The Diocese of Quilon (

Latin Latin ( or ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins (Italic tribe), Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the lower Tiber area aroun ...

: ''Diœcesis Quilonensis'') is a

Latin Church The Latin Church () is the largest autonomous () particular church within the Catholic Church, whose members constitute the vast majority of the 1.3 billion Catholics. The Latin Church is one of 24 Catholic particular churches and liturgical ...

ecclesiastical jurisdiction or

diocese In Ecclesiastical polity, church governance, a diocese or bishopric is the ecclesiastical district under the jurisdiction of a bishop. History In the later organization of the Roman Empire, the increasingly subdivided Roman province, prov ...

of the

Catholic Church The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...

based in the southern

India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...

n city of

Kollam Kollam (;), is an ancient seaport and the List of cities and towns in Kerala, fourth largest city in the Indian state of Kerala. Located on the southern tip of the Malabar Coast of the Arabian Sea, the city is on the banks of Ashtamudi Lake ...

. It is a

suffragan A suffragan bishop is a type of bishop in some Christian denominations. In the Catholic Church, a suffragan bishop leads a diocese within an ecclesiastical province other than the principal diocese, the metropolitan archdiocese; the diocese led ...

in the

ecclesiastical province An ecclesiastical province is one of the basic forms of jurisdiction in Christian churches, including those of both Western Christianity and Eastern Christianity, that have traditional hierarchical structures. An ecclesiastical province consist ...

of the metropolitan Archdiocese of Trivandrum. The Diocese of Quilon covers an area of 1,950 km² (753 square miles) that contains a population of some 4.8 million. At least 4.8% of the people in the area are

Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...

The history of the Latin Church in Quilon begins with the erection of a diocese on 9 August 1329. This diocese was later suppressed. The present day Diocese of Quilon was established as an

apostolic vicariate An apostolic vicariate is a territorial jurisdiction of the Catholic Church under a titular bishop centered in missionary regions and countries where dioceses or parishes have not yet been established. The status of apostolic vicariate is often ...

on 15 March 1853 by bifurcating the Apostolic Vicariate of Verapoly. It was elevated as a diocese on 1 September 1886. , Paul Antony Mullassery is the

bishop A bishop is an ordained member of the clergy who is entrusted with a position of Episcopal polity, authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance and administration of di ...

of the Diocese of Quilon.

History

Early history

According to tradition, St.

Thomas the Apostle Thomas the Apostle (; , meaning 'the Twin'), also known as Didymus ( 'twin'), was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus according to the New Testament. Thomas is commonly known as "doubting Thomas" because he initially doubted the resurrection of ...

established seven churches along the southern part of west coast of

, and

Quilon Kollam (;), is an ancient seaport and the fourth largest city in the Indian state of Kerala. Located on the southern tip of the Malabar Coast of the Arabian Sea, the city is on the banks of Ashtamudi Lake and is 71 kilometers (44 mi) nort ...

(pronounced Koy-lon) is the second in the list of the above seven churches. John of Monte Corvino, a member of the Societas Peregrinantium Pro Christo on his way to

China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...

, landed in

in 1291 and ministered the Christian community. The Venetian traveller Marco Polo who visited

in 1292 testified to the presence of a Christian community in

Erection of the diocese its first bishop

Since the latter half of the 13th century,

became the chief centre of missionary expeditions. Franciscan and Dominican Missionaries in the 13th and 14th centuries visited

and their letters confirm the existence of a vibrant Christian community in

. In 1329

Pope John XXII Pope John XXII (, , ; 1244 – 4 December 1334), born Jacques Duèze (or d'Euse), was head of the Catholic Church from 7 August 1316 to his death, in December 1334. He was the second and longest-reigning Avignon Papacy, Avignon Pope, elected by ...

