THE HISTORY OF THE ARCHDIOCESE OF VERAPOLY
The Archdiocese of Verapoly was originally known as the Vicariate of Malabar. It has its origin in 1657, with the arrival of Carmelite missionaries, most prominent among whom was Fr. Joseph of St.Mary, better known as Joseph Sebastiani. They had been deputed under Fr.Hycinth as Apostolic commissar, by Pope Alexander VII to effect a reconciliation of St.Thomas Christians of the Syro-Chaldaic Rite, who had seceded from their Archbishop Francis Garcia S.J. The majority of them had in 1653 revolted against the Archbishop and forsaking his authority by taking an oath for the purpose at the foot of a cross-thereafter called the Coonan Cross- situated in Mattanchery,had illegally made their Archdeacon the Archbishop by going through a farcical ceremony. By the efforts of Sebastiani a large number of Seceders were brought back to the true fold. Nevertheless, they refused to be under the authority of their lawful Archbishop or under any prelate of the Jesuit Order known as ''Paulists''. Rome being informed of the situation by Sebastiani in person, decided to entrust the Carmelites with the spiritual care of the Syro-Chaldaic Rite. For this purpose the Vicariate of Malabar was erected by Pope Alexander VII on the 3rd Decemeber, 1659.Sebastiani was consecrated Titular Bishop of Hierapolis on December 15, 1659 and sent back to Malabar, with the title of Vicar Apostolic and Administrator of the Archbishopric of Cranganore. The new Vicariate eventually established its headquarters in the island of Verapoly. The conquest of Portuguese territories in Malabar and especially of Cochin in 1663 by the Dutch and the consequent expulsion of all catholic missionaries from the territories occupied by the Dutch and elsewhere, threatened the very existence of Malabar Vicariate. Nevertheless it survived under the prelate of Indian Prelate Parambil Chandy (Alexander de Campo) whom Sebastiani had consecrated the Successor before he left Malabar in 1663.Before long Carmelites were allowed to resume their ministration which was by then extended also to the Catholics of the Latin Rite who were under Portuguese protection. On the 13th of March 1709 by a Brief of Pope Clement XI Malabar Vicariate was suppressed and the Vicariate of Verapoly took its place with Bishop Angelo Francisco as its first Vicar Apostolic. By the Brief "Multa Praeclara" of Pope Gregory XVI, dated 24th April 1838, the Sees of Cranganore and Cochin which at the time included also Quilon were annexed to the Vicariate of Verapoly which thus came to comprise the whole of Malabar. However in 1845, Qulin was severed from Verapoly as a Suffragan Vicariate. When by the famous Apostolic Letter "Humanae Salutis Auctor" of Leo XIII dated Sept.1, 1886, the Hierarchy of India was established, the Vicariate of Verapoly was raised to the status of an Archdiocese with the Most Rev.Dr. Leonard Mellano of St.Louis OCD as its first Archbishop who was the 17th in the line of the Vicars Apostolic. Along with this in 1886, the diocese of Cochin was resuscitated and reconstituted with 34 Latin Churches taken from the Archdiocese of Verapoly and the Diocese of Quilon. On 19th of March, 1887 the Catholics of the Syrian Rite were separated from those of the Latin Rite and placed under the Administrator Dr. Marcelino Bernard of St.Theresa OCD, who was consecrated Co-adjutor to Archbishop Mellano. By brief "Quod Jam Pridem" of Pope Leo XIII dated 20th of May 1887, the Syrians were exempted from the jurisdiction of the Archdiocese of Verapoly and the two Vicariates of Trichur and Kottayam were erected with Dr.Adolpus E. Medlycott and Dr.Charles Lavigne as their Vicars Apostolic. Thus the Archdiocese of Verapoly came to consist exclusively of Latin Catholics.
Transfer of the Archdiocesan head quarters from the Island of Verapoly to Ernakulum:
Before the close of 17th century great changes had taken place in the regions in and around Cochin. The industrial, social, economic and educational developments made the Island of Verapoly unsuitable for the activities of modern life. The need was therefore felt for shifting the headquarters of the Archdiocese of Verapoly to a more suitable centre for the efficient and effective administration of the Archdiocese. During the last decades of the 19th century, Ernakulam became the heart and centre of the Latin Catholic population. At that time, in Ernakulam the Latin Catholic numbered 3759 with two important Churches, while the Syrian Catholic population was only 350 souls with only one church. In the areas lying within the radius of 10 Kms from the centre of Ernakulam there lived more than 46% of total Archdiocesan population with 14 churches, having28340 parishioners, while for the Syrian Catholic population at the time there were only 5 churches with 3948 parishioners. It was this state of affairs that prompted Archbishop Bernard Arguinzone to transfer the headquarters to Ernkulam in 1904 with due permission from Rome and be in the midst of his flock.
