History
The Archdiocese of Verapoly lies in the civil district of Ernakulam
of Kerala State. Since 1904 it has its headquarters at Ernakulam
in the Corporation of Cochin. Within the corporation, the Archdiocese
of Verapoly and the Diocese of Cochin (both the Latin Rite)
and the Archdiocese of Ernakulam (of the Syrian Rite) have their
headquarters. The Corporation of Cochin, according to the statistics
of 1988 has a population of 513,000 of which about 220,000 are
Catholics and 88% of the Catholic population is of the Latin
Rite more than half of the Latins belonging to the Archidocese
of Verapoly and the rest to the Diocese of Cochin and Aleppey.
The Archdiocese of Verapoly was originally known as the Vicariate
of Malabar. It has its origins in 1657, with the arrival of
Carmelite Missionaries, most prominent among whom was Father
Joseph of St. Mary, better known as Joseph Sebastiani. They
had been deputed under Father Hyacinth as Apostolic Commissar,
by Pope Alexander VII to effect reconciliation of St. Thomas
Christians of the Syro – Chaldaic Rite, who had seceded
from their Archbishop forsaking his authority by taking an oath
for the purpose at the foot of a cross – thereafter called
the ‘Coonen Cross’ situated in Mattancherry, had
illegally made their Archdeacon the Archbishop by going through
a farcica ceremony .By the efforts of Sebastiani a large number
of seceders were brought back to the true fold. Nevertheless,
they refused to be under the authority of their lawful Archbishop
or under any prelate of the Jesuit Order known as the ‘Paulists’.
Rome, being informed of the situation by Sebastiani in person,
decided to entrust, the Carmelites with the spiritual care of
the Syro – Chaldiaic Rite. For this purpose the Vicariate
of Malabar was erected by Pope Alexanded VII on the 3rd December,
1659. Sebastiani was consecrated Titular Bishop of Hierapolis
on December 15, 1659 and sent back to Malabar with the title
of Vicar Apostolic and Administrator of the Archbishopric of
Cranganore. The new Vicariate eventually established its headquarters
in the island of Verapoly.
The conquest of Portuguese territories in Malabar and especially
of Cochin in 1663 by the Dutch and the consequent explusion
of all Catholic Missionaries from the territories occupied by
the Dutch and elsewhere, threatened the very existence of the
Malabar Vicariate. Nevertheless, it survived under the Indian
Prelate Parambil Chandy (Alexander de Campo) whom Sebastiani
had consecrated as his successor before he left Malabar in 1663.
Before long, Carmelites were allowed to resume their ministration
which was by then extended also to the Catholics of the Latin
Rite who were under Portuguese Protection.
On the 13th of March 1709, by a Brief of Pope Clement XI, the
Malabar Vicariate was suppressed and the Vicariate of Verapoly
took its place with Bishop Agnelos Francisco as its first Vicar
Apostolic.
By the Brief “Multa Praeclara” of Pope Gregory XVI,
dated April 24, 1838, the Sees of Cranganore and Cochin which
at that time included also Quilon, were annexed to the Vicariate
of Verapoly, which thus came to comprise the whole of Malabar.
However in 1845, Quilon was separated from Verapoly as a suffragan
Vicariate.
When by the famous Apostolic Letter “Humanae Salutis Auctor”
of Pope Leo XIII, dated September 1, 1886, the Hierarchy of
India was established, the Vicariate of Verapoly was raised
to the status of an Archdiocese, with the Most Rev. Dr. Leonard
Mellano of St. Louis, ocd, as its first Archbishop, who was
the 17th in the line of Vicars Apostolic.
Along with this in 1886 the Diocese of Cochin was also resuscitated
and reconstituted with 34 Latin Churches taken from the Archdiocese
of Verapoly and the Diocese of Quilon.
