The Syro Malabar Major Archiepiscopal Curia Mount St. Thomas

Major Archbishop Cardinal Mar Varkey Vithayathil

Mar Varkey Vithayathil (born 29 May 1927) is a Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church, serving as the Major Archbishop of Ernakulam-Angamaly of theSyro-Malabars in India. He is also a member of The Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer. Born in Parur, he became a member of the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer (Redemptorists), a religious order in the Roman Catholic Church, founded by Saint Alphonsus Ligouri in 1732. Vithayathil was ordained as a priest in 1954. He holds a doctorate in Canon law from the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum)inRome and taught for 25 years at the Redemptorist seminary in Bangalore.

Historical Notes The Apostolic Church of St. Thomas Christians has its origin in AD 52 from St.Thomas the Apostle. He was martyred on July 3rd, 72 AD, at Mylapore. The Metropolitan of the "See of St. Thomas" was "Metropolitan and Gate of all India". In the course of history this church entered into hierachical relationship with the East Syrian Church and became an autonomous Metropolitan See under the East Syrian Patriarch. The administration was done by the "Archdeacon of all India."

052	Arrival of St. Thomas the Apostole
072	Martyrdom of St. Thomas the Apostole at Mylapore
250-325	Bishops Mar David & Mar Yohannan ("Metropolitan of India")
345 -	Arrival of Thomas of Cana at Kodungalloor
9th C	Bishop Mar Sapore(Kollam) Mar Proth  ( Kodungalloor) (Chaldean Patriarch, Timeotheus I)
20-05-1498	Vasco da Gama's arrival
1504	Bishop Mar Yacob (Kodungalloor)
6-06-1542	Francis Xavier's preaching
1555 -	Bishop Mar Joseph
1564 -	Mar Abraham appointed Archbishop of Angamaly (Pope Pius IV)
23-02-1565	Establishment of Archdiocese of Angamaly as Metropolitan see
1597	Mar Abraham the last Syrian Bishop died.
20-06-1599	Synod of Udayamperoor
7-12-1603	Angamaly Synod
03-12-1609	Archdiocese of Kodungalloor established
22-12-1610	Archbishop Menezes of Goa restricts the jurisdiction of the Metropolitan of St. Thomas Christians from the north of Malabar to the south.
03-01-1653	Koonan Kurisu Sathyam
00.12-1647	Archbishop Garcia Appoints Fr. Jerome Furtado as Vicar General in place of the traditional Archdeacon
1657 -	Bishop Sebastiani OCD
31-01-1663	Fr. Alexander Palliveettil (Parambil) appointed the first Syrian Vicar Apostolic of Malabar.
29-06-1704	John Ribeiro S. J. Abp. of Kodungalloor (Padroado)
16-12-1782	Mar Joseph Kariatty appointed Archbishop of Kodungalloor
10-09-1786	Archbishop Kariatty dies. Paremmackal Thoma Kathanar Gubernador of the Archdiocese of Kodungalloor.
01-02-1787	Angamaly Padiyola
30-12-1822	- Mar Paulose O.P. Archbishop Kodungalloor
20-12-1823	Mar Paulose Died in Ollicary, Kollam.
22-12-1823	Mar Paulose buried in Metropolitan Church Changanassery
08-06-1861	Fr. Kuriakos Elias Chavara appointed Vicar General for Syrians.
1865 -	Jurisdiction of East Syrian Patriarch over St. Thomas Christians terminated.
13-08-1866	Establishment of Puthenpally Seminary
15-11-1877	Bishop Marcellinus OCD appointed Bishop for the Syrians.
19-03-1878	He assumes charge.
1886 -	The Metropolitan See of Kodungalloor - Ankamaly - suppressed.
	St. Thomas Christians placed under the Vicar Apostolic of Varapuzha.
01-09-1886	Latin Hierarchy of India established. (6 Archdioceses, 10 Dioceses) (Humanae Salutis, Leo XIII)
20-05-1887	Two independent Vicariates of Kottayam and Trissur for Syrians.(Quod Jampridem, Leo XIII)
28-07-1896	Vicariate of Ernakulam created, with territories from both Vicariates. (Quae Rei Sacrae, Leo XIII)
21-12-1923	Establishment of Syro Malabar Hierarchy with Ernakulam as the Metropolitan See (Romani Pontifices, Pope Pius XI).
01-06-1932	Establishment of Mangalapuzha Seminary.
29-07-1956	The diocese of Changanassery made Metropolitan See
31-03-1962	Chanda Mission established (Later other nine missions : Sagar (1968), Satna (1968), Ujjain (1968), Bijnor (1972), Jagadalpur(1972), Rajkot (1977), Gorakhpur (1984), Kalyan (1988), Adilabad (1999)
03-07-1962	Establishment of St. Thomas Apostolic Seminary , Vadavathoor
16-12-1992	Maj. Archiepiscopal see of Ernakulam - Angamali created.
29-01-1993	Cardinal Antony Padiyara, the first Major Archbishop (Quae Majori Christifidelium ,John Paul II), Mar Abraham Kattumana, Pontifical Delegate
20-05-1993	Cardinal Padiyara takes charge. First Synod of the Church.
27-05-1995	Blessing and inauguration of the temporary headquarters at Kakanad
18-12-1996	Cardinal Padiyara's resignation accepted. Archbishop Mar Varkey Vithayathil CSSR, Apostolic Administrator of Ernakulam-Angamali
03-02-1998	Major Archiepiscopal Headquarters at Mount St. Thomas, Kakkanad
(09-12)-11-1998	First Major Archiepiscopal Assembly
06-07-2001	In USA St. Thomas Diocese of Chicago established
2001 -	Establishment of Good Shepherd Major Seminary at Kunnoth, Thalaserry
02-03-2003	Establishment of the Diocese of Idukki

