BISHOP: HIS EXCELLENCY MOST REV. DR. JOSHUA MAR IGNATHIOS
EPARCHY OF MAVELIKARA
Heavenly Patroness: Blessed Virgin Mary
Amalagiri Catholic Bishop’s House
Punnamoodu, Mavelikara- 690 101,
Alleppey District, Kerala, INDIA
Tel: 0479-2344081, Fax: 0479-2344083
E-Mail: mavelikaradiocese@gmail.com; marignathios@yahoo.co.in
Website: www.mavelikaradiocese.org
Short History
The Syro-Malankara Catholic Church has entered a new era with the erection of the new Eparchy of Mavelikara. In consultation with the Holy See, the Holy Episcopal Synod of the Malankara Catholic Church held in November 2006 took the decision to create the Eparchy of Mavelikara to carry out effective pastoral care for the faithful in the north-western part of the Major Archieparchy of Trivandrum. The Holy Synod proposed Mavelikara, the birth-place of Archbishop Geevarghese Mar Ivanios, the founder and father of the Reunion Movement in the Malankara Church in Kerala, as the See from which the new Eparchy can take its name. His Beatitude Moran Mor Cyril Baselios Catholicos, the Major Archbishop of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church, by the decree Prot.No. 1/2007, made the formal declaration of the new Eparchy on 01 January 2007 in the Metropolitan Church at Pattom, Trivandrum, in the presence of all the Metropolitans of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church. His Grace Joshua Mar Ignathios, the then Auxiliary Bishop and Proto Syncellus of the Major Archieparchy of Trivandrum, has been appointed the Metropolitan of the new Eparchy of Mavelikara.
The official inauguration of the Eparchy of Mavelikara and the Installation of His Excellency Most Rev. Joshua Mar Ignathios as its first Bishop were held at St Mary’s Church, Punnamood, Mavelikara on 16 February 2007. The Holy Qurbono was celebrated by the newly elected Major Archbishop-Catholicos and the Installation was officiated by the Administrator of the Church His Excellency Most Rev. Dr Geevarghese Mar Divannasios. The Eparchy of Mavelikara comprises of the presbyteral districts of Mavelikara and Kollam and parts of the presbyteral districts of Chengannur and Adoor. This coincides with the civil districts of Alapuzha minus the portions that belong to the Archdiocese of Tiruvalla and parts of the civil districts of Kollam and Pathanamthitta. The patroness of the Eparchy is Mary, the Mother of God. The Cathedral of the Eparchy is St Mary’s Church, Punnamoodu, Mavelikara.
