Diocese of Tanjore, India

Continent: South and East Asia

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Diocese Diocese

Name: Tanjore / Thanjavur / Tanioren(sis) (Latin)

Ecclesiastical Province: Pondicherry and Cuddalore

Depends on: Dicastery for Evangelisation

Website:

Celebrations

Patron Saint: Sacred Heart of Jesus, Our Lady of Health

Liturgical Calendar (National) 📅

History

1952.11.13: Established as Diocese of Tanjore / Thanjavur / Tanioren(sis) (Latin) (from Metropolitan Archdiocese of Madras and became suffragan of Madras and Mylapore)
1953.09.19: Became suffragan of Pondicherry and Cuddalore

Present Prelates

Bishop (2024.07.13 – ...):

Bishop Sagayaraj Thamburaj (55)

Ordinaries

Bishops of Tanjore (Roman Rite)

Bishop Sagayaraj Thamburaj (55)
(2024.07.13 – ...)

Bishop of Tanjore (India)

Born:	1969.03.14 (Ayyampatty, India)
Ordained Priest:	1996.04.17
Consecrated Bishop:	2024.08.18

Priest of Tiruchirapalli (India) (1996.04.17 – 2024.07.13)

Bishop of Tanjore (India) (2024.07.13 – ...)

Bishop Devadass Ambrose Mariadoss
(1997.06.28 – 2023.02.04)

Pacem per crucem

Born:	1947.10.08 (Ammapet, India)
Ordained Priest:	1974.08.05
Consecrated Bishop:	1997.09.24
Died:	2024.05.26 (Thanjavur, India † 76)

Priest of Tanjore (India) (1974.08.05 – 1997.06.28)

Bishop of Tanjore (India) (1997.06.28 – 2023.02.04)

Apostolic Administrator of Tiruchirapalli (India) (2018.07.14 – 2021.06.29)

Archbishop Packiam Arokiaswamy
(1986.09.12 – 1997.06.28)

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)

Bishop Rajarethinam Arokiasamy Sundaram
(1953.02.04 – 1986.09.12)

Cor Jesu et Mariæ spes mea

Born:	1905.06.10 (India)
Ordained Priest:	1941.02.24
Consecrated Bishop:	1953.03.19
Died:	1998.08.28 († 93)

Bishop of Tanjore (India) (1953.02.04 – 1986.09.12)

Special Churches

Cathedral: Sacred Heart Cathedral, Thanjavur, Tamil Nādu
Minor Basilica: Basilica of Our Lady of Good Health, Velankanni, Tamil Nādu

Sivagangai (↙), Tiruchirapalli (←), Kumbakonam (↗), Jaffna (↘)

Statistics (2022.12.31)

Area: 10,518 km²

Population: 473,690 Catholics (6.7% of 7,096,260 total)

Pastoral Centres: 96 parishes

Personnel: 255 priests (182 diocesan, 73 religious), 842 religious (81 brothers, 761 sisters), 24 seminarians