Syro-Malabar Catholic Diocese of Thamarassery

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Diocese of Thamarassery
*Dioecesis Thamarasserrensis*
Statistics
Country:	India
Metropolitan:	Archdiocese of Tellicherry
Rite:	Syro-Malabarese
Area:	5,893 km²
Population: Total: Catholics:	5,749,275 (2004) 124,664 (2.2%)
Ordinaries
Bishop:	Paul Chittilapilly

The Syro-Malabar Catholic Diocese of Thamarassery is a Roman Catholic diocese in India, under the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church. It was created on April 28, 1986. Paul Chittilapilly is current bishop of the diocese.

The Syro-Malabar Church is governed by the Major Archbishop of Erankulam-Angamaly and the synod of all bishops of the sui iuris Church, both within and outside of India. There are several Syro-Malabar Ecclesiastical Provinces. They are the following

'Province of Eranakulam - Angamaly'
'Province of Changanassery'
'Province of Tellicherry'
'Province of Thrissur'
'Province of Kottayam'
'Syro-Malabar Mission Dioceses Outside of Kerela'

Syro-Malabar Catholic Diocese of Thamarassery comes under the Province of Tellicherry. There are several famous churches under the Diocese of Thamarassery. The most prominent among them is St. Antony's Forane Church, Paroppadi.

[edit] Controversies

The verbal volley between the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and the Catholic Church over a claim made by Thamarassery Bishop Paul Chitilapally that the late CPM legislator Mathai Chacko had been given the last sacrament as per his wish, is developing into a full-blown battle. [1]