Scopex at 19:27, 23 February 2026

2026-02-23T19:27:13Z

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{{Short description|Roman Catholic archdiocese in Tamil Nadu, India}}
{{Multiple issues|
{{More citations needed|date=March 2014}}
{{Prose|date=August 2022}}
}}
{{Use Indian English|date=April 2018}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2018}}
{{Infobox diocese
| jurisdiction = Archdiocese
| name = Madras and Mylapore
| latin = Archidioecesis Madraspolitanus et Meliaporensis
| local = சென்னை-மயிலை உயர்மறைமாவட்டம்
| image =
| image_size =
| image_alt =
| caption =

| country = [[India]]
| territory = Tamil Nadu
| province = Madras and Mylapore
| metropolitan = [[Chennai]]
| archdeaconries =
| deaneries =
| subdivisions =
| coordinates = 

| area_km2 = 3,160
| area_sqmi = 
| area_footnotes =
| population = 9,760,300
| population_as_of = 2023
| catholics = 785,574
| catholics_percent = 7.3
| parishes = 128 Parishes, 350+ Sub Parishes
| churches = 
| congregations = 
| schools = 75 Middle School, 145 Higher Secondary School
| members = 

| denomination = [[Roman Catholic]]
| rite = [[Latin Church|Latin Rite]]
| established = 9 January 1606, erection of the [[Diocese of São Tomé of Meliapore|diocese of Mylapore]] by pope [[Paul V]] <br/> Archdiocese of Madras and Mylapore on 13 November 1952 (Papal Bull, ‘Ex Primaevae Ecclesiae’ by [[Pope Pius XII]])
| cathedral = [[San Thome Basilica|St. Thomas Cathedral Basilica]], [[Santhome]]
| cocathedral = St. Mary of the Angels Co-Cathedral, [[George Town, Chennai|Georgetown]]
| patron = 
| patron_title = 
| priests = 152

| pope = {{Incumbent pope}}
| patriarch =
| major_archbishop =
| bishop =
| bishop_title = Archbishop
| metro_archbishop = [[George Antonysamy]]
| coadjutor =
| suffragans = 
| auxiliary_bishops =
| apostolic_admin =
| vicar_general = Fr. Stanley Sebastian
| episcopal_vicar =
| archdeacons = 
| emeritus_bishops = [[Malayappan Chinnappa]] (2005-2012)

| map =
| map_size =
| map_alt =
| map_caption =

| website =
| footnotes =
}}

The '''Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Madras and Mylapore''' ({{langx|la|Madraspolitan(us) et Meliaporen(sis)}}) is an [[archdiocese]] based in the city of [[Madras]] (now ''Chennai''), in India. It merged with the ancient diocese of [[Mylapore]] which now a part of Chennai.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://press.catholica.va/news_services/bulletin/news/30075.php | title=Rinuncia dell'arcivescovo di Madras and Mylapore (India) e nomina del successore | language=it | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20121128080332/http://press.catholica.va/news_services/bulletin/news/30075.php | archivedate=28 November 2012 | publisher=The Vatican | accessdate=14 April 2018 | url-status=dead | df=dmy-all }}</ref>

==History==
* 9 January 1606: erection of the [[Diocese of São Tomé of Meliapore|diocese of Mylapore]] by pope [[Paul V]] separated from the [[Diocese of Cochin]], by agreement with the king of [[Portugal]] who received power to appoint bishops and priests and, in a general way, to look after the evangelization of the area ([[Padroado]] system and jurisdiction)
* 1642: Madras Capuchin Mission founded by French Capuchin Missionary Fr. [[Ephrem de Nevers]] was Established as Prefecture Vicariate of [[Fort Saint George]] This was an independent jurisdiction of the Propaganda Fide from the Padroado [[Diocese of São Tomé of Meliapore]]
* 1832: Renamed as Apostolic Vicariate of Madras
* 1 September 1886: Promoted as Metropolitan Archdiocese of Madras
* 10 October 1950: The Padroado system is cancelled. The Diocese of Mylapore comes under the jurisdiction of the 'Propaganda Fide'.
* 13 November 1952: Mylapore and Madras are merged into the renamed 'Metropolitan Archdiocese of Madras and Mylapore' (Bull {{lang|la|Ex primaevae ecclesiae}} of [[Pius XII]]).

