Metropolitan Archdiocese of Bangalore, India 🇮🇳

Continent: South and East Asia

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Metropolitan Archdiocese Metr. Archdiocese

Name: Bangalore / Bangaloren(sis) (Latin)

Suffragan Sees: Belgaum, Bellary, Chikmagalur, Gulbarga, Karwar, Mangalore, Mysore, Shimoga, Udupi

Depends on: Dicastery for Evangelisation

Website:

Celebrations

Patron Saint: Saint Francis Xavier

Liturgical Calendar (National) 📅

History

1940.02.13: Established as Diocese of Bangalore / Bangaloren(sis) (Latin) (from Diocese of Mysore and became suffragan of Pondicherry)
1953.09.19: Promoted as Metropolitan Archdiocese of Bangalore / Bangaloren(sis) (Latin) (with suffragan sees Belgaum, Bellary, Mangalore and Mysore)
1963.11.16: Gained suffragan see Chikmagalur
1976.01.24: Gained suffragan see Karwar
1988.11.14: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Shimoga and gained suffragan see Shimoga
2005.06.24: Gained suffragan see Gulbarga
2012.07.16: Gained suffragan see Udupi

Present Prelates

Metropolitan Archbishop (2018.03.19 – ...):	Archbishop Peter Machado (71) Vice-President of Conference of Catholic Bishops of India
Auxiliary Bishop (2024.07.13 – ...):	Bishop Arokia Raj Satis Kumar (48) Titular Bishop of Castellum minus
Auxiliary Bishop (2024.07.13 – ...):	Bishop Joseph Soosainathan (61) Titular Bishop of Castra Galbæ

Ordinaries

Metropolitan Archbishops of Bangalore (Roman Rite)

Archbishop Peter Machado (71)
(2018.03.19 – ...)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Bangalore (India)
Vice-President of Conference of Catholic Bishops of India

Christ peace reigns over us

Born:	1954.05.26 (Honavar, India)
Ordained Priest:	1978.12.08
Consecrated Bishop:	2006.03.30

Priest of Belgaum (India) (1978.12.08 – 2006.02.02)

Bishop of Belgaum (India) (2006.02.02 – 2018.03.19)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Bangalore (India) (2018.03.19 – ...)

Vice-President of Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (2025.02.02 – ...)

Archbishop Bernard Blasius Moras (84)
(2004.07.22 – 2018.03.19)

Metropolitan Archbishop emeritus of Bangalore (India)

In thee we hope–Mary our Mother

Born:	1941.08.10 (Kuppepadavu, India)
Ordained Priest:	1967.12.06
Consecrated Bishop:	1997.02.25

Priest of Mangalore (India) (1967.12.06 – 1996.11.30)

Bishop of Belgaum (India) (1996.11.30 – 2004.07.22)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Bangalore (India) (2004.07.22 – 2018.03.19)

Apostolic Administrator of Bellary (India) (2006.11.18 – 2008.03.15)

Apostolic Administrator of Mysore (India) (2023.01.07 – 2025.08.15)

Archbishop Ignatius Paul Pinto
(1998.09.10 – 2004.07.22)

Ora et labora

Born:	1925.05.18 (Bantval, India)
Ordained Priest:	1952.08.24
Consecrated Bishop:	1989.01.31
Died:	2023.02.08 (Bangalore, India † 97)

Bishop of Shimoga (India) (1988.11.14 – 1998.09.10)

General Secretary of Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (1994 – 1998)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Bangalore (India) (1998.09.10 – 2004.07.22)

Archbishop Alphonsus Mathias
(1986.09.12 – 1998.03.24)

Sub tuum præsidium

Born:	1928.06.22 (Pangala, India)
Ordained Priest:	1954.08.24
Consecrated Bishop:	1964.02.05
Died:	2024.07.10 (Bangalore, India † 96)

Priest of Mangalore (India) (1954.08.24 – 1963.11.16)

Bishop of Chikmagalur (India) (1963.11.16 – 1986.09.12)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Bangalore (India) (1986.09.12 – 1998.03.24)

President of Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (1989 – 1994)

Archbishop Packiam Arokiaswamy
(1971.12.06 – 1986.09.12)

