Archdiocese of Verapoly
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The Archdiocese of Verapoly was originally known as the Vicariate of Malabar. It has its origin in 1657, with the arrival of Carmelite Missionaries, most prominent among whom was Father Joseph of St. Mary, better known as Joseph Sebastiani. They had been deputed under Father Hyacinth as Apostolic Commissar, by Pope Alexander VII to effect a reconciliation of St. Thomas Christians of the Syro-Chaldaic Rite, who had seceded from their Archbishop Francis Garcia (Catholic priest) S.J.
The majority of them had in 1653 revolted against the Archbishop and forsaking his authority by taking an oath for the purpose at the foot of a cross-thereafter called the “Coonen Cross” situated in Mattancherry, had illegally made their Archdeacon the Archbishop by going through a farcical ceremony. By the efforts of Sebastiani a large number of seceders were brought back to the true fold. Nevertheless, they refused to be under the authority of their lawful Archbishop or under any prelate of the Jesuit Order known as the “Paulists”.
Rome, being informed of the situation by Sebastiani in person, decided to entrust the Carmelites with the spiritual care of the Syro-Chaldaic Rite. For this purpose the Vicariate of Malabar was erected by Pope Alexander VII on the 3rd December, 1659. Sebastiani was consecrated Titular Bishop of Hierapolis on December 15, 1659 and sent back to Malabar, with the title of Vicar Apostolic and Administrator of the Archbishopric of Cranganore. The new Vicariate eventually established its headquarters in the island of Verapoly.
The conquest of Portuguese territories in Malabar and especially of Cochin in 1663 by the Dutch and the consequent expulsion of al Catholic Missionaries from the territories occupied by the Dutch and elsewhere, threatened the very existence of the Malabar Vicariate. Nevertheless, it survived under the Indian Prelate Parambil Chandy (Alexander de Campo) whom Sebastiani had consecrated as his successor before he left Malabar in 1663. Before long Carmelites were allowed to resume their ministration which was by then extended also to the Catholics of the Latin Rite who were under Portuguese protection.
On the 13th of March 1709 by a Brief of Pope Clement XI Malabar Vicariate was suppressed and the Vicariate of Verapoly took its place with Bishop Angelo Francisco as its first Vicar Apostolic.
By the Brief “Multa Praeclara” of Pope Gregory XVI, dated 24th April 1838, the Sees of Cranganore and Cochin which at that time included also Quilon, were annexed to the Vicariate of Verapoly which thus came to comprise the whole of Malabar. However in 1845, Quilon was severed from Verapoly as a Suffragan Vicariate.
When by the famous Apostolic Letter “Humanae Salutis Auctor” of Leo XIII dated September 1, 1886, the Hierarchy of India was established, the Vicariate of Verapoly was raised to the status of an Archdiocese with the Most Rev. Dr. Leonard Mellano of St. Louis O.C.D. as its first Archbishop who was the 17th in the line of the Vicars Apostolic.
Along with this in 1886 the diocese of Cochin was resuscitated and reconstituted with 34 Latin Churches taken from the Archdiocese of Verapoly and the “Diocese of Quilon.”
On 19th of March, 1887 the Catholics of the Syrian Rite were separated from those of the Latin Rite and placed under an Administrator Dr. Marcelino Bernard of St. Teresa OCD, who was consecrated Co-adjutor to Archbishop Mellano. By brief “Quod Jam Pridem” of Pope Leo XIII dated 20th of May 1887, the Syrians were exempted from the jurisdiction of the Archdiocese of Verapoly and the two Vicariates of Trichur and Kottayam were erected with Dr.Adolpus E. Medlycott and Dr.Charles Lavigne as their Vicars Apostolic. Thus the Archdiocese of Verapoly came to consist exclusively of Latin Catholics.
Transfer of the Archdiocesan head quarters from the Island of Verapoly to Ernakulam
Before the close of the XVIII century great changes had taken place in the regions in and around Cochin. The Industrial, social, economic and educational developments made the island of Verapoly unsuitable for the activities of modern life. The need was therefore felt for shifting the headquarters of the Archdiocese of Verapoly to a more suitable centre for the efficient and effective administration of the Archdiocese.
During the last decades of the XIX century, Ernakulam became the heart and centre of the Latin Catholic population. At that time, in Ernakulam the Latin Catholics numbered 3759 with two important Churches, while the Syrian Catholic Population was only 350 souls with only one church. In the areas lying within a radius of 10 Kilometers from the centre of Ernakulam there lived more than 46 percent of the total Archdiocesan population with 14 churches, having 28340 parishioners, while for the Syrian Catholic population at the time there were only five churches with 3948 parishioners (Cf. Cath. Directory of India 1901). It was this state of affairs that prompted Archbishop Bernard Arguinzons to transfer the headquarters to Ernakulam in 1904 with due permission from Rome and be in the midst of his flock.
