BISHOP: His Excellency Most Rev. Dr Abraham Mar Julios
Heavenly Patron: Mary, Mother of God.
Catholic Bishop’s House,
Mudavoor P.O., Muvattupuzha – 686 669,
Tel. 0485-2812650, Fax: 0485 2814346
Website: www.muvattupuzhadiocese.com
Bishop’s E-mail: kackanatt@hotmail.com; amarjulios@gmail.com
Short History
The mission command of Jesus Christ to preach the Gospel to the whole world was fulfilled in India by the apostolic activities of St Thomas. The emergence of Thomas Christians in India particularly in Kerala led to the growth of a solid Christian community in Kerala, which is characterized by its liturgy, spirituality, discipline etc. The Thomas Christians were one community till the historical Coonan Cross Oath in 1653. The event divided the church into various denominations. In order to restore the unity, Mar Ivanios wholeheartedly accepted the communion of the Catholic Church. Since then the Malankara Catholic Church has been growing steadily and extending its missionary activities to the various areas of this land.
Though much has been done to lay the foundation for the unity of Churches, there still remains a large area untouched as far as the mission of the Church is concerned. It was absolutely out of the ardent mission zeal that the Malankara Catholic Church wished for a new diocese in the central part of Kerala. The establishment of the eparchy of Muattupuzha is really a milestone in the stable development of the Malankara Catholic Church in India. Since the geographic area covers the highest number of non catholic Thomas Christians, the mission and vision of the diocese cannot be other than that of the Reunion Movement itself.
It was then Metropolitan of the Eparchy of Tiruvalla, His Excellency Most Rev. Geevarghese Mar Timotheos, out of his far-reaching vision of the mission of the Church and for the overall development of the northern region of the Eparchy, took initiatives to bifurcate the Eparchy of Tiruvalla and to erect the new Eparchy of Muvattupuzha. The proposal was accepted by the Holy Father, Pope John Paul II, who made canonical provision for the establishment of the Eparchy of Muvattupuzha on 15 January 2003. The Holy Father appointed His Excellency Most Rev. Dr Thomas Mar Koorilos as its first Metropolitan.
After five years of leadership in the Diocese His Excellency Most Rev. Dr Thomas Mar Koorilos was appointed Metropolitan-Archbishop of Tiruvalla on 2 May 2007.
As per election of the Holy Episcopal Synod and with the assent of the Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI, His Beatitude Moran Mor Baselios Cleemis, the Major Archbishop-Catholicos, appointed Rev. Dr Abraham Kackanatt, as the Bishop of Muvattupuzha on 18 January 2008. He was ordained Bishop on February 9, 2008 with the name Abraham Mar Julios by His Beatitude Moran Mor Baselios Cleemis Catholicos and was installed on the same day as the second Bishop of the Eparchy of Muvattupuzha at the St Joseph’s Cathedral, Muvattupuzha.
The Eparchy of Muvattupuzha comprises of civil districts of Ernakulam, Thrissur and Palakkad in Kerala State and Coimbatore, Tirupur, Erode and Karur in Tamil Nadu.
