History
The District of North Arcot (here after called as Vellore District)
with exclusion of the Arakkonam, Walajapet and Gudiyattam Taluks
formed part of the Pondicherry Archdiocese upto 1928.
When the Archdiocese of Madras was entrusted to Salesians of
Don Bosco in 1928, the whole civil district of Vellore (except
the three taluks of Palmaner, Tiruthani and Chittur in the civil
district of Chittur) was attached to the old Archdiocese of
Madras (Chennai). On November 13, 1952, when the Archdiocese
was amalgamated and made into the Archdiocese of Madras - Mylapore,
Vellore district with the above three taluks of Chittur district,
were detached from the old Archdiocese of Madras and created
into the Diocese of Vellore, which comprises the districts of
Vellore (excluding its two taluks of Chengam and Tiruvannamalai)
and a part of the district of Chittur (i.e. the two taluks of
Palmaner and Chittur) and the taluks of Tiruthani in the district
of Chingleput.
By a decree, Pro., No. 6404 / 69, dated September 1, 1969 of
the Sacred Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, the
taluk of Tiruthani in the district of Chingleput belonging to
the Diocese of Vellore was detached from it and added to the
Archdiocese of Madras - Mylapore, and the Taluks of Tiruvannamalai
and Chengam in the district of Vellore belonging to the Archdiocese
of Pondicherry - Cuddalore were detached from it and added to
the Diocese of Vellore.
By a decree, Prot. No. 218 / 75 dated January 20, 1975, of the
Sacred Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, the five
taluks of the civil district of Chittur, namely, Chittur, Palmaner,
Kuppam, Bangarupalayam and Stayavedu belonging to the Diocese
of Vellore were detached from it and added to the diocese of
Nellore, Andhra Pradesh. The civil district of North Arcot was
divided into Vellore district and Tiruvannamalai district in
October 1989. So the Diocese of Vellore now comprises both the
civil districts of Vellore, Tiruvannamalai formerly known as
North Arcot Ambedkar and Tiruvannamalai Sambuvarayar districts.
Bp
SOUNDARAJ PERIYANAYAGAM, S.D.B
Born : Jun. 06, 1949
Priestly Ordn.: Jun. 25, 1983
Appointed Bishop : Jul. 11, 2006
Episcopal Ordn.: Aug. 24, 2006
Address:
Diocesan Administrator
Bishop's House
34, Officers' Line
Vellore Dist. Vellore - 632 001
Tamilnadu.
Tel: (0416)
22 32 570 (O), 22 32 699 (P)
Fax: (0416) 22 32 182, 22 26 977
E-mail: bishopamc@yahoo.com
Area: 12,265 sq. kms.
Total population: 57,85,981
Christians: 2,70,397
Catholics: 1,70,400
Languages spoken: English, Tamil, Telugu and Urdu.
Revenue districts: Vellore.
Statistics
Diocesan Clergy: 150
Religious Priests: 50
Religious Brothers: 15
Religious Women: 500
No. of Parishes: 76
Houses of Women Religious: 110
Houses of Men Religious: 25
Formation Houses
Minor Seminary:01
No. of Educational Institutions: 83
Technical Institutions: 02
Sr. Secondary Schools (10+2): 02
Students: 2,200
High Schools (10th std.): 15
Students: 12,600
Primary Schools: 53
Students: 37,100
