Metropolitan Archdiocese of Madurai, India

Continent: South and East Asia

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Metropolitan Archdiocese Metr. Archdiocese

Name: Madurai / Madhuraien(sis) (Latin)

Suffragan Sees: Dindigul, Kottar, Kuzhithurai, Palayamkottai, Sivagangai, Tiruchirapalli, Tuticorin

Depends on: Dicastery for Evangelisation

Websites:

Celebrations

Patron Saint: Saint John de Britto

Liturgical Calendar (National) 📅

History

1938.01.08: Established as Diocese of Madura / Maduren(sis) (Latin) (from Diocese of Trichinopoly and became suffragan of Bombay)
1950.10.21: Renamed as Diocese of Madurai / Madhuraien(sis) (Latin)
1953.09.19: Promoted as Metropolitan Archdiocese of Madurai / Madhuraien(sis) (Latin) (with suffragan sees Kottar, Tiruchirapalli and Tuticorin)
1973.05.17: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Palayamkottai and gained suffragan see Palayamkottai
1987.07.03: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Sivagangai and gained suffragan see Sivagangai
2003.10.30: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Dindigul and gained suffragan see Dindigul
2014.12.22: Gained suffragan see Kuzhithurai

Present Prelates

Metropolitan Archbishop:	vacant
Apostolic Administrator (2024.11.04 – ...):	Bishop Antonysamy Savarimuthu (63) Bishop of Palayamkottai (India)

Ordinaries

Metropolitan Archbishops of Madurai (Roman Rite)

Bishop Antonysamy Savarimuthu (63)
(Apostolic Administrator 2024.11.04 – ...)

Archbishop Antony Pappusamy (75)
(2014.07.26 – 2024.11.04)

Metropolitan Archbishop emeritus of Madurai (India)

Arise

Born:	1949.10.01 (Marambadi, India)
Ordained Priest:	1976.07.07
Consecrated Bishop:	1999.02.04

Priest of Madurai (India) (1976.07.07 – 1998.11.05)

Titular Bishop of Zaba (1998.11.05 – 2003.10.30)

Auxiliary Bishop of Madurai (India) (1998.11.05 – 2003.10.30)

Bishop of Dindigul (India) (2003.10.30 – 2014.07.26)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Madurai (India) (2014.07.26 – 2024.11.04)

Apostolic Administrator of Palayamkottai (India) (2018.06.29 – 2019.11.20)

Apostolic Administrator of Kuzhithurai (India) (2020.06.06 – 2024.01.13)

Archbishop Peter Fernando
(2003.03.22 – 2014.07.26)

Born:	1939.03.22 (India)
Ordained Priest:	1971.05.31
Consecrated Bishop:	1996.05.29
Died:	2016.12.31 († 77)

Coadjutor Bishop of Tuticorin (India) (1996.02.23 – 1999.12.08)

Bishop of Tuticorin (India) (1999.12.08 – 2003.03.22)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Madurai (India) (2003.03.22 – 2014.07.26)

Archbishop Marianus Arokiasamy
(1987.07.03 – 2003.03.22)

Born:	1927.08.31 (India)
Ordained Priest:	1954.12.07
Consecrated Bishop:	1971.02.17
Died:	2007.03.22 († 79)

Bishop of Kottar (India) (1970.11.23 – 1987.07.03)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Madurai (India) (1987.07.03 – 2003.03.22)

Vice-President of Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (1991 – 1993)

Vice-President of Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (1994 – 1996)

President of Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (1997 – 1999)

Archbishop Casimir Gnanadickam, S.J.
(1984.12.03 – 1987.01.26)

Born:	1925.04.25 (India)
Ordained Priest:	1957.07.28
Consecrated Bishop:	1985.06.16
Died:	1993.11.10 († 68)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Madurai (India) (1984.12.03 – 1987.01.26)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Madras and Mylapore (India) (1987.01.26 – 1993.11.10)

Vice-President of Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (1993 – 1993.11.10)

Archbishop Justin Diraviam
(1967.04.13 – 1984.12.03)

Born:	1907.04.08 (India)
Ordained Priest:	1935.04.06
Consecrated Bishop:	1967.07.09
Died:	1991.01.25 († 83)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Madurai (India) (1967.04.13 – 1984.12.03)

Archbishop John Peter Leonard, S.J.
(1953.09.19 – 1967.04.13)

Born:	1889.12.29 (Luxembourg)
Ordained Priest:	1921.12.08
Consecrated Bishop:	1936.03.15
Died:	1985.12.05 († 95)

Bishop of Trichinopoly (India) (1936.01.02 – 1938.01.08)

Bishop of Madurai (India) (1938.01.08 – 1953.09.19)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Madurai (India) (1953.09.19 – 1967.04.13)

Titular Archbishop of Izirzada (1967.04.13 – 1976.07.25)

Bishops of Madurai (Roman Rite)

Bishop John Peter Leonard, S.J. (later Archbishop)
(1938.01.08 – 1953.09.19)

(see above)

Former Prelates

Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Antony Pappusamy (75) (later Archbishop) (1998.11.05 – 2003.10.30)

Special Churches

Cathedral: Cathedral of Our Lady of Dolours, Madurai, Tamil Nādu

Vijayapuram (←), Dindigul (↑), Tiruchirapalli (↗), Sivagangai (→), Tuticorin (↓), Palayamkottai (↓)

Statistics (2021.12.31)

Area: 8,010 km²

Population: 275,000 Catholics (3.9% of 7,083,000 total)

Pastoral Centres: 79 parishes, 2 missions

Personnel: 343 priests (89 diocesan, 254 religious), 1,607 religious (394 brothers, 1,213 sisters), 21 seminarians