, from the Holy See then in Avignon (France), erected

as the first Diocese in the whole of Indies as suffragan to the Archdiocese of

Soltaniyeh Soltaniyeh () is a city in the Central District (Soltaniyeh County), Central District of Soltaniyeh County, Zanjan province, Zanjan province, Iran, serving as capital of both the county and the district. History Soltaniyeh, located some ...

in Persia through the decree "Romanus Pontifex" dated 9 August 1329 By a separate bull, "Venerabili Fratri Jordano", the same Pope, on 21 August 1329 appointed the French or Catalan Dominican friar Jordanus Catalani as the first Bishop of

. (Copies of the Orders and the related letters issued by Pope John XXII to Bishop Jordanus Catalani and to the diocese of

are documented and preserved in the diocesan archives. Also reprinted in the Indian Church History Classics, Vol.I, The Nazranies, South Asia Research Assistance Services, Ed. Prof. George Menachery, Ollur, 1998.) The ancient diocese of

had extensive jurisdiction over modern nations of India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Burma and Sri Lanka. Jordanus Catalani arrived in Surat in 1320. After his ministry in Gujarat he reached

in 1323. He not only revived Christianity but also brought hundreds to the Christian fold. He might have come again to

as the bishop in 1330 to build the church at

, known as St. George of the Latins. George happened to be the patron saint of the Catalans, besides being popular among other Christian communities on the Malabar coast. His book "Mirabilia Descripta" is a rare work on plants, animals and the people of India and of other countries in Asia and this is an authoritative work on India dating 700 years back. This book is considered to be a landmark chronicle of its time written around 1327. The first Latin Bishop of

was received with great jubilation by the faithful of

. He brought a message of good wishes from the Pope to the local rulers. As the first Latin bishop in India, he was also entrusted with the duty of spiritual nourishment of the Christian community in

Calicut Kozhikode (), also known as Calicut, is a city along the Malabar Coast in the state of Kerala in India. Known as the City of Spices, Kozhikode is listed among the City of Literature, UNESCO's Cities of Literature. It is the nineteenth large ...

Mangalore Mangaluru (), formerly called Mangalore ( ), is a major industrial port city in the Indian state of Karnataka and on the west coast of India. It is located between the Laccadive Sea and the Western Ghats about west of Bengaluru, the st ...

Thane Thane (; previously known as Thana, List of renamed Indian cities and states#Maharashtra, the official name until 1996) is a metropolitan city located on the northwestern side of the list of Indian states, state of Maharashtra in India and on ...

and Baruch (Gujarat). According to Portuguese sources, written more than two centuries later, he was martyred by Muslims in

Bombay Mumbai ( ; ), also known as Bombay ( ; its official name until 1995), is the capital city of the Indian States and union territories of India, state of Maharashtra. Mumbai is the financial centre, financial capital and the list of cities i ...

in 1336, as much as the four Franciscan friars that he had to bury, fifteen years before, in the very same place (one of them,

Thomas of Tolentino Thomas of Tolentino, OFM ( or '; 8 April 1321) was an Italian Order of Friars Minor, Franciscan missionary who was Christian martyrdom, martyred with his three companions in Thane, Delhi Sultanate, India, for Islam and blasphemy, blaspheming Muh ...

, was beatified). In the year 1348 John De Marignoli, the Papal Legate to China on his way back to Rome sojourned here for 14 months. With the martyrdom of the first Latin Bishop, the See of

remained vacant. There was a 'historic gap' with regard to ecclesiastical administration in India till the Portuguese landed here in 1498 AD. It follows from the Friar Jordanus tradition that Catholicism – not just Christianity – is deep rooted in

. It is now settled that Latin Catholicism was brought to Kerala in the early 14th century by this Catalan or Occitan speaking Dominican. It is now evident that while Bishop Jordanus introduced Latin Catholicism, the Portuguese popularized it. In the 1340s, an Italian friar called Marignolli called on Kollam and still found a Catholic church that he mentions as Saint George of the Latins, probably built by Jordanus (Saint George was popular among the Malabar Syrian Christians, but also happens to be the Patron Saint of Catalonia). The fact that

is the founding seat of the Catholic Church in India is often found obscured in the midst of history.

