Diocese of Vijayapuram, India

Continent: South and East Asia

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Diocese Diocese

Name: Vijayapuram / Viiayapuramen(sis) (Latin)

Ecclesiastical Province: Verapoly

Depends on: Dicastery for Evangelisation

Website:

Celebrations

Patron Saint: Immaculate Heart of Mary, Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus

Liturgical Calendar (National) 📅

History

1930.07.14: Established as Diocese of Vijayapuram / Viiayapuramen(sis) (Latin) (from Metropolitan Archdiocese of Verapoly and became suffragan of Verapoly)

Papal Visits

Pope John Paul II (1986.02)

Present Prelates

Bishop (2006.05.08 – ...):	Bishop Sebastian Thekethecheril (70)
Auxiliary Bishop (2024.01.13 – ...):	Bishop Justin Alexander Madathiparambil (52) Titular Bishop of Lysinia

Ordinaries

Bishops of Vijayapuram (Roman Rite)

Bishop Sebastian Thekethecheril (70)
(2006.05.08 – ...)

Bishop of Vijayapuram (India)

Glorify God

Born:	1954.07.30 (Aapadanad, India)
Ordained Priest:	1980.12.18
Consecrated Bishop:	2006.07.02

Priest of Vijayapuram (India) (1980.12.18 – 2006.05.08)

Bishop of Vijayapuram (India) (2006.05.08 – ...)

Bishop Peter Thuruthikonam
(1988.05.05 – 2006.05.08)

Born:	1929.08.01 (India)
Ordained Priest:	1959.03.12
Consecrated Bishop:	1988.08.04
Died:	2011.09.05 († 82)

Bishop of Vijayapuram (India) (1988.05.05 – 2006.05.08)

Bishop Cornelius Elanjikal (later Archbishop)
(1971.01.16 – 1987.01.26)

Born:	1918.09.08 (India)
Ordained Priest:	1945.03.18
Consecrated Bishop:	1971.04.04
Died:	2011.08.06 († 92)

Bishop of Vijayapuram (India) (1971.01.16 – 1987.01.26)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Verapoly (India) (1987.01.26 – 1996.06.14)

Bishop John Ambrose Abasolo y Lecue, O.C.D.
(1949.12.25 – 1971.01.16)

Born:	1904.09.23 (Spain)
Ordained Priest:	1927.09.24
Consecrated Bishop:	1950.06.11
Died:	1982.01.10 († 77)

Bishop of Vijayapuram (India) (1949.12.25 – 1971.01.16)

Bishop Marcellino Aramburu y Arandía, O.C.D.
(1948.05.13 – 1949)

Born:	1912.09.19
Ordained Priest:	1935.12.19
Died:	1949 († 37)

Bishop of Vijayapuram (India) (1948.05.13 – 1949)

Bishop Juan Vicente Arana Idígoras, O.C.D.
(1931.03.24 – 1946.06.14)

Born:	1880.01.22 (Spain)
Ordained Priest:	1905.06.25
Consecrated Bishop:	1931.06.29
Died:	1958.03.26 († 78)

Bishop of Vijayapuram (India) (1931.03.24 – 1946.06.14)

Titular Bishop of Siniandus (1946.06.14 – 1958.03.26)

Special Churches

Cathedral: Immaculate Heart of Mary Cathedral, Kottayam, Kerala
Minor Basilica: Basilica of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Munnar, Kerala

Churches by City (85)

Alleppey (←), Cochin (↖), Verapoly (↖), Coimbatore (↑), Dindigul (↗), Madurai (→), Palayamkottai (↘)

Statistics (2022.12.31)

Area: 9,000 km²

Population: 94,440 Catholics (1.7% of 5,415,467 total)

Pastoral Centres: 84 parishes

Personnel: 169 priests (102 diocesan, 67 religious), 520 religious (100 brothers, 420 sisters), 24 seminarians