Even when the Syrian Vicariate of Ernakulum was raised to the status of an Archdiocese in 1923, the Syrian Catholic population was only 610 with only one church, while the Latin Catholics numbered 14683 with 4 churches within the Municipal limits.
Former Vicar Apostolic of Malabar Vicariate (Archdiocese of Verapoly)
1. Bp. Joseph of S.Maria de Sabastiani OCD: 1661-1663
2. Bp. Alexander de Campo (Parambil Chandy):1663-1678
3. BP. Raphael de Figueredo, Salgrado: 1677-1695
4. Bp.Custodius de Pinho: nominated Vicar Apostolic but died before he could assume office.
5. Bp. Angelo Francis of St.Theresa OCD: 1709-1712
6. Bp.John Baptist Multedi of St.Theresa OCD: 1718-1750
7. Bp.Florence of Jesus of Nazareth OCD:1750-1773
8. Bp. Francis De Sales a Mater Dolorosa OCD:1775-1780
9. Fr.John Mary of St.Thomas OCD: he was nominated but died before consecration.
10.Bp. Aloysius Mary of Jesus OCD:1784-1802
11.Bp.Raymond of JosephOCD :1808-1816
12.Bp.Miles Pendargast OCD:1819-1828
13.Bp.Maurelius Stabline :1828-1831
14.Bp.Francis Xavier Pescetto of St.Anne OCD:1831-1844
15.Archbishop Loudovic Martini of St.Teresa OCD:1844-1859
16.The Most Rev.Bernadine Baccenelli of St.Theresa OCD:1847-1868
FORMER METROPOLITANS:
1. Most Rev.Dr.Leonard Mellano of St.Louis OCD:1868-1897
2. Most Rev.Dr.Bernard of Jesus Argiunzons OCD:1898-1919
3. Most Rev.Dr.Angel Mary Perez Cecelia OCD:1915-1934
4. Most Rev.Dr.Joseph Attipetty :1934-1970
5. Most Rev.Dr.Joseph Kelanthara:1971-1986
6. Most Rev. Dr. Antony Thannikkot: 1978-1984
7. Most Rev.Dr.Cornelius Elenjikkal:1987-1996
8. Most Rev.Dr.Daniel Acharuparambil OCD:1996-2009
9. Most Rev.Dr.Francis Kallarackal:2010-
The Archdiocese of Verapoly was originally known as the Vicariate of Malabar. It has its origin in 1657, with the arrival of Carmelite missionaries, most prominent among whom was Fr. Joseph of St.Mary, better known as Joseph Sebastiani. They had been deputed under Fr.Hycinth as Apostolic commissar, by Pope Alexander VII to effect a reconciliation of St.Thomas Christians of the Syro-Chaldaic Rite, who had seceded from their Archbishop Francis Garcia S.J. The majority of them had in 1653 revolted against the Archbishop and forsaking his authority by taking an oath for the purpose at the foot of a cross-thereafter called the Coonan Cross- situated in Mattanchery,had illegally made their Archdeacon the Archbishop by going through a farcical ceremony. By the efforts of Sebastiani a large number of Seceders were brought back to the true fold. Nevertheless, they refused to be under the authority of their lawful Archbishop or under any prelate of the Jesuit Order known as ''Paulists''. Rome being informed of the situation by Sebastiani in person, decided to entrust the Carmelites with the spiritual care of the Syro-Chaldaic Rite. For this purpose the Vicariate of Malabar was erected by Pope Alexander VII on the 3rd Decemeber, 1659.Sebastiani was consecrated Titular Bishop of Hierapolis on December 15, 1659 and sent back to Malabar, with the title of Vicar Apostolic and Administrator of the Archbishopric of Cranganore. The new Vicariate eventually established its headquarters in the island of Verapoly. The conquest of Portuguese territories in Malabar and especially of Cochin in 1663 by the Dutch and the consequent expulsion of all catholic missionaries from the territories occupied by the Dutch and elsewhere, threatened the very existence of Malabar Vicariate. Nevertheless it survived under the prelate of Indian Prelate Parambil Chandy (Alexander de Campo) whom Sebastiani had consecrated the Successor before he left Malabar in 1663.Before long Carmelites were allowed to resume their ministration which was by then extended also to the Catholics of the Latin Rite who were under Portuguese protection. On the 13th of March 1709 by a Brief of Pope Clement XI Malabar Vicariate was suppressed and the Vicariate of Verapoly took its place with Bishop Angelo Francisco as its first Vicar Apostolic. By the Brief "Multa Praeclara" of Pope Gregory XVI, dated 24th April 1838, the Sees of Cranganore and Cochin which at the time included also Quilon were annexed to the Vicariate of Verapoly which thus came to comprise the whole of Malabar. However in 1845, Qulin was severed from Verapoly as a Suffragan Vicariate. When by the famous Apostolic Letter "Humanae Salutis Auctor" of Leo XIII dated Sept.1, 1886, the Hierarchy of India was established, the Vicariate of Verapoly was raised to the status of an Archdiocese with the Most Rev.Dr. Leonard Mellano of St.Louis OCD as its first Archbishop who was the 17th in the line of the Vicars Apostolic. Along with this in 1886, the diocese of Cochin was resuscitated and reconstituted with 34 Latin Churches taken from the Archdiocese of Verapoly and the Diocese of Quilon. On 19th of March, 1887 the Catholics of the Syrian Rite were separated from those of the Latin Rite and placed under the Administrator Dr. Marcelino Bernard of St.Theresa OCD, who was consecrated Co-adjutor to Archbishop Mellano. By brief "Quod Jam Pridem" of Pope Leo XIII dated 20th of May 1887, the Syrians were exempted from the jurisdiction of the Archdiocese of Verapoly and the two Vicariates of Trichur and Kottayam were erected with Dr.Adolpus E. Medlycott and Dr.Charles Lavigne as their Vicars Apostolic. Thus the Archdiocese of Verapoly came to consist exclusively of Latin Catholics.
