Diocese of Palai, India (Syro-Malabar Rite)

Continent: South and East Asia

Rite: Syro-Malabar

Type: Diocese Diocese

Name: Palai / Pala / Palaien(sis) (Latin)

Ecclesiastical Province: Changanacherry

Depends on: Dicastery for the Eastern Churches

Website:

Celebrations

Patron Saint: Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception, Saint Thomas

History

1950.07.25: Established as Diocese of Palai / Pala / Palaien(sis) (Latin) (from Diocese of Changanacherry and became suffragan of Ernakulam)
1959.01.10: Became suffragan of Changanacherry

Present Prelates

Bishop (2004.03.18 – ...):

Bishop Joseph Kallarangatt (67)

Ordinaries

Bishops of Palai (Syro-Malabar Rite)

Bishop Joseph Kallarangatt (67)
(2004.03.18 – ...)

Bishop of Palai of the Syro-Malabars (India)

Duc in altum

Born:	1956.11.29 (Kayyoor, India)
Ordained Priest:	1982.01.02
Consecrated Bishop:	2004.05.02

Priest of Palai of the Syro-Malabars (India) (1982.01.02 – 2004.03.18)

Bishop of Palai of the Syro-Malabars (India) (2004.03.18 – ...)

Bishop Joseph Pallikaparampil (97)
(1981.02.06 – 2004.03.18)

Bishop emeritus of Palai of the Syro-Malabars (India)

That they may have life

Born:	1927.04.10 (Mutholapuram, India)
Ordained Priest:	1958.11.23
Consecrated Bishop:	1973.08.15

Titular Bishop of Abydus (1973.06.16 – 1981.02.06)

Auxiliary Bishop of Palai of the Syro-Malabars (India) (1973.06.16 – 1981.02.06)

Bishop of Palai of the Syro-Malabars (India) (1981.02.06 – 2004.03.18)

Bishop Sebastian Vayalil
(1950.07.25 – 1981)

Born:	1906.01.28 (India)
Ordained Priest:	1935.12.21
Consecrated Bishop:	1950.11.09
Died:	1986.11.21 († 80)

Bishop of Palai of the Syro-Malabars (India) (1950.07.25 – 1981)

Founder of Missionary Society of Saint Thomas the Apostle (1968.02.22)

Former Prelates

Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Jacob Muricken (61) (2012.08.24 – 2022.08.25)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Joseph Pallikaparampil (97) (1973.06.16 – 1981.02.06)

Special Churches

Cathedral: St. Thomas Cathedral, Pala, Kerala

Changanacherry (↙), Ernakulam–Angamaly (↖), Kothamangalam (↑), Idukki (↗), Kanjirapally (↘)

Statistics (2022.12.31)

Area: 1,166 km²

Population: 311,501 Catholics (43.9% of 709,700 total)

Pastoral Centres: 171 parishes, 3 missions

Personnel: 572 priests (423 diocesan, 149 religious), 3,299 religious (234 brothers, 3,065 sisters), 78 seminarians

Syro-Malabar Diocese of

Palai