Franciscan missionary activity

John De Marignolli ( Giovanni de' Marignolli) of St. Lorenzo in Florence, joined the Franciscan order and was consecrated bishop in 1338 AD. He was chosen as legate to China by Pope Benedict XII (1334–1342). He preached in China and on his way back from China, he landed at

and lived there for over a year, preaching in St. George's Church, which was founded by Jordanus. In 1338 during the Pontificate of Pope Benedict XII (1334–1342) the great Khan of Peking in China sent a great delegation of ambassadors to the Pope at Avignon and were given a royal reception by the Pope. They requested the Pope to send a legate who would be wise, capable and virtuous to care for their souls. Responding to their request the Pope chose John De Marignolli as his legate to China and he accompanied the ambassadors of Great Khan on their homeward journey. Marignolli departed with a great number of friars and precious gifts for Khan, princes and sovereigns. They departed in March 1339 and after a long and perilous journey reached their destination, Khanbalique in 1342 and were received by the Great Khan, who was the last of the Mongol dynasty in China. After three years of mission Marignolli decided to return to Europe. On his departure on 26 December 1345 he set out for

where he arrived on 23 March 1346. The Christians of

warmly welcomed him. He lived there for over a year, and preached in St. George's Church, founded by Jordanus. He concentrated himself in the Latin Church of St. George founded by Bishop Jordanus. He preached in this Church and adorned the Church with paintings. He could not do much of missionary activity here since he became sick with dysentery during his stay at

. When he recovered he visited Cape Comorin the extremity of Indian Peninsula where he erected a marble pillar mounted by a cross in full view of Ceylon. It seems that he was an ambitious man and was desirous that the good people of

should never forget him and that was the intention of the erection of the marble pillar. The column, which was to endure till the world's end soon crumbled under the corroding influence of the elements and the inscriptions, were destroyed. Later a wrong tradition developed, attributing this column to St. Thomas. Marignolli set for Sumatra and Ceylon in July 1347. In September 1348 he came back to India. He left India in 1350 AD.

Portuguese control

The Portuguese missionaries made

one of their most important centers of evangelization.

Francis Xavier Francis Xavier, Jesuits, SJ (born Francisco de Jasso y Azpilicueta; ; ; ; ; ; 7 April 15063 December 1552), venerated as Saint Francis Xavier, was a Kingdom of Navarre, Navarrese cleric and missionary. He co-founded the Society of Jesus ...

laboured here for several years. He established a seminary in

, and his letters to Rome give testimony of a dynamic Christian community there. The history of

Diocese from the 16th century to the 20th century was linked to the battle of European empires for the control of the Malabar Coast. The Portuguese who arrived in

in 1503 revived and strengthened the Christian community. They built several churches and monasteries and established new centers of Christianity.

remained a territory under the Franciscans until 1533 AD, when the Diocese of Goa was established and

became part of the new diocese. However, in the year 1557 AD, when Cochin was erected as a suffragan diocese of the Archdiocese of Goa,

became part of Cochin Diocese. The Portuguese tenure in

has contributed much to its growth and development. Their primary concern was the abolition of the caste system. They made education available to all communities. They started presses, which made books available more cheaply, and thus people began to read and acquire knowledge. One of the oldest presses in India was established at Tangasseri. The press was attached to the San Salvador Seminary of the diocese established by a Jesuit Priest, Jao de Faria. The first book in Kerala, ''Doctrina Christa'', was published from

on 20 October 1578. The Harvard University library possesses a surviving copy of this book. It was printed in the neo-Tamil script of the time in Kerala. The one printed at

, ''Doctrina Christs en Lingua Malabar Tamil'', is a translation of Francis Xavier's work in Portuguese, translated by Henrique and Manual de San Pedro. The second page of the book mentions that it was printed on 20 October 1578 at the press of the "Saviour." Till today that place of the press is known in Tangasseri (near the Bishop's House) as "Achukuddom Parambu" (Press Place).

