Diocese of Tuticorin, India

Continent: South and East Asia

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Diocese Diocese

Name: Tuticorin / Tuticoren(sis) (Latin)

Ecclesiastical Province: Madurai

Depends on: Dicastery for Evangelisation

Website:

Celebrations

Patron Saint: Saint Francis Xavier, Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus

Liturgical Calendar (National) 📅

History

1923.06.12: Established as Diocese of Tuticorin / Tuticoren(sis) (Latin) (from Diocese of Trichinopoly and became suffragan of Bombay)
1929.07.03: Gained territory from Diocese of São Tomé de Meliapor
1953.09.19: Became suffragan of Madurai

Present Prelates

Bishop (2019.01.17 – ...):

Bishop Stephen Antony Pillai (72)

Ordinaries

Bishops of Tuticorin (Roman Rite)

Bishop Stephen Antony Pillai (72)
(2019.01.17 – ...)

Bishop of Tuticorin (India)

Born:	1952.06.22 (Keezha Manakudy, India)
Ordained Priest:	1979.05.07
Consecrated Bishop:	2019.02.24

Priest of Vellore (India) (1979.05.07 – 2019.01.17)

Bishop of Tuticorin (India) (2019.01.17 – ...)

Apostolic Administrator of Sivagangai (India) (2021.06.04 – 2023.09.21)

Bishop Yvon Ambroise (82)
(2005.04.01 – 2019.01.17)

Bishop emeritus of Tuticorin (India)

Life in fullness

Born:	1942.08.30 (Pondicherry, India)
Ordained Priest:	1967.12.23
Consecrated Bishop:	2005.05.18

Priest of Pondicherry and Cuddalore (India) (1967.12.23 – 2005.04.01)

Bishop of Tuticorin (India) (2005.04.01 – 2019.01.17)

Bishop Peter Fernando (later Archbishop)
(1999.12.08 – 2003.03.22)

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)

Bishop Siluvaimathu Teresanathan Amalnather
(1980.11.29 – 1999.12.08)

Born:	1925.11.17 (India)
Ordained Priest:	1951.08.24
Consecrated Bishop:	1981.02.04
Died:	2010.02.14 († 84)

Bishop of Tuticorin (India) (1980.11.29 – 1999.12.08)

Bishop Ambrose Mathalaimuthu
(1971.08.30 – 1979.12.06)

Born:	1925.07.20 (India)
Ordained Priest:	1951.12.21
Consecrated Bishop:	1971.12.09
Died:	2009.11.15 († 84)

Bishop of Tuticorin (India) (1971.08.30 – 1979.12.06)

Bishop of Coimbatore (India) (1979.12.06 – 2002.07.10)

Bishop Thomas Fernando
(1953.06.26 – 1970.11.23)

Born:	1913.05.09 (India)
Ordained Priest:	1939.03.18
Consecrated Bishop:	1950.10.01
Died:	2006.07.04 († 93)

Titular Bishop of Abitinæ (1950.06.25 – 1953.06.26)

Coadjutor Bishop of Tuticorin (India) (1950.06.25 – 1953.06.26)

Bishop of Tuticorin (India) (1953.06.26 – 1970.11.23)

Bishop of Tiruchirapalli (India) (1970.11.23 – 1990.10.06)

Bishop Francesco Tiburzio Roche, S.J.
(1923.06.12 – 1953.06.26)

Born:	1879.04.14 (India)
Ordained Priest:	1910.10.02
Consecrated Bishop:	1923.09.23
Died:	1955.12.17 († 76)

Bishop of Tuticorin (India) (1923.06.12 – 1953.06.26)

Titular Bishop of Amadassa (1953.06.26 – 1955.12.17)

Former Prelates

Coadjutor Bishop: Bishop Peter Fernando (later Archbishop) (1996.02.23 – 1999.12.08)
Coadjutor Bishop: Bishop Thomas Fernando (1950.06.25 – 1953.06.26)

Special Churches

Cathedral: Cathedral of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary, Thoothukudi, Tamil Nādu
Minor Basilica: Shrine Basilica of Our Lady of the Snows, Thoothukudi, Tamil Nādu

Kottar (↙), Palayamkottai (←), Madurai (↑), Sivagangai (↗)

Statistics (2022.12.31)

Area: 6,440 km²

Population: 440,330 Catholics (15.5% of 2,839,110 total)

Pastoral Centres: 118 parishes, 1 mission

Personnel: 247 priests (201 diocesan, 46 religious), 846 religious (74 brothers, 772 sisters), 34 seminarians