Arch Diocese of Changanassery

Archeparchy of Changanassery
St Mary’s Metropolitan Cathedral
Location
Country	India
Ecclesiastical province	Changanassery
Statistics
Area	24,595 km2 (9,496 sq mi)
Population - Total - Catholics	(as of 2009) 9,430,000 385,000 (4.1%)
Information
Rite	Syro-Malabar Rite
Cathedral	St Mary's Metropolitan Cathedral in Changanassery
Patron saint	Saint Joseph
Current leadership
Pope	Francis
Major Archbishop	George Alencherry
Metropolitan Archbishop	Joseph Perumthottam
Emeritus Bishops	Joseph Powathil Archbishop Emeritus (1985-2007)
Website
Website of the Archdiocese

Syro-Malabar Catholic Archeparchy of Changanassery is an Eastern Catholic archeparchy in India, under the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church. Currently, it is one of the largest Catholic Diocese in India. It is one of the first two Vicariates (Trichur and Kottayam) and the second Metropolitan Archdiocese of the Syro - Malabar Hierarchy which can be considered as a prelude to the restoration of the identity of the Church in 1992 as a Sui Juris Church.

It covers 13 Forane churches and more than 300 other churches in the Keralite districts of Kottayam, Alappuzha, Pathanamthitta, Kollam, Thiruvananthapuram and Kanyakumari district in Tamil Nadu. It also manages a lot of Hospitals, Colleges, Schools - both general and those for the physically/mentally challenged, Orphanages, De-addiction centers and Old-age homes.

Mar Joseph Perumthottam is the current Archeparch.

The Apostolic Church of St. Thomas Christians has its origin from St. Thomas, the apostle, who arrived on the Kerala Coast in A.D. 52. The Metropolitan of “The See of St. Thomas” was “Metropolitan and Gate of all India”. In the course of history this Church entered into good relationship with the East Syrian Church . The Archdeacon of all India did the full administration.