Population:
In Proper Territory 3335,534 Provinces: 4  Eparchies: 12 +2	Outside Proper Territory: 189,918 Provinces: Nil  Eparchies: 10 + 1
Total: 3,525,452

Bishops from Syro-Malabar Church serving Latin Dioceses
1	Bishop Joseph Pathalil (Changanaserry) Udaipur
2	Bishop George Anathil SVD (Changanaserry) Indore
3	Bishop Em. Theophine Thannikunnel (Pala) Jabalpur
4	Bishop Joseph Augustine Charanakunnel (Pala.) Raipur
5	Archbishop Raphael Cheenath SVD (Thrissur) Cuttack
6	Bishop Symphorain T Keeprath OFM (Pala) Jalander
7	Bishop Peter Celestine Elampassery OFM (Pala) (Jammu & Kashmir)
8	Bishop Thomas Menamparampil SDB (Pala) Guwahati
9	Bishop John Thomas Katrukudy (Kothamangalam) Diphu
10	Archbishop Joseph Mittathany (Pala) Imphal
11	Bishop Jose Mukala (Pala) Kohima
12	Archbishop Abraham Viruthikulangara (Kottayam) Nagpur
13	Bishop Thomas Kozhimala (Kanjirappally) Bhagalpur
14	Bishop George Mamalassery (Pala) Tura
15	Bishop Em. Hypolitas Kunnumkal OFM (Changanassery) Jammu & Kashmir
16	Bishop Emeritus Mathew Cheriankunnel OFM (Changanassery) Nalgonda
17	Archbishop Joseph Chennoth (Ernakulam) Nuncio
18	Archbishop George Panikulam (Irinjalakuda) Nuncio
19	Archbishop George Kochery (Changanassery) Nuncio
20	Bishop Thomas Pullopally (Kothamangalam) Bongaigaru
21	Bishop Mathai Kochuparambil SDB (Kothamangalam) Diphu (+)
22	Bishop Abraham Elanjimattom SDB (Pala) Kohima (+)

The Syro Malabar Major Archiepiscopal Curia Mount St. Thomas, P.B. No. 10, Thrikkakara P.O, Kochi 682 021, India Tel. 0484-2424768, 2424780, 2425727, 2426235, 2426236,  Fax. 0484-2422727 E.mail:enk_majorabp@sancharnet.in, majorarchbishop@hotmail.com  CNEWA, Regional Office, Mount St. Thomas, P.B. No. 3118, Kakkanad, Thengode 682 030, Phone: 0484-2421705, 2421706, 2421707, 2421708
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