Tiruchirapalli (Diocese) [Catholic-Hierarchy]

Bishop(s)

Savarimuthu Arokiaraj, Bishop

General Information

Type of Jurisdiction: Diocese
Name Changed: 21 October 1950
Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Madurai
Depends on: Dicastery for Evangelization
Rite: Latin (or Roman)
Country: India
Square Kilometers: 12,144 (4,690 Square Miles)
Official Web Site: http://www.trichydiocese.org/
Mailing Address: Bishop's House, 12A Convent Road, Tiruchchirappalli-620001, Tamil Nadu, India
Telephone: (0431)2415.635
Fax: 2417.502

Historical Details

Vicariate Apostolic of Madurai and Coromandel Coast
- Latin Name: Orae Coromandelicae?
- Erected: 8 July 1836
- Vicariate
- Country: India
Diocese of Madurai
- Elevated: 1 September 1886
- Country: India
Diocese of Trichinopoly
- Latin Name: Trichinopolitana
- Name Changed: 7 June 1887
- Country: India

Past and Present Ordinaries

Louis-Charles-Auguste Hébert, M.E.P. † (8 Jul 1836 Appointed - 3 Oct 1836 Died)
Clément Bonnand, M.E.P. † (3 Oct 1836 Succeeded - 3 Apr 1850 Appointed, Vicar Apostolic of Pondicherry)
Alexis Canoz, S.J. † (22 May 1846 Appointed - 2 Dec 1888 Died)
Jean-Marie Barthe, S.J. † (21 Mar 1890 Appointed - 19 Dec 1913 Resigned)
Ange-Auguste Faisandier, S.J. † (19 Dec 1913 Succeeded - 24 Sep 1934 Retired)
Jean Pierre Leonard, S.J. † (2 Jan 1936 Appointed - 8 Jan 1938 Appointed, Bishop of Madura)
James Mendonça † (7 Mar 1938 Appointed - 23 Nov 1970 Retired)
Thomas Fernando † (23 Nov 1970 Appointed - 6 Oct 1990 Retired)
Gabriel Lawrence Sengol † (6 Oct 1990 Appointed - 14 Oct 1997 Resigned)
Antony Devotta † (16 Nov 2000 Appointed - 14 Jul 2018 Retired)
Savarimuthu Arokiaraj (29 Jun 2021 Appointed - )

Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
Vicariate Apostolic of Madurai and Coromandel Coast
8 July 1836	Erected	Diocese of São Tomé of Meliapore	Vicariate Apostolic of Madurai and Coromandel Coast (erected)
1850	Territory Lost	Vicariate Apostolic of Madurai and Coromandel Coast	Vicariate Apostolic of Coimbatore (erected) Vicariate Apostolic of Mysore (erected)
Diocese of Madurai
1 September 1886	Elevated	Vicariate Apostolic of Madurai and Coromandel Coast	Diocese of Madurai
Diocese of Trichinopoly
7 June 1887	Name Changed	Diocese of Madurai	Diocese of Trichinopoly
12 June 1923	Territory Lost	Diocese of Trichinopoly (Most of Tuticorin, about half of Nellai, and a portion of Kanyakumari)	Diocese of Tuticorin (erected)
14 July 1927	Territory Lost	Diocese of Trichinopoly (Boundaries adjusted)	Diocese of Tuticorin (Boundaries adjusted)
3 July 1929	Territory Lost	Diocese of Kumbakonam (Mayavaram, Shiyaly, and part of Nannuam and Ghidambaram (Thanjavur)) Archdiocese of Madras (Part of city of Madras) Diocese of Trichinopoly (Alangudi and Thirumayam)	Diocese of São Tomé of Meliapore
3 July 1929	Territory Added	Diocese of São Tomé of Meliapore (Awor, Cooumim, Dindigul, Madura, Malleiadipaty, Oriur, HFossa Senhora das Dores, and Muttupettaah (except for Venkatakulam))	Diocese of Trichinopoly
8 January 1938	Territory Lost	Diocese of Trichinopoly (Tinnevelly, part of Travancore (East of the Ghats), and Ramnad and Madura (except Paini and Dindigul))	Diocese of Madura (erected)
Diocese of Tiruchirapalli
21 October 1950	Name Changed	Diocese of Trichinopoly	Diocese of Tiruchirapalli
19 September 1953	Metropolitan Changed		Diocese of Tiruchirapalli (from Bombay)
10 November 2003	Territory Lost	Archdiocese of Madurai (Natham, Kamalapuram, Sinnalapatty, Athur, Karisalpatty, and Vannampatty) Diocese of Tiruchirapalli (Dindigul (Dindigul, Vedasandur, Oddanchatram, Palani, and Natham))	Diocese of Dindigul (erected)