Even when the Syrian Vicariate of Ernakulam was raised to the status of an Archdiocese in 1923, the Syrian Catholic population was only 610 with only one church, while the Latin Catholics numbered 14683 with four churches within the Municipal limits.
Latin Catholic Population in the Corporation of Cochin
Ernakulam was the capital of the erstwhile Cochin State. Now it has become the part of the Corporation of Cochin which comprises the former Municipalities of Fort-Cochin, Mattancherry and Ernakulam. Within the Corporation, the Archdiocese of Verapoly and the Diocese of Cochin of the Latin Rite and the Archdiocese of Ernakulam of the Syrian Rite have their headquarters. The Corporation of Cochin, according to the statistics of 2001 has a population of 595575 of which about 260,000 are Catholics and 88% of the Catholic population is the Latin Rite, more than half belonging to the Archdiocese of Verapoly and the other to the Diocese of Cochin and Alleppey.
St.Joseph’s Pontifical Seminary, Alwaye
St.Joseph’s Pontifical Seminary, Alwaye is historically so much related to the Archdiocese. It is the continuation of the Seminary started by the zealous Carmelite Missionaries at Verapoly in 1682. Though this seminary at the island of Verapoly had to be closed down due to adverse circumstances, on September 14, 1764 the Congregation of Propaganda Fide requested the Vicar apostolic of Verapoly to re-open the seminary for the formation of both the Latin and Syrian clergy.
Thus, the seminary was restarted and as it could not accommodate all the seminarians, it was shifted to the new buildings at Puthenpally in 1866 and later, on June 1, 1932 it was shifted to Mangalapuzha, Alwaye. The Philosophy section was transferred to Carmelgiri on November 24,1955.
In view of more effective formation, on June 5,1995 the KCBC made a request for separate campuses on the basis of Rites, and the Holy See, on October 7, 1997, gave approval for the re-organization, and Carmeligiri campus was assigned to the Latin Rite and Mangalapuzha campus, to the Syro-Malabar and Syro-Malankara Rites, and the Pontifical Institute of Theology and Philosophy would remain common to all.
Servants of God, Father Aurelian, OCD and Father Zacharias OCD are two great Carmelite Missionaries who first worked in this Archdiocese and later as Rector and Vice-Rector for several years in the St.Joseph’s Pontifical Seminary, Alwaye. They are interred in the Cemetery Chapel of the Seminary at Mangalapuzha and transferred to Immaculate Conception Monastery, Manjummel on June 8, 2000.
Ashirbhavan
The Archdiocesan Centenary Memorial Pastoral Centre, at Kacheripady, Ernakulam occupies a prominent place among the institutions of the Archdiocese. The Foundation stone blessed by His Holiness Pope John Paul II on February 7, 1986 was laid by His Grace Archbishop Cornelius Elanjikal April 18, 1988. The formal blessing and inauguration was conducted on May 1, 1990.
Archdiocese under the indigenous Clergy
On 14th of July 1930, by the Bull, “Ad Christi Nomen” of Pius XI, the new Diocese of Vijayapuram was formed and dismembered from Verapoly and its administration was placed in the hands of displaced Carmelites, who left Verapoly, which they had served for 273 years. With this change, the Archdiocese came under the administration of the Indian Clergy, except for the continuance of its head in the person of the Archbishop the Most Rev. Dr. Angel Mary O.C.D.
The Indianisation was completed when on 29th November, 1932 the Most Rev. Dr. Joseph Attipetty was nominated Co-adjutor Archbishop to Dr. Angel Mary OCD. Dr. Joseph Attipetti assumed the reins of administration on 21st of December 1934 after the resignation of Archbishop Angel Mary, the last in the long line of European Prelates to the Archdiocese.
On July 3, 1987, by the Bull. “Quae aptius” the Archdiocese was again bifurcated and the Diocese of Kottapuram was formed and Rt. Rev. Dr. Francis Kallarakal who was appointed as its first Bishop, took possession of the Diocese on October 4, 1987.
His Holiness Pope John Paul II, during His visit to India celebrated the Holy Eucharist in the Latin Rite at H.M.T. Grounds, Kalamassery, Cochin and thereafter visited the St. Francis Assisi Cathedral on February 7, 1986 and stayed one day in the Latin Archbishop’s House.