On March 19, 1887, the Catholics of the Syrian Rite were separated
from those of the Latin Rite and placed under an Administrator,
Dr. Marcelino Bernard of St. Theresa, ocd, who was consecrated
Coadjutor to Archbishop Mellano. By the Brief “Quod Jam
Pridem”, of Pope Leo XIII, dated May 20, 1887, the Syrians
were exempted from the jurisdiction of the Archdiocese of Verapoly
and the two Vicariates of Trichur and Kottayam were erected
with Dr. Adolpus E. Medlycott and Dr. Charles Lavigne as their
Vicars Apostolic. Thus Verapoly Archdiocese came to consist
exclusively of Latin Catholics.
Transfer of the Headquarters to Ernakulam
Before close of the XVIII century great changes had taken place
in the regions in and around Cochin. The industrial, social,
economic and educational developments made the island of Verapoly
unsuitable for the activities of modern life. The need was therefore
felt for shifting the headquarters of the Archdiocese of Verapoly
to a more suitable centre for the efficient and effective administration
of the Archdiocese.
During the last decades of the XIX century, Ernakulam became
the heart and center of the Latin Catholic population. At that
time , in Ernakulam the Latin Catholics numbered 3759 with two
important Churches, while the Syrian Catholic population was
only 350 souls with only one Church. In the areas lying within
a radius of 10 km from the centre of Ernakulam there lived more
than 46 percent of the total Archdiocesan population with 14
churches, having 28,340 parishioners, while for the Syrian Catholic
population at the time there were only five Churches with 3,948
parishioners (Cf. Cath. Directory of India 1901). It was this
state of affairs that prompted Archbishop Bernard Auguinzon
to transfer the headquarters to Ernakulam in 1904 with due permission
from Rome and be in the midst of his flock.
Even when the Syrian Vicariate of Ernakulam was raised to the
status of an Archdiocese in 1923, the Syrian Catholic population
was only 610, with one Church, while the Latin Catholics numbered
14,683 with four Churches within the Muncipal limits.
On July 14, 1930 by the Bull “AD Christi Nomen”
of Pope Pius XI, the new Diocese of Vijayapuram, was formed
and dismembered from Verapoly and its administration was 273
years. With this change, the Archdiocese came under the administration
of the Indian clergy, except for the continuance of its head
in the person of the Archbishop the Most Rev. Dr. Angel Mary,
ocd.
The Indianisation was completed when on 29th November 1932 the
Most Rev. Dr. Joseph Attipetty was nominated, Co-adjutor Archbishop
to Dr. Angel Mary, ocd. Dr. Joseph Attipetty assumed the reins
of administration on 21st December 1934 after the resignation
of Archbishop Angel Mary the last in the long line of European
Prelates to the Archdiocese.
On July 3, 1987 by the Bull “Quae aptius” the Archdiocese
was again bifurcated and the Diocese of Kottapuram was formed
and Rt. Rev. Dr. Francis Kallarakal who was appointed as its
first Bishop took possession of the Diocese on October 4, 1987.
Papal Visit
His Holiness Pope John Paul II, during his visit to India celebrated
the Holy Eucharist in the Latin Rite at H.M.T. Grounds, Kalamassery,
Cochin and thereafter visited the Saint Francis Assisi Cathedral,
Ernakulam on February 7, 1986 and stayed one day in the Latin
Archbishop House.
Metropolitan
Archbishop FRANCIS KALLARAKAL
Born : Oct. 10, 1941
Priestly Ordn.: Jun. 29, 1968
Appointed
Bishop of Kottapuram : July 3, 1987
Episcopal
Ordn.: Oct. 04, 1987
Appointed
Metropolitan Archbishop of Verapoly: Feb. 20. 2010
Auxiliary
Bishop JOSEPH KARIKASSERY
Born
: Feb. 13,1946
Priestly Ordn.: Dec. 19, 1973
Appointed Auxiliary Bishop : Nov. 25, 2006
Address:
Latin Archbishop's House
P. B. No. 2581
Cochin - 682 031
Kerala.
Tel: (0484) 23 72 892, 23 60 988
Fax: (0484) 23 60 911
E-mail: vpoly@vsnl.com
Website: http://www.verapolyarchdiocese.org/
