Diocese of Vellore, India

Continent: South and East Asia

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Diocese Diocese

Name: Vellore / Velloren(sis) (Latin)

Ecclesiastical Province: Madras and Mylapore

Depends on: Dicastery for Evangelisation

Website:

Celebrations

Patron Saint: Mary Help of Christians, Saint Dominic Savio, Saint Maria Goretti

Liturgical Calendar (National) 📅

History

1952.11.13: Established as Diocese of Vellore / Velloren(sis) (Latin) (from Metropolitan Archdiocese of Madras and became suffragan of Madras and Mylapore)
1969.08.01: Lost territory to Metropolitan Archdiocese of Madras and Mylapore
1969.09.01: Gained territory from Metropolitan Archdiocese of Pondicherry and Cuddalore

Present Prelates

Bishop (2024.11.09 – ...):

Bishop Ambrose Pitchaimuthu (58)

Ordinaries

Bishops of Vellore (Roman Rite)

Bishop Ambrose Pitchaimuthu (58)
(2024.11.09 – ...)

Bishop of Vellore (India)

Born:	1966.05.03 (Cheyyur, Tamil Nādu, India)
Ordained Priest:	1993.03.25
Consecrated Bishop:	2024.12.09

Priest of Madras and Mylapore (India) (1993.03.25 – 2002.06.28)

Priest of Chingleput (India) (2002.06.28 – 2024.11.09)

Bishop of Vellore (India) (2024.11.09 – ...)

Bishop Soundaraj Periyanayagam, S.D.B.
(2006.07.11 – 2020.03.21)

Through you I live

Born:	1949.06.06 (Periya Kolappalur, India)
Ordained Priest:	1983.06.25
Consecrated Bishop:	2006.08.24
Died:	2020.03.21 (Chetpet, India † 70)

Bishop of Vellore (India) (2006.07.11 – 2020.03.21)

Bishop Malayappan Chinnappa, S.D.B. (87) (later Archbishop)
(1993.11.17 – 2005.04.01)

Metropolitan Archbishop emeritus of Madras and Mylapore (India)

To serve my life for many

Born:	1937.07.23 (Ayandur-Mugaiyur, India)
Ordained Priest:	1972.12.16
Consecrated Bishop:	1994.01.25

Bishop of Vellore (India) (1993.11.17 – 2005.04.01)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Madras and Mylapore (India) (2005.04.01 – 2012.11.21)

Bishop Savarinathan Michael Augustine (later Archbishop)
(1981.06.19 – 1992.02.18)

Life of a shepherd

Born:	1933.06.12 (India)
Ordained Priest:	1961.04.15
Consecrated Bishop:	1978.03.29
Died:	2017.11.04 († 84)

Titular Bishop of Bararus (1978.01.30 – 1981.06.19)

Auxiliary Bishop of Madras and Mylapore (India) (1978.01.30 – 1981.06.19)

Bishop of Vellore (India) (1981.06.19 – 1992.02.18)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Pondicherry and Cuddalore (India) (1992.02.18 – 2004.06.10)

Bishop Royappan Antony Muthu
(1970.11.23 – 1980.12.19)

Born:	1912.04.07 (India)
Ordained Priest:	1936.03.28
Consecrated Bishop:	1971.04.21
Died:	1980.12.19 († 68)

Bishop of Vellore (India) (1970.11.23 – 1980.12.19)

Bishop David Maryanayagam Swamidoss Pillat, S.D.B.
(1956.07.04 – 1969.07.17)

Born:	1905.01.11 (India)
Ordained Priest:	1934.07.07
Consecrated Bishop:	1956.09.09
Died:	1969.07.17 († 64)

Bishop of Vellore (India) (1956.07.04 – 1969.07.17)

Bishop Pablo Mariaselvam, S.D.B.
(1953 – 1954.06.25)

Born:	1897.03.04
Ordained Priest:	1922
Consecrated Bishop:	1953.03.19
Died:	1954.06.25 († 57)

Bishop of Vellore (India) (1953 – 1954.06.25)

Special Churches

Cathedral: Assumption Cathedral, Vellore, Tamil Nādu

Dharmapuri (↙), Cuddapah (↑), Madras and Mylapore (→), Chingleput (→), Pondicherry and Cuddalore (↘)

Statistics (2020.12.31)

Area: 12,268 km²

Population: 197,000 Catholics (3.0% of 6,532,000 total)

Pastoral Centres: 89 parishes, 1 mission

Personnel: 224 priests (131 diocesan, 93 religious), 1,010 religious (130 brothers, 880 sisters), 6 seminarians