Cochin (Diocese) [Catholic-Hierarchy]

Bishop(s)

Vacant
Joseph Kariyil, Bishop Emeritus
John Thattumkal, S.S.C., Bishop Emeritus

General Information

Type of Jurisdiction: Diocese
Erected: 4 February 1558
Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Verapoly
Rite: Latin (or Roman)
Country: India
Square Kilometers: 236 (91 Square Miles)
Official Web Site: http://www.dioceseofcochin.org/
Mailing Address: Bishop's House, Fort Cochin, Kochi-682001, Kerala, India
Telephone: (0484)2215.400
Fax: 2215.404

Past and Present Ordinaries

Jorge Temudo, O.P. † (4 Feb 1558 Appointed - 13 Jan 1567 Appointed, Archbishop of Goa)
Henrique de Távora e Brito, O.P. † (13 Jan 1567 Appointed - 29 Jan 1578 Appointed, Archbishop of Goa)
Mateus de Medina, O. Mil. J. Chr. † (29 Jan 1578 Appointed - 19 Feb 1588 Appointed, Archbishop of Goa)
Andrés de Santa Maria, O.F.M. Obs. † (19 Feb 1588 Appointed - 1615 Resigned)
Sebastião de São Pedro, O.S.A. † (16 Feb 1615 Appointed - 7 Oct 1624 Appointed, Archbishop of Goa)
Luis de Brito de Menezes, O.S.A. † (27 May 1627 Appointed - 29 Jul 1629 Died)
Miguel Da Cruz Rangel, O.P. † (10 Nov 1631 Appointed - 14 Sep 1646 Died)
Pedro da Silva, O.S.A. † (8 Jan 1689 Confirmed - 15 Mar 1691 Died)
Pedro Pacheco, O.P. † (4 Jan 1694 Appointed - Sep 1714 Died)
Francisco de Vasconcellos, S.J. † (12 Feb 1721 Appointed - 30 Mar 1743 Died)
Clemente José Colaço Leitão, S.J. † (8 Mar 1745 Confirmed - 31 Jan 1771 Died)
Emmanuel Felix Soares (de Santa Catarina), O.C.D. † (20 Jul 1778 Confirmed - 18 Jul 1783 Confirmed, Archbishop of Goa)
José Marques da Silva, O.C.D. † (18 Jul 1783 Confirmed - )
Tomas Manoel de Noronha e Brito, O.P. † (17 Dec 1819 Confirmed - 23 Jun 1828 Confirmed, Bishop of Olinda)
João Gomes Ferreira † (14 Mar 1887 Appointed - 4 May 1897 Died)
Matheus de Oliveira Xavier † (11 Oct 1897 Appointed - 26 Feb 1909 Appointed, Archbishop of Goa)
José Bento Martins Ribeiro † (28 Feb 1909 Confirmed - 21 May 1931 Died)
Abílio Augusto Vaz das Neves † (4 Dec 1933 Appointed - 8 Dec 1938 Appointed, Bishop of Bragança e Miranda)
José Vieira Alvernaz † (13 Aug 1941 Appointed - 23 Dec 1950 Appointed, Coadjutor Archbishop of Goa e Damão)
Alexander Edezath † (19 Jun 1952 Appointed - 29 Aug 1975 Resigned)
Joseph Kureethara † (29 Aug 1975 Appointed - 6 Jan 1999 Died)
John Thattumkal, S.S.C. (10 May 2000 Appointed - 8 May 2009 Resigned)
Joseph Kariyil (8 May 2009 Appointed - 2 Mar 2024 Retired)

Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
4 February 1558	Erected	Diocese of Goa	Diocese of Cochin (erected) Diocese of Malacca (erected)
1599	Territory Lost	Diocese of Cochin	Archdiocese of Angamalé (erected)
1606	Territory Lost	Diocese of Cochin	Mission "Sui Iuris" of Madura (erected)
9 January 1606	Territory Lost	Diocese of Cochin	Diocese of São Tomé of Meliapore (erected)
17 December 1659	Territory Lost	Diocese of Cochin	Vicariate Apostolic of Malabar (erected)
19 June 1952	Territory Lost	Diocese of Cochin (Southern part)	Diocese of Alleppey (erected)
19 September 1953	Metropolitan Changed		Diocese of Cochin (from Goa e Damão)
20 May 1955	Territory Lost	Diocese of Cochin	Diocese of Trivandrum

Year Catholics Total Population Percent Catholic Diocesan Priests Religious Priests Total Priests Catholics Per Priest Permanent Deacons Male Religious Female Religious Parishes Source