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

Diocese of Tiruchirapalli

1950 116,557 1,632,040 7.1% 56 41 97 1,201 55 393 32 ap1951

1970 170,650 1,943,537 8.8% 72 63 135 1,264 159 855 41 ap1971

1980 210,977 2,632,000 8.0% 69 76 145 1,455 163 888 50 ap1981

1990 273,481 3,124,716 8.8% 97 80 177 1,545 212 928 61 ap1991

1999 387,130 3,662,230 10.6% 111 97 208 1,861 305 944 71 ap2000

2000 392,430 3,666,320 10.7% 133 116 249 1,576 356 1,043 75 ap2002

2002 393,640 3,789,320 10.4% 117 119 236 1,667 456 1,086 82 ap2003

2003 182,500 2,543,806 7.2% 78 100 178 1,025 405 784 55 ap2004

2004 399,740 3,872,430 10.3% 146 100 246 1,624 517 1,355 82 ap2005

2010 188,990 2,156,765 8.8% 94 121 215 879 434 927 67 ap2011

2014 236,377 2,447,234 9.7% 95 173 268 882 492 739 67 ap2015

2017 262,413 2,296,098 11.4% 92 176 268 979 548 1,097 71 ap2018

2020 271,034 2,371,960 11.4% 98 176 274 989 570 1,134 73 ap2021

2022 276,790 2,431,614 11.4% 101 179 280 988 563 1,130 73 ap2023

2023 277,628 2,481,523 11.2% 109 183 292 950 567 1,146 73 ap2024

Year	Catholics	Total Population	Percent Catholic	Diocesan Priests	Religious Priests	Total Priests	Catholics Per Priest	Male Religious	Female Religious	Parishes	Source
Diocese of Tiruchirapalli
1950	116,557	1,632,040	7.1%	56	41	97	1,201	55	393	32	ap1951
1970	170,650	1,943,537	8.8%	72	63	135	1,264	159	855	41	ap1971
1980	210,977	2,632,000	8.0%	69	76	145	1,455	163	888	50	ap1981
1990	273,481	3,124,716	8.8%	97	80	177	1,545	212	928	61	ap1991
1999	387,130	3,662,230	10.6%	111	97	208	1,861	305	944	71	ap2000
2000	392,430	3,666,320	10.7%	133	116	249	1,576	356	1,043	75	ap2002
2002	393,640	3,789,320	10.4%	117	119	236	1,667	456	1,086	82	ap2003
2003	182,500	2,543,806	7.2%	78	100	178	1,025	405	784	55	ap2004
2004	399,740	3,872,430	10.3%	146	100	246	1,624	517	1,355	82	ap2005
2010	188,990	2,156,765	8.8%	94	121	215	879	434	927	67	ap2011
2014	236,377	2,447,234	9.7%	95	173	268	882	492	739	67	ap2015
2017	262,413	2,296,098	11.4%	92	176	268	979	548	1,097	71	ap2018
2020	271,034	2,371,960	11.4%	98	176	274	989	570	1,134	73	ap2021
2022	276,790	2,431,614	11.4%	101	179	280	988	563	1,130	73	ap2023
2023	277,628	2,481,523	11.2%	109	183	292	950	567	1,146	73	ap2024