Syro-Malabar Catholic Eparchy of Thamarassery

Eparchy of Thamarassery
Location
Country	India
Metropolitan	Syro-Malabar Catholic Archeparchy of Tellicherry
Statistics
Area	5,893 km^2 (2,275 sq mi)
Population - Total - Catholics	(as of 2004) 5,749,275 124,664 (2.2%)
Information
Rite	Syro-Malabar
Current leadership
Pope	Francis
Bishop	Remigius Inchananiyil

The Syro-Malabar Catholic Eparchy of Thamarassery is an Eastern Catholic eparchy in India, under the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church. It was created on April 28, 1986. On Monday, January 18, 2010, the Synod of Bishops of the Syro-Malabar Church, meeting at Mt. St. Thomas (with the assent of the Holy See) appointed Mar Remigius Inchananiyil, secretary and chancellor of Thamarassery, and judge of the major archiepiscopal tribunal, as the new bishop. Mar Paul Chittilapilly is the bishop emeritus of the diocese. Mar Remigius Inchananiyil was consecrated on April 8, 2010.

The Syro-Malabar Church is governed by the Major Archbishop of Erankulam-Angamaly and the synod of all bishops of the sui iuris Church, both within and outside of India. There are several Syro-Malabar Ecclesiastical Provinces. They are as follows:

• 'Province of Eranakulam - Angamaly'
• 'Province of Changanassery'
• 'Province of Tellicherry'
• 'Province of Thrissur'
• 'Province of Kottayam'
• 'Syro-Malabar Mission Eparchiess outside Kerala'

Syro-Malabar Catholic Eparchy of Thamarassery comes under the Province of Tellicherry. There are several famous churches under the Archeparchy of Thamarassery. The most prominent among them are St. Antony's Forane Church, Paroppadi and Sacred Heart Forane Church Thiruvambady.

Controversies

The verbal volley between the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and the Catholic Church over a claim made by Thamarassery Bishop Emeritus Mar Paul Chitilapally that the late CPM legislator Mathai Chacko had been given the last sacrament as per his wish, is developing into a full-blown battle on Thiruvambady..

Foranes under Diocese of Thamarassery

• Karuvarakundu Holy Family Church(1972)
• Kodenchery St.Mary's Church(1949)
• Koorachundu St.Thomas Church (1947)
• Malappuram St. Thomas Church (2005)
• Marudonkara St.Mary's Church (1939)
• Paroppady St.Antony's Church (1969)
• Perinthalamanna St.Alphonsa's Church (1995)
• Thamarassery Mary Matha Cathedral Church (1984)
• Thiruvambady Sacred Heart Church (1944)
• Thottumukkom St.Thomas Church (1960)
• Vilangad St.Georges Church (1968)

Under this 11 Foranes there are 118 parishes, 14 stations also there. Around 30,000 families & 1.30 lakhs devotees are there total in Diocese.

External links

• Syro-Malabar Catholic Diocese of Thamarassery at Catholic-Hierarchy