Leo XIII and King Luiz of Portugal.
Before the missionaries, people of Malabar practiced Hinduism, Christianity, Islam, and Judaism. Three out of the eight Franciscan friars, who sailed from Lisbon to India died in the 1500 masacre in Kozhikode. The survivors then settled at Kochi and from there began the foundation of the Diocese of Cochin. They also received support from other missionaries working from the city which was a centre. Vasco da Gama, a messenger from Portugal who had arrived at Cochin accepted the writings of the early converted Christians for the King of Portugal. The Syrian Bishop of those Christians promised obedience to the pope through the Franciscan missionaries and two Nestorian priests, who later accompanied Gama to Lisbon en route for Rome. The pioneer priests of the diocese, Franciscans João d'Elvas and Pedro d'Amarante until 1507, preached the Gospel at Vypin, Pallippuram, and Kodungallur. Father Vincent de Lagos established the College of Kodungallur in 1540 to train the Nestorian Christians.
The Papal Bull of Pope Paul IV, which was used earlier in erecting the diocese was also utilised in raising the collegiate church of the Holy Cross, and the parish church of Cochin to a cathedral of the diocese with the first Bishop of Cochin, a Dominican Father Jorge Tremudo. In 1577, Brother João Gonsalves, S.J. was engraved at Cochin for the first time, thus, outlined the first Malealam book Outlines of Christian Doctrine, which was written in Portuguese by St. Francis Xavier to aid children. Cochin was taken on 6 January 1663, by the Dutch after a siege of six months. The city was reduced in size; the clergy were expelled; the monasteries and colleges, bishop's palace, etc, were razed to the ground. The church of St. Francis of Assisi, belonging to the Franciscan monastery was spared by the conquerors and converted for their religious use. After the English overthrew the Dutch, they kept the church which was turned into a merchandise to serve as a witness to the past four centuries, as well as an existing oldest church in India.

## Administration

* Pope: Francis
* Apostolic Administrator: Bishop James Raphael Anaparambil
* Delegate of the Apostolic Administrator : Very Rev Msgr Shaiju Pariathussery
* Episcopal Vicar For Religious & Judicial Vicar: Very Rev Fr Antony Kattiparambil
* Chancellor: Very Rev Dr Johney Xavier Puthukkattu
* Procurator: Very Rev Fr Maxon Kuttikattu
* Minor Seminary Rector: Very Rev Dr Antony Santhosh Veluthedath

## Ordinaries

| Sl.no | Ordinary | Year of appointment | Last year of service |
| 1 | Dom Jorge Temudo O.P | 1557 | 1567 |
| 2 | Dom Henrique de Távora e Brito O.P | 1576 | 1578 |
| 3 | Dom Antonio De Baja | 1578 | 1578 |
| 4 | Dom Matheus De Medina O.S.A. | 1579 | 1588 |
| 5 | Dom Andrea De Sant Maria O.F.M | 1588 | 1610 |
| 6 | Dom Sebastianos A Santa Pedro O.A. | 1615 | 1624 |
| 7 | Dom Luiz De Britto A Menezes O.S.A. | 1628 | 1629 |
| 8 | Dom Francesco Baretto | 1630 | 1630 |
| 9 | Dom Miguel Da Cruz Rangal O.P | 1633 | 1646 |
| 10 | Dom Antonio Da Serpa | 1647 | 1647 |
| 11 | Dom Joao Celo | 1650 | 1650 |
| 12 | Dom Fabio Dos Reis | 1668 | 1668 |
| 13 | Dom Fernando Da santa Maria | 1672 | 1672 |
| 14 | Dom Antonio Da Santo Dionysio O.S.A. | 1676 | 1685 |
| 15 | Dom Pedro Da Silva O.S.A. | 1688 | 1691 |
| 16 | Dom Antonio Da Santa Teresa | 1692 | 1692 |
| 17 | Dom Pedro Pachecco O.P. | 1694 | 1713 |
| 18 | Dom Francesco Pedro Dos Martyres | 1717 | 1717 |
| 19 | Dom Francesco De Vasconselo | 1722 | 1742 |
| 20 | Dom Antonio De Conceisao | 1745 | 1745 |
| 21 | Dom Clement Jose Colocao Leita S.J | 1745 | 1776 |
| 22 | Dom Sebastiao Da Costa | 1777 | 1777 |
| 23 | Dom Manuel De Santa Catherina O.C.D. | 1778 | 1785 |
| 24 | Dom Jose De Soledad O.C.D. | 1785 | 1818 |
| 25 | Dom Tomas De Noronha E Britto O.P. | 1819 | 1819 |
| 26 | Dom Joakim De Santa Rita Boethello | 1832 | 1832 |
| 27 | Dom Joao Gomez Ferreira | 1887 | 1897 |
| 28 | Dom Mateus de Oliveira Xavier | 1898 | 1908 |
| 29 | Dom Jose Bento Martin Rebeiro | 1909 | 1931 |
| 30 | Dom Abilio Agusto Vas Das Neves | 1934 | 1939 |
| 31 | Dom José Vieira Alvernaz | 1942 | 1951 |
| 32 | Rt. Rev. Dr. Alexander Edezhath | 1952 | 1975 |
| 33 | Rt. Rev. Dr. Joseph Kureethara | 1975 | 1999 |
| 34 | Rt. Rev Dr. John Thattumkal | 2000 | 2008 |
| 35 | Rt. Rev Dr. Joseph Kariyil | 2009 | 2024 |