Suppression and reestablishment

In 1661 the Portuguese who tasted defeat from the Dutch, left

. The Dutch who took control over

, destroyed Catholic churches and persecuted Catholics. The Christians of

went through a dark period till 1741. The Dutch, defeated by Marthandavarma, the King of Travancore, had to leave

. Yet another dark period for the Church in

was in 1808 when Velu Thampi Dalava unleashed a fierce persecution on Christians. The Christian community of

after remaining a long period without bishops became a part of the diocese of Goa in 1534, when Goa was made an Episcopal see, suffragan to Funchal in the Madeiras. When Goa was raised to an archbishopric on 4 February 1557, Cochin was made suffragan diocese to the Arch-diocese of Goa and

became part of the Cochin diocese.

Pope Gregory XVI Pope Gregory XVI (; ; born Bartolomeo Alberto Cappellari; 18 September 1765 – 1 June 1846) was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 2 February 1831 to his death in June 1846. He had adopted the name Mauro upon enteri ...

created the Vicariate of Malabar by his bull ''Multa Praeclare'' of 24 April 1838 and suppressed the diocese of Cochin; and attached that territory along with

to the Vicariate of Malabar (Verapoly). Later the Vicariate of Malabar was divided into three vicariates, Verapoly, Mangalore and

by the Holy See on 12 May 1845. The apostolic vicariate of

was extended from Arabian Sea to the 'Sahyan' Mountains and from Cape Comorin to Pamba River, which was provisionally entrusted to the Belgian discalced Carmelite missionaries. The separation of

, as a new Vicariate Apostolic, suffragan to Verapoly was decreed and was provisionally executed on 12 May 1845, entrusting it to the Belgian Carmelite Missionaries, and finally confirmed as a separate Vicariate Apostolic on 15 March 1853. On 24 April 1838 the Holy See established the Vicariate of Malabar with headquarters at Verapoly and

became part of the new vicariate. The separation of

again became a Diocese on 1 September 1886 with jurisdiction over the territory from Cape Comerin to Pampa River, in the north. This arrangement was effected in 1853, and on the establishment of the hierarchy in 1886 it was finally elevated into an episcopal see, suffragan to Verapoly.

Parishes

Tangasseri Forane

Tuet Forane

Kadavoor Forane

Kottiyam Forane

Kanjiracode Forane

Neendakara Forane

Chavara Forane

Mavelikkara Forane

List of bishops

Latin Rite Latin Rite may refer to: *The Latin Church, a ''sui iuris'' church of the Catholic Church *The Latin liturgical rites, a family of Christian rites and uses which includes the Roman Rite *The Roman Rite The Roman Rite () is the most common ritua ...

* Jordanus Catalani (1329–1336) * Bernardino Baccinelli of St. Teresa, (pro-vicar Apostolic, 1845–1853) * Bernardino Pontanova of St. Agnes (1853) * Maurice of St. Albert (1854) * Charles Hyacinth Valerga (1854–1864) * Ephrem-Edouard-Lucien-Théoponte Garrelon (20 June 1868 - 3 June 1870) * Ferdinand Maria Ossi (23 September 1883 - 16 August 1905) * Aloysius Maria Benziger (16 August 1905 - 23 July 1931) * Vincent Victor Dereere (10 February 1936 - 1 July 1937) * Jerome Maria Fernandez (25 September 1937 - 30 January 1978) * Joseph Gabriel Fernandez (30 January 1978 - 16 October 2001) * Stanley Roman (16 October 2001 - 18 April 2018) * Paul Antony Mullassery (18 April 2018 - present)

Saints and causes for canonisation

Servant of God Servant of God () is a title used in the Catholic Church to indicate that an individual is on the first step toward possible canonization as a saint. Terminology The expression ''Servant of God'' appears nine times in the Bible, the first five in ...

Aloysius Maria Benziger *

Jerome Maria Fernandez