Roman Catholic Diocese of Kottar

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Kottar (Latin: Kottaren(sis), Tamil: கோட்டாறு மறைமாவட்டம்) is a Latin rite suffragan diocese in the ecclesiastical province of , Kottar, Kanyakumari District, southern India[1] yet depends on the missionary Roman Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples

Diocese of Kottar

Dioecesis Kottarensis

கோட்டாறு மறைமாவட்டம்
Location
Country India
Ecclesiastical provinceMadurai
MetropolitanMadurai
Coordinates8°11′00.9″N 77°24′42.7″E
Statistics
Area1,665 km2 (643 sq mi)
Population
- Total
- Catholics (including non-members)		(as of 2004)
1,720,250
477,174 (27.7%)
Parishes170
Information
DenominationRoman Catholic
RiteLatin Rite
Established26 May 1930
CathedralCathedral of St Francis Xavier in Kottar
Patron saintSt. Francis Xavier
Current leadership
PopeFrancis
BishopNazarene Soosai
Metropolitan ArchbishopAntony Pappusamy
Vicar GeneralRev. Fr. Hillarius
Website
Official website

Its episcopal see is Cathedral of St. Francis Xavier at Kottar in the town of Nagercoil, Tamil Nadu. It was built by St. Francis Xavier in 1544 AD, rebuilt in 1603 over the small chapel original chapel, expanded in both 1713 and 1806.[2]

Antecedents

The Kottar parish was a constituent of Malabar Vicariate since 1657 AD and came under Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Verapoly.[3] Again it became the southern center of Diocese of Quilon at its erection in 1853 AD.

Saints and causes for canonisation

History
  • Established on 26 May 1930 as Diocese of Kottar / Kottaren(sis) (Latin), on territory split off from the Diocese of Quilon.[5]
  • Due to linguistic reasons as per reorganization of States, Kottar diocese was formally detached from the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Verapoly (in Kerala) and made suffragan of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Madurai (Tamil Nadu) instead in 1963.[3]
  • Lost territory on 2014.12.22 to establish the Diocese of Kuzhithurai.

Episcopal ordinaries
Suffragan Bishops of Kottar

(all Roman Rite natives)

  • ?Aloysius Benziger
  • Lorenzo (Lawrence) Pereira (26 May 1930 – death 7 January 1938)
  • Thomas Roch Agniswami, Society of Jesus (S.J.) (5 January 1939 – retired 23 November 1970), died 1974
  • Marianus Arokiasamy (23 November 1970 – 3 July 1987), next Metropolitan Archbishop of Madurai (India) (1987.07.03 – retired 2003.03.22), also Vice-President of Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (1991 – 1993 & 1994 – 1996), President of Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (1997 – 1999), died 2007
  • Leon Augustine Tharmaraj (14 November 1988 – death 16 January 2007)
  • Peter Remigius (30 June 2007 – retired 20 May 2017.05.20), previously Bishop of Kumbakonam (Tamilnadu, India) (1989.11.10 – 2007.06.30)
  • Nazarene Soosai (2017.05.20 – ...), nor previous prelature

[6]

Statistics

As per 2017, it pastorally serves 252,797 Catholics on 750 km² in 92 parishes with 243 priests (208 diocesan, 35 religious), 480 lay religious (35 brothers, 445 sisters) and 42 seminarians.

See also

References
  1. Cheney, David M. "Madurai (Archdiocese) [Catholic-Hierarchy]". www.catholic-hierarchy.org. Retrieved 16 September 2016.
  2. "St. Francis Xavier's footprints across the country". The Hindu. 4 December 2006. Retrieved 24 September 2016.
  3. "Diocese of Kottar". www.kottardiocese.org. Retrieved 16 September 2016.
  4. "INDIA A gift for the Year of Faith: the beatification of the first Indian layman". www.asianews.it. Retrieved 16 September 2016.
  5. "History of St. Xavier's Cathedral, Kotta" (PDF). www.francisxaviers.com. Retrieved 16 September 2016.
  6. "Diocese of Kottar". www.kottardiocese.org. Retrieved 16 September 2016.
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