1950 236,365 500,000 47.3% 96 16 112 2,110 23 181 53 ap1951

1970 122,136 454,762 26.9% 49 10 59 2,070 12 130 23 ap1971

1980 143,000 587,500 24.3% 53 12 65 2,200 16 155 29 ap1981

1990 170,399 678,946 25.1% 64 22 86 1,981 40 295 33 ap1991

1999 16,359 556,247 2.9% 66 25 91 179 57 388 37 ap2000

2000 166,861 567,371 29.4% 70 34 104 1,604 95 434 37 ap2001

2001 173,861 580,373 30.0% 77 45 122 1,425 89 466 37 ap2002

2002 176,423 584,635 30.2% 76 40 116 1,520 151 460 37 ap2003

2003 173,281 604,400 28.7% 83 47 130 1,332 129 455 37 ap2004

2004 162,188 537,293 30.2% 87 39 126 1,287 79 515 37 ap2005

2006 160,812 562,746 28.6% 81 49 130 1,237 146 439 38 ap2007

2013 184,860 634,928 29.1% 96 54 150 1,232 140 426 41 ap2014

2016 175,473 618,890 28.4% 99 67 166 1,057 147 454 44 ap2017

2019 174,967 618,410 28.3% 113 77 190 920 168 390 48 ap2020

2021 176,680 625,500 28.2% 110 87 197 896 183 453 50 ap2022

Year	Catholics	Total Population	Percent Catholic	Diocesan Priests	Religious Priests	Total Priests	Catholics Per Priest	Male Religious	Female Religious	Parishes	Source
1950	236,365	500,000	47.3%	96	16	112	2,110	23	181	53	ap1951
1970	122,136	454,762	26.9%	49	10	59	2,070	12	130	23	ap1971
1980	143,000	587,500	24.3%	53	12	65	2,200	16	155	29	ap1981
1990	170,399	678,946	25.1%	64	22	86	1,981	40	295	33	ap1991
1999	16,359	556,247	2.9%	66	25	91	179	57	388	37	ap2000
2000	166,861	567,371	29.4%	70	34	104	1,604	95	434	37	ap2001
2001	173,861	580,373	30.0%	77	45	122	1,425	89	466	37	ap2002
2002	176,423	584,635	30.2%	76	40	116	1,520	151	460	37	ap2003
2003	173,281	604,400	28.7%	83	47	130	1,332	129	455	37	ap2004
2004	162,188	537,293	30.2%	87	39	126	1,287	79	515	37	ap2005
2006	160,812	562,746	28.6%	81	49	130	1,237	146	439	38	ap2007
2013	184,860	634,928	29.1%	96	54	150	1,232	140	426	41	ap2014
2016	175,473	618,890	28.4%	99	67	166	1,057	147	454	44	ap2017
2019	174,967	618,410	28.3%	113	77	190	920	168	390	48	ap2020
2021	176,680	625,500	28.2%	110	87	197	896	183	453	50	ap2022

Note: Any changes in boundaries over time are not indicated in the above table.

Affiliated Bishops, Deceased

Daniel Acharuparambil, O.C.D. † (Apostolic Administrator: 24 Oct 2008 to 8 May 2009)
Luis de Brito de Menezes, O.S.A. † (Bishop: 27 May 1627 to 29 Jul 1629)
Clemente José Colaço Leitão, S.J. † (Bishop: 8 Mar 1745 to 31 Jan 1771)
Pedro da Silva, O.S.A. † (Bishop: 8 Jan 1689 to 15 Mar 1691)
Alexander Edezath † (Priest: 20 Dec 1935; Bishop: 19 Jun 1952 to 29 Aug 1975)
João Gomes Ferreira † (Bishop: 14 Mar 1887 to 4 May 1897)
Joseph Kureethara † (Priest: 18 Mar 1958; Bishop: 29 Aug 1975 to 6 Jan 1999)
José Marques da Silva, O.C.D. † (Bishop: 18 Jul 1783 - )
José Bento Martins Ribeiro † (Bishop: 28 Feb 1909 to 21 May 1931)
Mateus de Medina, O. Mil. J. Chr. † (Bishop: 29 Jan 1578 to 19 Feb 1588)
Tomas Manoel de Noronha e Brito, O.P. † (Bishop: 17 Dec 1819 to 23 Jun 1828)
Matheus de Oliveira Xavier † (Bishop: 11 Oct 1897 to 26 Feb 1909)
Pedro Pacheco, O.P. † (Bishop: 4 Jan 1694 to Sep 1714)
Miguel Da Cruz Rangel, O.P. † (Bishop: 10 Nov 1631 to 14 Sep 1646)
Andrés de Santa Maria, O.F.M. Obs. † (Bishop: 19 Feb 1588 to 1615)
Sebastião de São Pedro, O.S.A. † (Bishop: 16 Feb 1615 to 7 Oct 1624)
Emmanuel Felix Soares (de Santa Catarina), O.C.D. † (Bishop: 20 Jul 1778 to 18 Jul 1783)
Henrique de Távora e Brito, O.P. † (Bishop: 13 Jan 1567 to 29 Jan 1578)
Jorge Temudo, O.P. † (Bishop: 4 Feb 1558 to 13 Jan 1567)
Francisco de Vasconcellos, S.J. † (Bishop: 12 Feb 1721 to 30 Mar 1743)
Abílio Augusto Vaz das Neves † (Bishop: 4 Dec 1933 to 8 Dec 1938)
José Vieira Alvernaz † (Bishop: 13 Aug 1941 to 23 Dec 1950)

Diocese of Cochin

Dioecesis Coccinensis

Bishop(s)

General Information

Past and Present Ordinaries

Historical Summary

Statistics

Affiliated Bishops, Living

Affiliated Bishops, Deceased

Source(s)