84.33.132.34: /* Succession of Vicars Apostolic of Verapoly & Archbishops of Verapoly */

2021-08-14T21:15:36Z

Succession of Vicars Apostolic of Verapoly & Archbishops of Verapoly

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{{Use Indian English|date=August 2014}}
{{More citations needed|date=January 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2020}}
{{Infobox diocese
|jurisdiction = Archdiocese
|name = Verapoly
|latin = Archidioecesis Verapolitana
| local =
| image = Kapal pali Kochi.jpg
| image_size = 200
| image_alt =
| caption =

| country = [[India]]
| metropolitan =
| territory =
| province = Verapoly
| coordinates =
|sui_iuris_church = [[Latin Church]]
|rite = [[Roman Rite]]
|cathedral = St Francis of Assisi Cathedral in Marine Drive, [[Ernakulam]], [[Cochin]]
|cocathedral =
|patron = [[Saint Joseph]]
|area_km2 = 1,500
|population = 3,193,096
|population_as_of = 2010
|catholics = 315,767
|catholics_percent= 9.9
|pope = {{Incumbent pope}} 
|metro_archbishop = [[Joseph Kalathiparambil]]
|coadjutor =
|vicar_general = Msgr. Mathew Kallinkal,
Msgr. Mathew Elanjimittam
|auxiliary_bishops=
|website = [http://verapoly.in/ Website of the Archdiocese]
}}
The '''Roman Catholic Metropolitan Archdiocese of Verapoly''' (Verapolitana) is a [[Roman Catholic]] [[archdiocese]] belonging to the [[Latin Church]], headquartered at the city of [[Cochin]], in the south [[India]]n state of [[Kerala]].<ref name="Short History of Verapoly Diocese">{{cite web | url=http://www.ucanindia.in/diocesan-directory/home/diocese/verapoly/68 | title=Short History of Verapoly Diocese | publisher=Ucan India | date=2016 | access-date=12 July 2016}}</ref> The archdiocese has administrative control over the suffragan dioceses of [[Latin Catholic Diocese of Calicut|Calicut]], [[Latin Catholic Diocese of Cochin|Cochin]], [[Latin Catholic Diocese of Kannur|Kannur]], [[Latin Catholic Diocese of Kottapuram|Kottapuram]], [[Latin Catholic Diocese of Sultanpet|Sultanpet]] and [[Latin Catholic Diocese of Vijayapuram|Vijayapuram]].<ref name=CathHierVerapoly>[http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/diocese/dvrpl.html "Archdiocese of Verapoly"] ''[[Catholic-Hierarchy.org]]''. David M. Cheney. Retrieved 9 September 2017</ref><ref name=GCathHierVerapoly>[http://www.gcatholic.org/dioceses/diocese/vera0.htm "Metropolitan Archdiocese of Verapoly"] ''GCatholic.org''. Gabriel Chow. Retrieved 9 September 2016</ref> The headquarters is located in [[Kochi]] along the [[Malabar Coast]] in [[India]]. It was originally formed as the Vicariate Apostolic of Malabar in 1657 and became a [[metropolitan see]] in 1886.<ref name="Archdiocese of Verapoly">{{cite web | url=http://indiancatholiconline.com/Diocese/Details/162#verticalTab4 | title=Archdiocese of Verapoly | publisher=Catholic Online | date=2016 | access-date=12 July 2016}}</ref> Verapoly is the anglicised name of [[Varapuzha]].

