Metropolitan Archdiocese of Tellicherry, India (Syro-Malabar Rite)

Continent: South and East Asia

Rite: Syro-Malabar

Type: Metropolitan Archdiocese Metr. Archdiocese

Name: Tellicherry / Thalassery / Tellicherrien(sis) (Latin)

Suffragan Sees: Belthangady, Bhadravathi, Mananthavady, Mandya, Thamarasserry

Depends on: Dicastery for the Eastern Churches

Website:

Celebrations

Patron Saint: Saint Joseph

History

1953.12.31: Established as Diocese of Tellicherry / Thalassery / Tellicherrien(sis) (Latin) (from Diocese of Calicut and became suffragan of Ernakulam)
1955.04.29: Gained territory from Diocese of Mangalore and Diocese of Mysore
1973.03.01: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Mananthavady
1975.12.04: Lost territory to Diocese of Mananthavady
1986.04.28: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Thamarasserry
1995.05.18: Promoted as Metropolitan Archdiocese of Tellicherry / Thalassery / Tellicherrien(sis) (Latin) (with suffragan sees Mananthavady and Thamarasserry)
1999.04.24: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Belthangady and gained suffragan see Belthangady
2007.08.29: Gained suffragan see Bhadravathi
2010.01.18: Gained suffragan see Mandya

Present Prelates

Metropolitan Archbishop (2022.01.15 – ...):

Archbishop Joseph Pamplany (55)

Major-Archepiscopal Vicar of Ernakulam–Angamaly of the Syro-Malabars (India)

Secretary of Synod of the Syro-Malabar Church

Ordinaries

Metropolitan Archbishops of Tellicherry (Syro-Malabar Rite)

Archbishop Joseph Pamplany (55)
(2022.01.15 – ...)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Tellicherry of the Syro-Malabars (India)
Major-Archepiscopal Vicar of Ernakulam–Angamaly of the Syro-Malabars (India)
Secretary of Synod of the Syro-Malabar Church

Born:	1969.12.11 (Charal, India)
Ordained Priest:	1997.12.30
Consecrated Bishop:	2017.11.08

Priest of Tellicherry of the Syro-Malabars (India) (1997.12.30 – 2017.09.01)

Titular Bishop of Numluli (2017.09.01 – 2022.01.15)

Auxiliary Bishop of Tellicherry of the Syro-Malabars (India) (2017.09.01 – 2022.01.15)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Tellicherry of the Syro-Malabars (India) (2022.01.15 – ...)

Secretary of Synod of the Syro-Malabar Church (2022.08? – ...)

Major-Archepiscopal Vicar of Ernakulam–Angamaly of the Syro-Malabars (India) (2025.01.11 – ...)

Archbishop George Njaralakatt (78)
(2014.08.29 – 2022.01.15)

Metropolitan Archbishop emeritus of Tellicherry of the Syro-Malabars (India)

To have life and have it abundantly

Born:	1946.06.23 (Kalayanthani, India)
Ordained Priest:	1971.12.20
Consecrated Bishop:	2010.04.07

Priest of Tellicherry of the Syro-Malabars (India) (1971.12.20 – 2010.01.18)

Bishop of Mandya of the Syro-Malabars (India) (2010.01.18 – 2014.08.29)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Tellicherry of the Syro-Malabars (India) (2014.08.29 – 2022.01.15)

Second Vice-President of Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (2018.02.09 – 2022.11.11)

Archbishop George Valiamattam (86)
(1995.05.18 – 2014.08.29)

Metropolitan Archbishop emeritus of Tellicherry of the Syro-Malabars (India)

Born:	1938.09.16 (Kodencherry, India)
Ordained Priest:	1963.11.30
Consecrated Bishop:	1989.05.01

Priest of Tellicherry of the Syro-Malabars (India) (1963.11.30 – 1989.02.18)

Bishop of Tellicherry of the Syro-Malabars (India) (1989.02.18 – 1995.05.18)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Tellicherry of the Syro-Malabars (India) (1995.05.18 – 2014.08.29)

Bishops of Tellicherry (Syro-Malabar Rite)

Bishop George Valiamattam (86) (later Archbishop)
(1989.02.18 – 1995.05.18)

(see above)

Bishop Sebastian Valloppilly
(1955.10.16 – 1989.02.18)

Born:	1911.08.04 (India)
Ordained Priest:	1945.08.24
Consecrated Bishop:	1956.01.08
Died:	2006.04.04 († 94)

Bishop of Tellicherry of the Syro-Malabars (India) (1955.10.16 – 1989.02.18)

Former Prelates

Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Joseph Pamplany (55) (later Archbishop) (2017.09.01 – 2022.01.15)

Special Churches

Cathedral: St. Joseph’s Cathedral, Palissery, Kerala
Minor Basilica: Basilica of Lourde Matha, Chemperi, Kerala

Belthangady (↑), Mananthavady (→), Thamarasserry (↘)

Statistics (2021.12.31)

Area: 4,958 km²

Population: 277,000 Catholics (7.2% of 3,852,000 total)

Pastoral Centres: 254 parishes

Personnel: 503 priests (328 diocesan, 175 religious), 2,393 religious (425 brothers, 1,968 sisters), 119 seminarians

Syro-Malabar Metropolitan Archdiocese of

Tellicherry