Roman Catholic Diocese of Punalur
| Diocese of Punalur Dioecesis Punalurensis പുനലൂര് | |
|---|---|
 St Mary's Cathedral in Punalur | |
| Location | |
| Country | India |
| Ecclesiastical province | Trivandrum |
| Metropolitan | Trivandrum |
| Statistics | |
| Area | 5,052 km2 (1,951 sq mi) |
| Population - Total - Catholics |
(as of 2004) 2,482,100 46,708 (1.9%) |
| Parishes | 41 |
| Information | |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Sui iuris church | Latin Church |
| Rite | Latin Rite |
| Cathedral | St. Mary's Cathedral, Punalur |
| Patron saint | St Thérèse of Lisieux |
| Current leadership | |
| Pope | Francis |
| Bishop | Selvister Ponnumuthan |
| Metropolitan Archbishop | Maria Callist Soosa Pakiam |
| Vicar General | Vincent D’Cruz |
| Episcopal Vicars | Johnson Joseph, Jude Thaddeus Ambattur |
| Website | |
| of the Diocese | |
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Punalur (Latin: Punaluren(sis)) is a diocese located in the city of Punalur in the Ecclesiastical province of Trivandrum in India.
History
- December 21, 1985: Established as Diocese of Punalur from the Diocese of Quilon
Belgian Carmelite missionaries were the First Fathers of Punalur and of places around Punalur. During the Second World War the First Fathers had to go back, entrusting the church work to the diocesan clergy of Quilon (Kollam).
Punalur was separated from the Diocese of Quilon (Kollam) and created into a separate unit by the Bull “Verba Christi” of Pope John Paul II, issued on 21 December 1985.
Territory
Present Diocese of Punalur extended to the entire civil district of Pathanamthitta, taluks of Kottarakkara, Kunnathur, Mavelikara and several pakuthies of the taluks of Karunagappally and Chengannur.
Leadership
- Bishops of Punalur (Latin Church)
- Bishop Selvister Ponnumuthan (May 8, 2009 – present)
- Bishop Joseph Kariyil (March 12, 2005 – May 8, 2009)
- Bishop Mathias Kappil (December 21, 1985 – March 12, 2005)
