BISHOP: His Excellency Most Rev. Dr Geevarghese Mar Divannasios
Heavenly Patron : St. Joseph
Shanthi Bhavan Catholic Bishop´s house
Parladka, Puttur, Dakshina Kannada Dt., Karnataka 574201
Phone : 08251 238538
E-mail : bishopptr@gmail.com; web : www.dioceseofputtur.com
Short History
The Holy Episcopal Synod convoked from 17 to 21 November 2008 decided to erect a new diocese in Karnataka State, on the recommendation of Most Rev. Dr Geevarghese Mar Divannasios, the then – Bishop of Bathery, taking into consideration of the geographical, cultural and linguistic differences of Karnataka State. Considering the importance of Puttur and its relation with the various other Churches, the city of Puttur was suggested as the center of the new diocese. His Beatitude Moran Mor Baselios Cleemis Catholicos, the Father and Head of the Church, with the Apostolic Decree Prot No.2/2010, erected the Eparchy of Puttur on 25 January 2010. He also transferred Most Rev. Geevarghese Mar Divannasios from the See of Bathery and appointed him as the first Bishop of the Eparchy of Puttur. The Pro-cathedral of the new eparchy was fixed to be St Mary’s’s Church, Noojibalthila and the Patron Saint of the Eparchy is St Joseph. The official inauguration of the new Diocese of Puttur and the Installation of its first shepherd took place on 15 April 2010 at St Mary’s Pro-Cathedral Noojibalthila.
The Eparchy of Puttur consists of nine civil districts of Karnataka State with a vast geographical area of 51,950 sq. km. The civil districts are Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, Mysore, Chamarajnagar, Kodagu, Mandya, Shimoga, Chickamagaluru and Hassan. At present it has two ecclesiastical districts, namely, South Kanara (Dakshina Kannada) and Shimoga.
