Roman Catholic Diocese of Kannur

Diocese of Kannur
Dioecesis Kannurensis
Location
Country India
Ecclesiastical province Verapoly
Metropolitan Verapoly
Statistics
Area 4,988 km2 (1,926 sq mi)
Population
- Total
- Catholics
(as of 2011)
2,734,000
48,899 (1.8%)
Information
Denomination Roman Catholic
Sui iuris church Latin Church
Rite Roman Rite
Established 5 November 1998
Cathedral Cathedral of the Holy Trinity in Kannur
Current leadership
Pope Francis
Bishop Sede Vacante
Metropolitan Archbishop Francis Kallarakal
Apostolic Administrator Varghese Chakkalakal
Vicar General Devassy Earathara
Website
Website of the Diocese

Pope John Paul II created the Roman Catholic Diocese of Kannur by bifurcating the Diocese of Calicut on December 9, 1998. The new Diocese consists of revenue districts of Kannur and Kasaragod.

The see was vacant from 2012 until 2014. On February 1, 2014, Pope Francis appointed Alex Joseph Vadakumthala as the new bishop of Kannur. He was consecrated on March 23.

Diocese of Kannur comprises the territory of the civil district of Kannur to the north of Mahé River, excluding Pallur, Chelakara, Panthakal and Chenkallai which belong to the municipality of Mahe and the territory of the civil district of Kasaragod which falls to the south of Chandragiri River. The erection of this diocese was a historical event for Kannur which has 500 years of Christian tradition. The establishment of this diocese, on the auspicious occasion of the Platinum Jubilee of the Diocese of Calicut was welcomed with cheer, by the people who consider the diocese of Kannur as a gift of God to this region of India.

History

Although Christian communities existed in South and Central Kerala from the beginning of Christianity, North Kerala known as Malabar had to wait long for the advent of the European missionaries to start their evangelization until the 16th century. It was with the advent of the Portuguese sailor, Vasco de Gama who landed here on 20 May 1498, that the missionaries had access to this area. Fr. Pedro de Kovilaham, the first missionary who came to Malabar with Vasco de Gama died on 31 July 1498. As the Portuguese traders could not get along with the ruler of Calicut, "the Zamorin", they moved to Kannur and the "Kolathiri", king of Kannur welcomed them.

The four Franciscan missionaries with Hovavo Nova, their group leader were allowed to build a chapel in Kannur. (This is the place where the Holy Trinity Cathedral of the Diocese of Kannur is situated). In 1505, the Portuguese Viceroy, Francis de Almeida, established the famous fort of St. Angelos and built the church of St. James there.

Pope John Paul II by the Apostolic Brief Ad Perpetuam Rei Memoriam, dated 5 November 1998, created the Diocese of Kannur from the Diocese of Calicut. On the same day Varghese Chakkalakal who was a professor at St.Joseph's Seminary, Mangalore, and a priest of the diocese of Calicut, was elected the Bishop of Kannur and the Bishop elect was consecrated on 7 February 1999 and he took charge of the diocese on 8 February 1999. The Bishop has taken as his motto "according to your will" "Daivathirumanassinu Vidheyathuvam". On Monday, June 15, 2012, Pope Benedict XVI transferred him to become Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Calicut, India; he will be the Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese during the sede vacante (vacant see) period until a successor is chosen by the Pope.

External links

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