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Syro-Malabar Catholic Eparchy of Palai

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This article is about the Syro-Malabar Catholic eparchy. For the Latin Catholic diocese in Chad, see Roman Catholic Diocese of Pala.

Syro-Malabar Eparchy of Palai
Coat of arms of the Syro-Malabar Eparchy of Palai
Coat of arms
Location
CountryIndia
Ecclesiastical provinceChanganassery
Statistics
Area1,166 km2 (450 sq mi)
Population
- Total
- Catholics		(as of 2009)
695,000
326,747 (47%)
Information
DenominationCatholic Church
Sui iuris churchSyro-Malabar Catholic Church
Established25 July 1950
CathedralCathedral of St Thomas in Palai
Patron saintImmaculate Conception
St Thomas the Apostle St. Alphonsa
Current leadership
PopeFrancis
Major ArchbishopRaphael Thattil
BishopJoseph Kallarangatt
Metropolitan ArchbishopJoseph Perumthottam
Auxiliary BishopsVacant
Bishops emeritusJoseph Pallikaparampil Bishop Emeritus (1981-2004)
Jacob Muricken auxiliary bishop emeritus(2012-2022)
Website
www.palaidiocese.com

The Eparchy of Palai is a Syro-Malabar Catholic ecclesiastical jurisdiction or eparchy of the Catholic Church with an area of 1166 km2[1] comprising the Meenachil taluk and a few villages of the neighbouring taluks in Kottayam, Ernakulam, and Idukki districts of central Kerala in South India. The faithful of this eparchy, numbering 326,742, belong to the ancient St. Thomas Christian community. The seat of the bishop is the St. Thomas Cathedral based in the town of Palai. The current bishop is Joseph Kallarangatt, serving since March 2004.

Pope Pius XII established the eparchy bifurcating then Eparchy of Changanacherry, and out of the territory covered by the then foranes of Palai, Muttuchira, Kuravilangad, Anakkallu and Ramapuram on 25 July 1950. Initially, the eparchy was erected as a suffragan of the Acheparchy of Ernakulam. The then apostolic nuncio to India, Archbishop Leo P. Kierkels, installed Sebastian Vayalil as the first bishop of the new eparchy. Eparchy of Changanacherry was elevated to the status of Archeparchy and constituted the new ecclesiastical province of Changanacherry on 22 August 1956. Thus, the eparchy of Palai became one of its suffragans.

Rite of Renewal of Holy Leaven (Malka) by Joseph Kallarangatt and Co Celebrant: Malpan Malpane Koonammackal Thoma Kathanar at Beth Aprem Nasrani Dayara at Kuravilangad

History

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Pope Pius XII, by the Bull "Quo Ecclesiarum", issued on 25 July 1950, bifurcated the eparchy of Changanacherry and out of the territory covered by the then Foranes of Palai, Muttuchira, Kuravilangad, Anakkallu, and Ramapuram erected the eparchy of Palai as a suffragan of the Archeparchy of Ernakulam. Leo P. Kierkels, the Apostolic Internuncio in India, published the Bull in the St. Thomas Cathedral Palai on 4 January 1951 and installed Sebastian Vayalil as the first bishop of the new eparchy. On 22 August 1956, when the Holy See by the Ap. Const. ‘Regnum Coelorum’ raised the eparchy of Changanacherry to the status of an archeparchy and constituted the new ecclesiastical province of Changanacherry, the eparchy of Palai became one of its suffragans.

Jacob Muricken was appointed as auxiliary bishop in 2012. In 2022, he received approval from Synod of Syro-Malabar Bishops to leave the position of auxiliary bishop and live as a hermit.[2] Joseph Kallarangatt is the current and third bishop of the eparchy and has held this position since 2004. As the delegate of Syro-Malabar Synod, he attended XIV Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops on Family held at Rome from 4-25 October 2015.[3]

Past and present ordinaries

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Ordinary Designation Year of appointment Last year of service
Sebastian Vayalil Bishop 1950 1981
Joseph Pallikaparampil Bishop 1981 2004
Joseph Kallarangatt Bishop 2004 present
Jacob Muricken Auxiliary bishop 2012 2022

Saints and causes for canonisation

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Foranes

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1. Palai Cathedral (St Thomas Cathedral church)[5]

2. Aruvithura (St George Forane church)[6]

3. Bharananganam (St. Mary's Forane Church, Bharananganam)[7]

4. Cherpunkal (Mar Sleeva Forane church)[8]

5. Elanji (Ss.Peter & Paul Forane church)[9]

6. Kadanad (St Augustine Forane church)[10]

7. Kaduthuruthy (St Mary's Forane church)[11]

8. Koottikal (St George Forane church)[12]

9. Kothanalloor (Ss.Gervasis & Prothasis Forane church)[13]

10. Kuravilangad (Major Archepiscopal Marth Mariam Archdeacon Pilgrim Church)[14]

11. Moolamattom (St George Forane church)[15]

12. Muttuchira (Holy Ghost Forane church)[16]

13. Poonjar (St Mary's Forane church)[17]

14. Pravithanam (St. Augustine Forane church)[18]

15. Ramapuram (St. Augustine Forane church)[19]

16. Teekoy (St Mary's Forane church)[20]

17. Thudanganad (St Thomas Forane church)[21]

References

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  1. ^ Diocesan Curia, Palai (2016). Directory. Palai: St. Thomas Press.
  2. ^ "Indian bishop quits to become a hermit - UCA News". ucanews.com. Retrieved 30 November 2022.
  3. ^ Diocesan Curia, Palai (2016). Directory. St. Thomas Press.
  4. ^ "1984". newsaints.faithweb.com. Retrieved 19 April 2023.
  5. ^ "Eparchy of Palai".
  6. ^ "Eparchy of Palai".
  7. ^ "Eparchy of Palai".
  8. ^ "Eparchy of Palai".
  9. ^ "Eparchy of Palai".
  10. ^ "Eparchy of Palai".
  11. ^ "Eparchy of Palai".
  12. ^ "Eparchy of Palai".
  13. ^ "Eparchy of Palai".
  14. ^ "Eparchy of Palai".
  15. ^ "Eparchy of Palai".
  16. ^ "Eparchy of Palai".
  17. ^ "Eparchy of Palai".
  18. ^ "Eparchy of Palai".
  19. ^ "Eparchy of Palai".
  20. ^ "Eparchy of Palai".
  21. ^ "Eparchy of Palai".
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