==Leadership==
[[File:Chennai Bishop.jpg|thumb|Archbishop [[George Antonysamy]]
the present Archbishop of Chennai and Mylapore]]
[[George Antonysamy]] is appointed as the Archbishop of Historical Metropolitan [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Madras]]–Mylapore on 21 November 2012. He was installed as the 6th Archbishop of Madras–Mylapore on 27 January 2013.

==Episcopal ordinaries==
===Archbishops of Madras and Mylapore ([[Latin Church|Latin Rite]])===
** Archbishop [[George Antonysamy]] (21 November 2012 – present); formerly, Apostolic Nuncio (Liberia, Gambia, & Sierra Leone)
** Archbishop [[Malayappan Chinnappa]], S.D.B. (1 April 2005 – 21 November 2012)
** Archbishop [[James Masilamony Arul Das]] (11 May 1994 – 30 August 2004)
** Archbishop [[Casimir Gnanadickam]], [[Society of Jesus|S.J.]] (26 January 1987 – 10 November 1993)
** Archbishop [[Anthony Rayappa Arulappa]] (1 February 1966 – 26 January 1987)
** Archbishop [[Louis Mathias]], S.D.B. (13 November 1952 – 2 August 1965)
===Metropolitan Archbishops of Madras (Latin Rite)===
** Archbishop Louis Mathias, S.D.B. (25 March 1935 – 13 November 1952)
** Archbishop [[Eugène Mederlet]], S.D.B. (3 July 1928 – 12 December 1934)
** Archbishop [[Giovanni Aelen]], [[M.H.M.]] (13 February 1911 – 1928)
** Archbishop [[Joseph Colgan]] (19 May 1882 – 13 February 1911)
===Vicars Apostolic of Madras===
** Bishop [[Stephen Fennelly]] (1868-1880)
** Bishop [[John Fennelly]] (1841-1868)
** Bishop [[Patrick Joseph Carew]] (1840-1841)
** Bishop [[Daniel O'Connor (bishop)|Daniel O'Connor]], O.S.A. (1834-1840)

==Seat of Power==
===Santhome Cathedral===

[[File:Santhome spire and church sideview.jpg|thumb|Santhome church]]
San Thome Church, officially known as St Thomas Cathedral Basilica and National Shrine of [[Saint Thomas the Apostle|Saint Thomas]], is a [[minor basilica]] of the [[Catholic Church]] and the Seat of power of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Madras and Mylapore in India, at the [[Santhome]] neighbourhood of [[Chennai]], in [[Tamil Nadu]]. The present structure dates to 1523 AD, when it was rebuilt by the [[Portuguese people|Portuguese]] over what was believed to be the tomb of [[Thomas the Apostle]]. In 1896, it was [[renovated]] in the Madras province according to [[neo-Gothic]] designs, as was favoured by British architects in the late 19th century.

===St.Mary's Co-Cathedral===
[[File:St. Mary's Co-cathedral Church, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, in India.jpg|thumb| St. Mary's Co-cathedral Church, Armenian Street, [[Chennai]].]]

St. Mary's Co-Cathedral is a [[Catholic]] church in [[Armenian Street, Chennai|Armenian Street]], [[Chennai]], [[India]]. Constructed by [[Order of Friars Minor Capuchin|Capuchins]] in 1658, it is one of the oldest churches in the former [[British India]]. For a long time Cathedral of the diocese it received the title of [[co-cathedral]] when the seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Madras and Mylapore was transferred to [[San Thome Basilica]].

===Archbishop House===
[[File:Santhome bishop house.jpg|thumb|Madras-Mylapore Archbishop House located in [[Santhome]], Chennai.]]

