Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Bhopal

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Archdiocese of Bhopal

Archidioecesis Bhopalensis

भोपाल के सूबा
Location
CountryFlag of India.svg  India
Ecclesiastical province Bhopal
Statistics
Area20,387 km2 (7,871 sq mi)
Population
- Total
- Catholics
(as of 2012)
4,255,000
13,214 (0.3%)
Parishes35
Information
Rite Latin Rite
Established13 September 1963
CathedralCathedral of St Francis of Assisi in Bhopal
Patron saint St Francis of Assisi
Current leadership
Pope Francis
Metropolitan Archbishop Alangaram Arockia Sebastian Durairaj
Bishops emeritus Leo Cornelio, S.V.D. Archbishop Emeritus (2007-2021)
Map
Map of Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Bhopal.png
Website
Website of the Archdiocese

The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Bhopal (Latin : Bhopalen(sis)) is an archdiocese located in the city of Bhopal in India.

Contents

History

The history of the Catholic Church goes back to the eighteenth century. It is said that in 1560 Jean Philip the Bourbon along with the brother of Henry the IVth landed in south of India in a ship. It is said that Jean was accorded a warm welcome when he reached the palace of the King Akbar in North India. It is said that starting with Jean the family served the kind for about 400 years. They served in Sargand, Delhi, Gwalior and then in Bhopal. When there was an attack on Christians in Sargand, and about 400 Christians were killed in 1778. Salvadore Bourbon and his family fled to Gwalior and later to Bhopal in 1785, as they were not feeling safe there. Here in Bhopal they were appointed in the palace of Begham Mamola Bibi Sahiba and Salvadore was later known as Hakim Inayat Masih. Later he was appointed Army Chief and also as Chief Minister of a kingdom. This family of six is considered to be the first Christians of Bhopal. Later a few more were added from Italy and other places and in 1870, Bhopal is said to have more than 1500 Catholics around. This was then under the diocese of Agra and a priest used to visit Bhopal once a year for the spiritual needs of Catholics here. In 1871 the queen Isabella Bourbon gifted a four-acre land in Jehangirabad, Bhopal for the construction of church and on 4 October on the feast of St. Francis of Assisi the foundation stone for the new church was laid. Today it is the cathedral of the Archdiocese of Bhopal.

On 1 November 1956 when the new state of Madhya Pradesh was erected, looking at the bright prospects of the central Indian state 13 September 1963 Pope Paul the VI announced Bhopal as the Archdiocese and Dr. Eugene D’Souza was appointed its first Shepherd. Presently the Archdiocese of Bhopal has about 71 diocesan priests, 60 religious priests, 20 religious brothers, 550 religious sisters and 10 catechists are working in the 26 parishes and 20 mission stations of the Archdiocese of Bhopal. Bhopal Archdiocese has two colleges, one pastoral centre, two Nursing colleges, 46 schools, 7 hostels, 4 social welfare centers, 4 hospitals, 5 dispensaries, 4 professional training centers, 4 schools for the physically and mentally challenged.

Leadership

Suffragan dioceses

References

    Sources

    23°14′58″N77°25′17″E / 23.2494°N 77.4214°E / 23.2494; 77.4214