The diocese is situated with the Arabian Sea in the west, the Archdiocese of Verapoly in both north and east, and the Diocese of Alleppey in the south. The Santa Cruz Cathedral Basilica in Fort Cochin is the diocese's cathedral where the Diocesan Administrator resides. The diocesan administrator was Msgr. Shaiju Pariathussery after the retirement of Joseph Kariyil till Pope Francis appointed Bp James Anaparambil as apostolic administrator [ sede plena].[5]
On 11 October 2024, Pope Francis has appointed Bishop James Raphael Anaparambil (Bishop of Diocese of Alleppey) as the apostolic administrator to the diocese of Cochin. Bishop James continues as the apostolic administrator till Pope Francis appoints new Bishop to the diocese.[6]
History
The early Christian missionaries arrived in India from Portugal in 1550, pioneering the Portuguese mission in the country. Subsequently, the Christians of Kochi began practicing the Latin liturgical rite. St. Francis Xavier often visited the land of Kochi, where he offered holy mass at the St. Francis Church, in which lies the body of Vasco da Gama buried in 1524.[7] The Order of the Franciscans built a monastery in 1518 and two more, of the Jesuit Order, in 1550 and 1561. In 1553 the Dominicans sisters started a College and Monastery in Kochi, and before 1557, publication began and book printing began in Kochi. The Society of Jesus was then founded by Father Balthazar Gago, S.J. in 1550 and in 1560, the King of Portugal built for the Society of Jesus, the college of Kochi, and in 1562, a novitiate of the Society was established there. Following the rising of the land, Pope Leo X, in 1514 erected the Diocese of Funchal, and in 1534, the Diocese of Goa which was joined by the people in Kochi. The diocese of Cochin was elected by Pope Paul IV on 4 February 1557, in his decree "Pro Excellenti Praeeminentia"[7] for the two new suffragan dioceses (the other being Diocese of Malacca).[8][1] After its erection as a diocese, it was the second and preceded southern and eastern India, Burma, and Ceylon (now Sri Lanka). It was later reorganized following the Concordat of 23 June 1886, between Leo XIII and King Luiz of Portugal.[citation needed]
Before the missionaries, people of Malabar practiced Hinduism, Christianity, Islam, and Judaism. Three out of the eight Franciscan friars, who sailed from Lisbon to India died in the 1500 masacre in Kozhikode. The survivors then settled at Kochi and from there began the foundation of the Diocese of Cochin. They also received support from other missionaries working from the city which was a centre. Vasco da Gama, a messenger from Portugal who had arrived at Cochin accepted the writings of the early converted Christians for the King of Portugal. The Syrian Bishop of those Christians promised obedience to the pope through the Franciscan missionaries and two Nestorian priests, who later accompanied Gama to Lisbon en route for Rome. The pioneer priests of the diocese, Franciscans João d'Elvas and Pedro d'Amarante until 1507, preached the Gospel at Vypin, Pallippuram, and Kodungallur. Father Vincent de Lagos established the College of Kodungallur in 1540 to train the Nestorian Christians.[citation needed]
The Papal Bull of Pope Paul IV, which was used earlier in erecting the diocese was also utilised in raising the collegiate church of the Holy Cross, and the parish church of Cochin to a cathedral of the diocese with the first Bishop of Cochin, a Dominican Father Jorge Tremudo. In 1577, Brother João Gonsalves, S.J. was engraved at Cochin for the first time, thus, outlined the first Malealam book Outlines of Christian Doctrine, which was written in Portuguese by St. Francis Xavier to aid children. Cochin was taken on 6 January 1663, by the Dutch after a siege of six months. The city was reduced in size; the clergy were expelled; the monasteries and colleges, bishop's palace, etc, were razed to the ground. The church of St. Francis of Assisi, belonging to the Franciscan monastery was spared by the conquerors and converted for their religious use. After the English overthrew the Dutch, they kept the church which was turned into a merchandise to serve as a witness to the past four centuries, as well as an existing oldest church in India.[7]
In 9th century there were only three parishes in West Kochi: St. Lawrence Church Edakochi, Our Lady Of Life Church Mattancherry, and St. Louis Church Mundamveli.[9]
Pilgrim and Novena Centers
PILGRIM AND NOVENA CENTERS
IMAGE
NAME OF THE CHURCH
VENERATION
LOCATION
HOLY CROSS PILGRIM CENTER (COONAN KURISU) MATTANCHERRY
HOLY CROSS
OUR LADY OF VELANKANNI SHRINE,MARUVAKAD, CHELLANAM
OUR LADY OF HEALTH
ST JOSEPH'S MIRACULOUS SHRINE KANNAMALY
ST JOSEPH
ST SEBASTIAN'S CHURCH EDACOCHIN,TOMB OF SERVANT OF GOD MSGR.LAWRENCE PULIYANATH
St Francis Xavier worked in the costal belt of the diocese as a missionary,often visited the diocese.
St John De Britto visited the diocese on his way towards his mission.
St Joseph Vaz served the diocese as its Vicar General.
St Theresa Of Culcutta, widley known as Mother Theresa,visited the diocese and inaugurated Cochin Institute of printing technology (CIPT Press) In Thoppumpady.
St Devasahayam a member of the diocese during his great martyrdom.
Venerable Matteo Ricci Ordained as a Priest in Santa Cruz Cathedral Basilica Fort Kochi.
Servant of God Lawrence Puliyanath, a dioceasean priest who is often called as the apostle of the poor,served in the parish of St Lawrence Church Edacochin as Assistant Vicar and Later Vicar for more that 33 years.
"Rinunce e nomine". press.vatican.va (in Italian). Vatican City, Italy: Bollettino Sala Stampa della Santa Sede. 2 March 2024. Archived from the original on 2 March 2024. Retrieved 17 May 2024.
"Bula Cochim traduzida"(PDF). uc.pt (in Portuguese). 23 February 2022. Archived from the original(PDF) on 21 November 2023. Retrieved 17 May 2024. 1558, 4 de Fevereiro, Roma – Bula Pro excellenti praeeminentia, pela qual Paulo IV instituiu a diocese de Cochim, desmembrando o seu território da então criada arquidiocese de Goa e concedendo ao rei de Portugal o direito de padroado e de apresentação do bispo da nova diocese.
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