The Archbishop House is located in [[Santhome]], [[Mylapore]] in Chennai next to the [[San Thome Basilica]]. The Archbishop house is the residence of the head and Archbishop of Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Madras and Mylapore.

==Ecclesiastical province==
* [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Chingleput|Diocese of Chingleput]]
* [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Coimbatore|Diocese of Coimbatore]]
* [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Ootacamund|Diocese of Ootacamund]]
* [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Vellore|Diocese of Vellore]]

== Statistics ==
The [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Madras and Mylapore|Archdiocese of Chennai-Mylapore]] is one of the oldest and largest diocese in India. At present there are about 128 parishes and 350+ sub stations in the diocese to enhance the Catholic faith. There are 75 Middle schools, 145 Higher Secondary Schools and 7 colleges are in the jurisdiction of the diocese to impart education to the children. And there are 39 Major and Minor [[Seminary|seminaries]] in the diocese.<ref>{{Cite web |title=About – Arch Diocese of Madras Mylapore |url=https://archdioceseofmadrasmylapore.in/about/ |access-date=2025-05-31 |language=en-US}}</ref>

The Count of Religious men and women are

* Diocesan Priest 173

* Religious Priest 273
* Religious Brothers 182
* Religious sisters 1551

==Patron Saints==
===Saint Thomas the Apostle===
[[Saint Thomas the Apostle]], is the primary patron of this Archdiocese. According to tradition, Saint Thomas, one of the twelve [[Apostles]] of [[Jesus Christ]] walked on the sands of [[Mylapore]] and preached the [[Gospel]] to the people who embraced [[Christianity]]. This great Apostle was martyred on [[St.Thomas Mount]], near [[Mylapore]] in the year 72 AD and his mortal remains were buried in [[Santhome]] in the [[Church (building)|Church]] built by him.

==Saints and causes for canonisation==
* The tomb of St. [[Thomas the Apostle]] is in Chennai.<ref name="CCBI">{{Cite web|url=http://ccbi.in/saints-blessed/|title=Saints & Blessed – CCBI|accessdate=17 Oct 2019}}</ref>
* Ven. [[António Barroso]], bishop of the [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Saint Thomas of Mylapore|diocese of Saint Thomas of Mylapore]]
* Servant of God, Mother Thatipatri Gnanamma<ref name="CCBI" />

== Religious congregations, societies and institutes ==
=== Religious institutes of men ===

* Oblates of Mary Immaculate
* Brothers of St.Patrick's
* Carmelites of Mary Immaculate
* Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament
* Congregation of the Missions
* Congregation of the Holy Redeemer
* Herald of Good News
* Holy Cross Brothers of Sacred Heart
* Hospitaller Brothers of St.John of God
*Missionaries of Mary Immaculate
*Missionaries of St.Francis De Sales
*Missionary Brothers of Charity
*Monfort Brothers of St.Gabriel
*Order of Friars Minor (Franciscans)
*Order of Friars Minor (Capuchins)
*Salesians of Don Bosco
*Servants of Charity
*Society of Jesus
*Society of St.Paul
*Sons of Immaculate Heart of Mary

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category|Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Madras and Mylapore}}
* [http://www.archdioceseofmadrasmylapore.in Archdioceseofmadreasmylapore.in]
* [http://www.gcatholic.org/dioceses/diocese/madr0.htm GCatholic.org]
* [http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/diocese/dmamy.html Catholic Hierarchy]

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Madras And Mylapore}}
[[Category:Roman Catholic dioceses in India]]
[[Category:Religious organizations established in the 1640s]]
[[Category:1642 establishments in Asia]]
[[Category:Roman Catholic dioceses and prelatures established in the 17th century]]
[[Category:Organisations based in Chennai]]
[[Category:Christianity in Tamil Nadu]]

Archdiocese of Madras and Mylapore - Revision history

Scopex at 19:27, 23 February 2026