## Parishes

The Diocese Of Cochin is blessed with fifty one independent parishes with resident priests under six ecclesiastical districts as follows
FIRST DISTRICT – FORT COCHIN FORANE :
| IMAGE | NAME OF THE PARISH | YEAR ESTABLISHED |
| | Santa Cruz Cathedral Basilica Fort Kochi | 1505 |
| | Church of Our Lady of Life Mattancherry | 9th century |
| | Church of Our Lady of Hope Fort Vypeen | 1605 |
| | St Peter and Paul Church Amaravathy | 1857 |
| | Holy Family Church Nazareth | 1901 |
| | Stella Maris Church Willington Island | 1955 |
| | St Joseph's Bethlehem Church Chullicakal | 1974 |
| | St Mary's Church Kochery | 2016 |
| SECOND DISTRICT – KANNAMALY FORANE |||
| | St Antony's Forane Church Kannamaly | 1873 |
| | St Louis Church Mundamveli | 9th century |
| | St Sebastian's Church Chellaanam | 1832 |
| | St Joseph's Church Cheriyakadavu | 1968 |
| | St Francis Assisi Church Kaattiparambu | 1980 |
| | St Thomas Apostle Church Santhome | 1990 |
| | St John The Baptist Church Anjilithara | 2019 |
| THIRD DISTRICT – EDAKOCHI FORANE |||
| | St Lawrence Church Edakochi | 9th century |
| | St Sebastian's Church Thoppumpady | 1833 |
| | Santa Cruz Church Perumpadappu | 1965 |
| | St Joseph's Church Chirackal | 1965 |
| | St Mary's Church North Edakochi | 1978 |
| | St Lawrence Church Palluruthy | 1986 |
| | St Thomas More Church Palluruthy | 1991 |
| | St Joseph's Church Maduracompany | 2012 |
| | Santa Maria Church Perumpadappu | 2018 |
| FOURTH DISTRICT – KUMBALANGHI FORANE |||
| | St George Church Pazhangad | 1869 |
| | St Peter's Church Kumbalanghi | 1875 |
| | St Joseph's Church North Kumbalanghi | 1967 |
| | Immaculate Conception Church Ezhupunna | 1977 |
| | St Sebastian's Church Neendakara | 1977 |
| | Sacred Heart Church Kumbalanghi | 1994 |
| | St Martin De Porres Church Kallencherry | 1996 |
| | Holy Maris Church Azheekakam | 2014 |
| | San Jose Church Ettumkal | 2014 |
| FIFTH DISTRICT – AROOR FORANE |||
| | St Augustine's Church Aroor | 1901 |
| | St Francis Xavier Church Eramalloor | 1843 |
| | St Joseph's Church Kumbalam | 1977 |
| | St Antony's Church Arookutty | 1978 |
| | St Joseph's Church Vallithod | 1986 |
| | Our Lady Of Fatima Church Kodamthuruth |
| | St Mary's Church Chandiroor | 2004 |
| | St Sebastian's Church Karunyapuram | 2013 |
| | Little Flower Church Perumbalam | 2013 |
| | St Jude Church Eramalloor | |
| | Queen Of Peace Church Ezhupunna | 2024 |
| SIXTH DISTRICT – THANKEY FORANE |||
| | St Mary's Forane Church Thankey | 1832 |
| | Our Lady Of Assumption Church Poomkavu | 1860 |
| | St George Church Arthumkal | 1866 |
| | St Francis Xavier Church Vayalar | 1936 |
| | St Sebastian's Church Areeparambu | 2016 |
| | St George Church Arasupuram | 2017 |
| | St Antony's Church Pathirapally | |
In "9th century" there were only "three" parishes in Kochi:
St. Lawrence Church Edakochi,
Our Lady Of Life Church Mattancherry, and
St. Louis Church Mundamveli.

## Pilgrim and Novena Centers

PILGRIM AND NOVENA CENTERS :
| NAME OF THE CHURCH | VENERATION |
| HOLY CROSS PILGRIM CENTER (COONAN KURISU) MATTANCHERRY | HOLY CROSS |
| OUR LADY OF VELANKANNI SHRINE,MARUVAKAD, CHELLANAM | OUR LADY OF HEALTH |
| ST JOSEPH'S MIRACULOUS SHRINE KANNAMALY | ST JOSEPH |
| ST SEBASTIAN'S CHURCH EDACOCHIN,TOMB OF SERVANT OF GOD MSGR.LAWRENCE PULIYANATH | MSGR.LAWRENCE PULIYANATH (Servant Of God) |

## Saints and causes for canonisation

* St Francis Xavier
* St John De Britto
* St Joseph Vaz
* St Theresa Of Culcutta
* St Devasahayam
* Venerable Matteo Ricci
* St Francis Xavier worked in the costal belt of the diocese as a missionary,often visited the diocese.
* St John De Britto visited the diocese on his way towards his mission.
* St Joseph Vaz served the diocese as its Vicar General.
* St Theresa Of Culcutta, widley known as Mother Theresa,visited the diocese and inaugurated Cochin Institute of printing technology (CIPT Press) In Thoppumpady.
* St Devasahayam a member of the diocese during his great martyrdom.
* Venerable Matteo Ricci Ordained as a Priest in Santa Cruz Cathedral Basilica Fort Kochi.
* Servant of God Lawrence Puliyanath, a dioceasean priest who is often called as the apostle of the poor,served in the parish of St Lawrence Church Edacochin as Assistant Vicar and Later Vicar for more that 33 years.