The Archdiocese of Tellicherry is an ecclesiastical province of
the Syro-Malabar Church in Kerala, India. The Diocese of Tellicherry was erected on 31.12.1953
by the Papal Bull Ad Christi Ecclesiam Regendam of Pope Pius XII, against the backdrop of
large-scale migration of thousands of Syro-Malabar Catholics from South to the Northern
forestlands of Kerala. Bishop Mar Sebastian Valloppilly was appointed as its first Apostolic
Administrator. He took charge of the diocese on 19.03.1954. Later he was elected as the first
bishop of Tellicherry on 16.10.1955 and ordained on 08.01.1956 at St. Peter’s Basilica by
Cardinal Eugene Tisserant.
The diocese grew up fast and became a stronghold of
Catholic Church in this region within a short period. The boundaries of the diocese were
extended in 1955 to some districts in the states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, for the pastoral
care of the migrants settled there.The diocese was bifurcated in 1973 and the diocese of
Mananthavady was erected on 01.03.1973. Again, the Diocese of Tellicherry was bifurcated twice,
0n 28.04.1986 to form the diocese of Thamarassery and on 24.04.1999 to form the diocese of
Balthangady. On 01-05-1989 Mar Sebastian Valloppilly retired and Mar George Valiamattam Was
consecrated as his successor. The diocese was raised to the stature of Metropolitan Archdiocese
by the Papal Bull Spirituali Bono Christi Fidelium of Pope John Paul II on 18.05.1995. The
Archdiocese enjoyed the gracious leadership of Archbishop Mar George Valiamattam from 01.05.1989
to 30.10.2014. On his retirement, Archbishop Mar George Njaralakatt was installed as the new
Archbishop of Tellicherry on 30.10.2014. He assumed office on the same day. Mar Joseph Pamplany
was elected as the first auxiliary bishop of Tellicherry by the Holy Synod of the Syro-Malabar
Church and his Episcopal consecration was held on 08.11.2017 at St. Joseph’s Cathedral Church,
Tellicherry. On the retirement of Mar George Njaralakatt on the 20th April 2022, Mar Joseph
Pamplany was installed as the Archbishop of Tellicherry
.
Contact Info
The Archbishop's House,
P.B.No.70, Tellicherry-670101, Kerala, India.
0091-490 2341058(R), 0091-490-2344977(Personal), 0091-2342440 (Curia)
0091-490 2341412
www.archdioceseoftellicherry.org