Heart filled with love

Born:	1921.02.20 (India)
Ordained Priest:	1946.12.12
Consecrated Bishop:	1971.04.28
Died:	2003.05.22 († 82)

Bishop of Ootacamund (India) (1971.01.16 – 1971.12.06)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Bangalore (India) (1971.12.06 – 1986.09.12)

Archbishop-Bishop of Tanjore (India) (1986.09.12 – 1997.06.28)

Archbishop Duraisamy Simon Lourdusamy (later Cardinal)
(1968.01.11 – 1971.04.30)

Ædificare domum Dei

Born:	1924.02.05 (Kallery, India)
Ordained Priest:	1951.12.21
Consecrated Bishop:	1962.08.22
Created Cardinal:	1985.05.25
Died:	2014.06.02 (Roma, Italy † 90)

Priest of Pondicherry and Cuddalore (India) (1951.12.21 – 1962.07.02)

Titular Bishop of Sozusa in Libya (1962.07.02 – 1964.11.09)

Auxiliary Bishop of Bangalore (India) (1962.07.02 – 1964.11.09)

Titular Archbishop of Philippi (1964.11.09 – 1968.01.11)

Coadjutor Archbishop of Bangalore (India) (1964.11.09 – 1968.01.11)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Bangalore (India) (1968.01.11 – 1971.04.30)

Secretary of Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith (1973.02.26 – 1985.10.30)

Cardinal-Deacon of S. Maria delle Grazie alle Fornaci fuori Porta Cavalleggeri (1985.05.25 – 1996.01.29)

Prefect of Congregation for the Oriental Churches (1985.10.30 – 1991.05.24)

Protodeacon of College of Cardinals (1993.04.05 – 1996.01.29)

Cardinal-Priest of S. Maria delle Grazie alle Fornaci fuori Porta Cavalleggeri pro hac vice Title (1996.01.29 – 2014.06.02)

Archbishop Thomas Pothacamury
(1953.09.19 – 1968.01.11)

Born:	1889.09.02 (India)
Ordained Priest:	1916.12.17
Consecrated Bishop:	1940.06.29
Died:	1968.05.18 († 78)

Bishop of Guntur (India) (1940.04.09 – 1942.10.15)

Bishop of Bangalore (India) (1942.10.15 – 1953.09.19)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Bangalore (India) (1953.09.19 – 1968.01.11)

Titular Archbishop of Thimida regia (1968.01.11 – 1968.05.18)

Bishops of Bangalore (Roman Rite)

Bishop Thomas Pothacamury (later Archbishop)
(1942.10.15 – 1953.09.19)

(see above)

Bishop Maurice-Bernard-Benoit-Joseph Despatures, M.E.P.
(1940.02.13 – 1942.09.06)

Born:	1873.07.04 (France)
Ordained Priest:	1897.06.27
Consecrated Bishop:	1922.10.28
Died:	1963.08.26 († 90)

Bishop of Mysore (India) (1922.06.21 – 1940.02.13)

Bishop of Bangalore (India) (1940.02.13 – 1942.09.06)

Titular Bishop of Benda (1942.09.06 – 1963.08.26)

Former Prelates

Coadjutor Archbishop: Archbishop Duraisamy Simon Lourdusamy (later Cardinal) (1964.11.09 – 1968.01.11)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Duraisamy Simon Lourdusamy (later Cardinal) (1962.07.02 – 1964.11.09)

Special Churches

Cathedral: St. Francis Xavier Cathedral, Bengaluru, Karnātaka
Former Cathedral: Church of St. Patrick, Bengaluru, Karnātaka
Minor Basilica: St. Mary’s Basilica, Bengaluru, Karnātaka
Jubilee Churches in the Holy Year 2025

Mysore (↙), Chikmagalur (←), Shimoga (↖), Kurnool (↑), Cuddapah (↗), Dharmapuri (↘)

Statistics (2022.12.31)

Area: 27,123 km²

Population: 364,259 Catholics (2.0% of 18,055,540 total)

Pastoral Centres: 126 parishes, 9 missions

Personnel: 577 priests (145 diocesan, 432 religious), 4,765 religious (2,227 brothers, 2,538 sisters), 41 seminarians