Roman Catholic Diocese of Kottar

Diocese of Kottar Dioecesis Kottarensis
Location
Country	India
Metropolitan	Madurai
Statistics
Area	1,665 km² (643 sq mi)
Population - Total - Catholics	(as of 2004) 1,720,250 477,174 (27.7%)
Information
Rite	Latin Rite
Cathedral	St. Francis Xavier’s Cathedral
Current leadership
Bishop	Peter Remigius

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Kottar (Latin: Kottaren(sis)) is a diocese located at Kottar in the city of Nagercoil in Kanyakumari District of Tamil Nadu. It comes under the Ecclesiastical province of Madurai in India.

History

Kottar Chritian community was an important constituent of Malabar Vicariate since 1657 AD and came under Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Verapoly. The Christian Martyr Devasahayam Pillai was born and martyred here then. Again it became the southern center of Diocese of Quilon when it was formed in 1853 AD. Diocese of Kollam was again bifurcated and the Diocese of Kottar was established on May 26, 1930 AD. Due to linguistic reasons as per reorganization of States, Kottar diocese was formally detached from Archdiocese of Verapoly (Kerala) and attached with Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Madurai (Tamil Nadu) in 1963 AD.

Amalagiri church dedicated to Mother Mary in Thiruvithancode built by Thomas the Apostle in 57 AD.^[1] It is also called Thiruvithamcode Arappally which is, however, under the administration of Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church at present.
St. Xavier′s Church, Kottar -the Cathedral Church of Kottar diocese built in 1600 AD, over the small chapel originally built by St. Francis Xavier in 1544 AD.

^ Dr. Issac Arul Dhas G, `Kumari Mannil Christhavam` (Tamil), Scott Christian College, Nagercoil, 2010, ISBN:978-81-8465-204-8. Page7.