==History==
The Archdiocese of Verapoly was originally known as the Vicariate of Malabar. It has its origin in 1657, with the arrival of [[Discalced Carmelites|Carmelite]] missionaries, most prominent among whom was the priest Joseph of St. Mary, better known as Joseph Sebastiani.<ref>L. M. Pylee, "The Latin Rite in Kerala" in George Menachery Ed., The St.Thomas Christian Encyclopaedia of India, Vol.2, Trichur, 1973, pp. 58–61; Matthew Vattakuzhy, "The Three Rites in Malabar" in George Menachery, Ed., Thomapedia, Ollur, 2000 pp.52-58.</ref> They had been deputed under Hyacinth of St. Vincent as Apostolic Commissar, by [[Pope Alexander VII]] to effect a reconciliation of [[Saint Thomas Christians]] of the [[Syro-Chaldaic Rite]], who had seceded from their Archbishop Francis Garcia. The majority of them had, in 1653, revolted against the Archbishop and forsaking his authority by taking an [[Coonan Cross Oath|oath]] for the purpose at the foot of a cross, thereafter called the Coonan Cross, situated in Mattancherry, and made their own [[Mar Thoma I|Archdeacon Thomas]] their archbishop. By the efforts of Sebastiani, a large number of seceders were brought back to the Catholic fold. Nevertheless, they refused to be under the authority of Archbishop Garcia or under any prelate of the [[Society of Jesus|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-Chaldaic Rite. For this purpose the Vicariate of Malabar was erected by Pope Alexander VII on 3 December 1659. Sebastiani was consecrated Titular Bishop of Hierapolis on 15 December 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<ref>T. I. Punnen, "Christians in Malabar in Dutch Times" p.43 and "The Dutch Period" p.44 in George menachery, Ed. The St. Thomas Christian Encyclopaedia of India, Trichur, 1973</ref> and the consequent expulsion 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 [[Palliveettil Mar Chandy|Palliveettil 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 Church]] who were under Portuguese protection.

On 13 March 1709 by a brief of Pope Clement XI Malabar Vicariate was suppressed and the Vicariate of Verapoly took its place with Bishop Angelo Francisco as its first Vicar Apostolic.

By the brief "Multa Praeclara" of Pope Gregory XVI, dated 24 April 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 severed from Verapoly as a Suffragan Vicariate.

When by the famous apostolic letter "Humanae Salutis Auctor" of Leo XIII dated 1 September 1886, the Hierarchy of India was established, the Vicariate of Verapoly was raised to the status of an Archdiocese with Leonard Mellano of St. Louis as its first archbishop who was the 17th in the line of the Vicars Apostolic.

Along with this, in 1886, the diocese of Cochin was resuscitated and reconstituted with 34 Latin Churches taken from the Archdiocese of Verapoly and the [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Quilon|Diocese of Quilon]].

On 19 March 1887 the Catholics of the Syriac Rite were separated from those of the Latin Church and placed under an Administrator, Marcelino Bernard of St. Teresa, who was consecrated Co-adjutor to Archbishop Mellano. By brief "Quod Jam Pridem" of Pope Leo XIII, dated 20 May 1887, the Syriac Rite Catholics 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 the Archdiocese of Verapoly came to consist exclusively of Latin Catholics.

==Succession of Vicars Apostolic of Verapoly & Archbishops of Verapoly==
*Giuseppe di Santa Maria Sebastiani (1661–1663), retired before the Dutch in 1663
*Alexander de Campo (1663–1678)
*[[Thomas de Castro]] (1675–1684)
*Raphael de Figuredo Salgado, 1681, retired on account of quarrels in 1694
*[[Custodio do Pinho]] (1694–1697)
*Angelus Francis of St. Teresa, 1700, was in 1709 entitled "Vicar Apostolic of Cranganore and Cochin" on account of long vacancy of those sees, died 1712
*John Baptist Multedo of St. Teresa (1714–1750)
*Florence of Jesus of Nazareth (1750–1773)
*Francis de Sales a Matre Dolorosa (1774–1787)
*John Mary of St. Thomas, 1780 (died before consecration)
*John Mary of Jesus, (1784-1802
*Raymond of St. Joseph (1803–1816)
*Miles Prendergast (1819–1831), resigned
*Francis Xavier Pescetto of St. Anne (1831–1844)
*Ludovico Martini of St. Teresa (1839–1859), resigned
*Bernardino Baccinelli of St. Teresa, 1847 (1859), 1868, received archiepiscopal rank
*Leonardo Mellano of St. Louis, 1868, received archiepiscopal rank 1860, became first Archbishop of Verapoly in 1887, died 1897
*Bernard of Jesus (Felipe Arginzonis y Astobiza) (1897–1918), resigned
*[[Ángel María Pérez y Cecilia]] (1918–1934), resigned
*[[Joseph Attipetty]] (1934–1970), died
*[[Joseph Kelanthara]] (1971–1986), died
*[[Cornelius Elanjikal]] (1987–1996), resigned
*[[Daniel Acharuparambil]], (1996–26 October 2009), died
*[[Francis Kallarakal]], appointed on 20 February 2010; he was assisted by [[Auxiliary Bishop]] [[Joseph Karikkassery]] until the Auxiliary Bishop's appointment as Bishop of the [[Latin Catholic Diocese of Kottapuram]], India, on Saturday, 18 December 2010.<ref name="Catholic Encyclopedia: Verapoly">{{cite web|url=http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/15345a.htm|title=CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: Verapoly|publisher=Newadvent.org|access-date=16 January 2015}}</ref> Term ended on 18 December 2016.
*[[Joseph Kalathiparambil]], appointed on 31 October 2016. The Archbishop was formally installed on 18 December 2016.