Transfer of the Archdiocesan head quarters from the Island of Verapoly to Ernakulum:
Before the close of 17th century great changes had taken place in the regions in and around Cochin. The industrial, social, economic and educational developments made the Island of Verapoly unsuitable for the activities of modern life. The need was therefore felt for shifting the headquarters of the Archdiocese of Verapoly to a more suitable centre for the efficient and effective administration of the Archdiocese. During the last decades of the 19th century, Ernakulam became the heart and centre of the Latin Catholic population. At that time, in Ernakulam the Latin Catholic numbered 3759 with two important Churches, while the Syrian Catholic population was only 350 souls with only one church. In the areas lying within the radius of 10 Kms from the centre of Ernakulam there lived more than 46% of total Archdiocesan population with 14 churches, having28340 parishioners, while for the Syrian Catholic population at the time there were only 5 churches with 3948 parishioners. It was this state of affairs that prompted Archbishop Bernard Arguinzone to transfer the headquarters to Ernkulam in 1904 with due permission from Rome and be in the midst of his flock.
Even when the Syrian Vicariate of Ernakulum was raised to the status of an Archdiocese in 1923, the Syrian Catholic population was only 610 with only one church, while the Latin Catholics numbered 14683 with 4 churches within the Municipal limits.
Former Vicar Apostolic of Malabar Vicariate (Archdiocese of Verapoly)
1. Bp. Joseph of S.Maria de Sabastiani OCD: 1661-1663
2. Bp. Alexander de Campo (Parambil Chandy):1663-1678
3. BP. Raphael de Figueredo, Salgrado: 1677-1695
4. Bp.Custodius de Pinho: nominated Vicar Apostolic but died before he could assume office.
5. Bp. Angelo Francis of St.Theresa OCD: 1709-1712
6. Bp.John Baptist Multedi of St.Theresa OCD: 1718-1750
7. Bp.Florence of Jesus of Nazareth OCD:1750-1773
8. Bp. Francis De Sales a Mater Dolorosa OCD:1775-1780
9. Fr.John Mary of St.Thomas OCD: he was nominated but died before consecration.
10.Bp. Aloysius Mary of Jesus OCD:1784-1802
11.Bp.Raymond of JosephOCD :1808-1816
12.Bp.Miles Pendargast OCD:1819-1828
13.Bp.Maurelius Stabline :1828-1831
14.Bp.Francis Xavier Pescetto of St.Anne OCD:1831-1844
15.Archbishop Loudovic Martini of St.Teresa OCD:1844-1859
16.The Most Rev.Bernadine Baccenelli of St.Theresa OCD:1847-1868
FORMER METROPOLITANS:
1. Most Rev.Dr.Leonard Mellano of St.Louis OCD:1868-1897
2. Most Rev.Dr.Bernard of Jesus Argiunzons OCD:1898-1919
3. Most Rev.Dr.Angel Mary Perez Cecelia OCD:1915-1934
4. Most Rev.Dr.Joseph Attipetty :1934-1970
5. Most Rev.Dr.Joseph Kelanthara:1971-1986
6. Most Rev. Dr. Antony Thannikkot: 1978-1984
7. Most Rev.Dr.Cornelius Elenjikkal:1987-1996
8. Most Rev.Dr.Daniel Acharuparambil OCD:1996-2009
9. Most Rev.Dr.Francis Kallarackal:2010-
