Diocese of Chanda, India 🇮🇳 (Syro-Malabar Rite)

Continent: South and East Asia

Rite: Syro-Malabar

Type: Diocese Diocese

Name: Chanda / Chandaën(sis) (Latin)

Ecclesiastical Province: Kalyan

Neighbouring Dioceses: Adilabad (↙), Amravati (↖), Nagpur (↑), Raipur (↗), Jagdalpur (→), Warangal (↓)

Depends on: Dicastery for the Eastern Churches

Website:

Celebrations

Patron Saint: Saint Thomas

History

1962.03.31: Established as Ordinariate of Chanda / Chandaën(sis) (Latin) (from Metropolitan Archdiocese of Nagpur)
1968.07.29: Promoted as Apostolic Exarchate of Chanda / Chandaën(sis) (Latin) (gained territory from Diocese of Amravati)
1977.02.26: Promoted as Diocese of Chanda / Chandaën(sis) (Latin) (became suffragan of Nagpur)
1999.06.23: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Adilabad
2025.08.28: Gained territory from Diocese of Shamshabad and became suffragan of Kalyan

Present Prelates

Bishop (2014.07.31 – ...):

Bishop Ephrem Nariculam (65)

Ordinaries

Bishops of Chanda (Syro-Malabar Rite)

Bishop Ephrem Nariculam (65)
(2014.07.31 – ...)

Bishop of Chanda of the Syro-Malabars (India)

Born:	1960.12.10 (Sanjopuram, India)
Ordained Priest:	1986.12.27
Consecrated Bishop:	2014.10.24

Priest of Ernakulam–Angamaly of the Syro-Malabars (India) (1986.12.27 – 2014.07.31)

Bishop of Chanda of the Syro-Malabars (India) (2014.07.31 – ...)

Bishop Vijay Anand Nedumpuram, C.M.I. (88)
(1990.04.20 – 2014.07.31)

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

Born:	1938.09.24 (Cherpumkal, India)
Ordained Priest:	1967.05.17
Consecrated Bishop:	1990.07.03

Prior General of Carmelites of Mary Immaculate (1985 – 1990.04.20)

Bishop of Chanda of the Syro-Malabars (India) (1990.04.20 – 2014.07.31)

Bishop Januarius Paul Palathuruthy, C.M.I.
(1977.02.26 – 1990.04.20)

Born:	1913.03.20 (Konthuruthy, India)
Ordained Priest:	1942.03.07
Consecrated Bishop:	1977.05.03
Died:	1995.03.28 († 82)

Ordinary of Chanda of the Syro-Malabars (India) (1962.06.12 – 1968.07.29)

Apostolic Exarch of Chanda of the Syro-Malabars (India) (1968.07.29 – 1977.02.26)

Bishop of Chanda of the Syro-Malabars (India) (1977.02.26 – 1990.04.20)

Apostolic Exarchs of Chanda (Syro-Malabar Rite)

Fr. Januarius Paul Palathuruthy, C.M.I. (later Bishop)
(1968.07.29 – 1977.02.26)

(see above)

Ordinaries of Chanda (Syro-Malabar Rite)

Fr. Januarius Paul Palathuruthy, C.M.I. (later Bishop)
(1962.06.12 – 1968.07.29)

(see above)

Special Churches

Cathedral: St. Thomas Cathedral, Balharshah, Mahārāshtra

Adilabad (↙), Amravati (↖), Nagpur (↑), Raipur (↗), Jagdalpur (→), Warangal (↓)

Statistics (2025)

Area: 86,505 km²

Population: 13,145 Catholics (0.1% of 22,174,447 total)

Pastoral Centres: 11 parishes, 41 missions

Personnel: 102 priests (52 diocesan, 50 religious), 578 religious (115 brothers, 463 sisters), 29 seminarians

Syro-Malabar Diocese of