==Affiliated Bishops, living==
*Francis Assisi Chullikatt (Priest: 3 Jun 1978 to 29 Apr 2006)
*Francis Kallarakal (Archbishop: 20 Feb 2010)
*Joseph Karikkassery (Priest: 19 Dec 1973; Auxiliary Bishop: 25 Nov 2006 to 18 Dec 2010)
*Alex Vadakkumthala

==Suffragan dioceses==
* [[Latin Catholic Diocese of Calicut|Diocese of Calicut]]
* [[Latin Catholic Diocese of Cochin|Diocese of Cochin]]
* [[Latin Catholic Diocese of Kannur|Diocese of Kannur]]
* [[Latin Catholic Diocese of Kottapuram|Diocese of Kottapuram]]
* [[Latin Catholic Diocese of Vijayapuram|Diocese of Vijayapuram]]
* [[Latin Catholic Diocese of Sultanpet|Diocese of Sultanpet]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/bollettino/pubblico/2013/12/28/0869/01952.html|title=RINUNCE E NOMINE|publisher=Press.vatican.va|access-date=16 January 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150906151536/http://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/bollettino/pubblico/2013/12/28/0869/01952.html|archive-date=6 September 2015|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

==Saints and causes for canonisation==
* [[John Vincent (Carmelite)|John Vincent]]<ref name="CCBI">{{Cite web|url=http://ccbi.in/saints-blessed/|title=Saints & Blessed – CCBI|access-date=Oct 17, 2019}}</ref>
* [[Zacarias of Saint Teresa]]<ref name="CCBI" />
* [[Pedro Landeta Azcueta|Aurelian of the Blessed Sacrament]]<ref name="CCBI" />
* [[Eliswa Vakayil]]<ref name="CCBI" />
* George Vakayil<ref name="CCBI" />
* Michael Koodalloor (Theophane of Kottappuram)<ref name="CCBI" />
* [[Joseph Attipetty]]

==See also==
*[[St.Philomena's Forane Church, Koonammavu|St. Philomena's Forane Church & St. Chavara Pilgrim Centre]]
*[[St George church]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/diocese/dvrpl.html ''Catholic Hierarchy''] [[Wikipedia:SPS|{{sup|[''self-published'']}}]]
*[http://www.gcatholic.org/dioceses/diocese/vera0.htm Gig-Catholic Information] [[Wikipedia:SPS|{{sup|[''self-published'']}}]]

{{Catholic|wstitle=Archdiocese of Verapoly|ref=none}}

{{coord|9.9838|N|76.2751|E|source:wikidata|display=title}}

{{Christianity in Kerala|state=collapsed}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Verapoly}}
[[Category:Roman Catholic dioceses in India|Verapoly]]
[[Category:Churches in Ernakulam district]]
[[Category:Dioceses in Kerala]]

Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Verapoly - Revision history

84.33.132.34: /* Succession of Vicars Apostolic of Verapoly & Archbishops of Verapoly */