ElmoPedder14 at 05:23, 26 January 2026

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{{Short description|Catholic archdiocese in Pondicherry and Cuddalore, India}}
{{more citations needed|date=February 2020}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2020}}
{{Use Indian English|date=February 2020}}
{{Infobox diocese
| jurisdiction = Archdiocese
| name = Pondicherry and Cuddalore
| latin = Archidioecesis Pondicheriensis et Cuddalorensis
| local = {{ubl
| {{normal|{{lang|fr|Archidiocèse de Pondichéry et Cuddalore}}}}
| {{normal|{{lang|ta|புதுவை கடலூர் உயர் மறைமாவட்டம்}}}}
}}
| border = Catholic
| image =
| image_size =
| image_alt =

| country = [[India]]
| territory =
| province = Pondicherry and Cuddalore
| metropolitan =
| area_km2 = 15,250
| area_footnotes = <ref name="catholic-hierarchy.dpocu"/>
| population = 8,170,086{{efn|name="ap2022"|''[[Annuario Pontificio]]'' (2022) via ''[[Catholic-Hierarchy.org]]''<ref name="catholic-hierarchy.dpocu"/>}}
| population_as_of = 2021
| catholics = 400,361{{efn|name="ap2022"}}
| catholics_percent = {{percentage|400,361|8,170,086|1|%=}}
| parishes = 105{{efn|name="ap2022"}}
| churches = 
| denomination = [[Catholic Church]]
| sui_iuris_church = [[Latin Church]]
| rite = [[Latin liturgical rites|Latin Rite]]
| established = {{start date and age|1776}}
| cathedral = [[Immaculate Conception Cathedral, Pondicherry]]
| cocathedral =
| patron = [[Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception]]
| priests = 234 (183 diocesan; 51 religious){{efn|name="ap2022"}}
| language =
| calendar = [[Indian national calendar of the Roman Rite|Indian national calendar]]

| pope = {{Incumbent pope}}
| metro_archbishop = [[Francis Kalist]]
| emeritus_archbishops =
| vicar_general =
| coadjutor =
| suffragans = {{indented plainlist|
* '''[[Diocese of Dharmapuri|Dharmapuri]]''': [[Lawrence Pius Dorairaj]]
* '''[[Diocese of Kumbakonam|Kumbakonam]]''': {{nowrap|[[Jeevanandam Amalanathan]]}}
* '''[[Diocese of Salem|Salem]]''': [[Arulselvam Rayappan]]
* '''[[Diocese of Tanjore|Tanjore]]''': ''[[Sagayaraj Thamburaj]]''
}}
| auxiliary_bishops =
| apostolic_admin =

| map = Roman_Catholic_Archdiocese_of_Pondicherry_Cuddalore.jpg
| map_alt =
| map_caption =
| website = {{URL|pondicherryarchdiocese.org}}
}}

The '''Metropolitan Archdiocese of Pondicherry and Cuddalore''' ({{langx|la|Archidioecesis Pondicheriensis et Cuddalorensis}}) is a [[Latin Church|Latin]] [[metropolitan see]] of the [[Catholic Church]] of [[Pondicherry (city)|Pondicherry]] and [[Cuddalore]] in India.

==History==
{{Unsourced | section|date=April 2024}}

===The Mission of The Capuchins And The Jesuits ===
French Capuchins were the first missionaries to Pondicherry in 1632.<ref name=CPI>{{cite web |url= https://ofmcapkerala.org/about-us/capuchin-history-in-india/ |title= Capuchins in India |author= |date= |website= Capuchin Provincialate, St Francis of Assisi, India |publisher= |access-date= November 20, 2025 |quote=}}</ref> Two more groups of Capuchins arrived in the following decades and they established a mission there in 1674. <ref name=TH>{{cite web |url= https://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/history-and-culture/Madras-Miscellany/article12572732.ece |title= Madras Miscellany |author= |date= 7 November 2016 |website= The Hindu |publisher= |access-date= November 20, 2025 |quote=}}</ref> The great ancestor of this Archdiocese is the Carnatic Mission, which was started around the year 1700 as [[Mission sui iuris]]. This Carnatic Mission was known as Missions of the Coromandel Coast and also as the [[Malabar (Northern Kerala)|Malabar]] Mission.

Before the establishment of the Carnatic Mission in 1700, the Jesuit Fathers of the [[Madurai]] Mission, especially [[John de Britto]], entered the [[Gingee]] kingdom after 1660, and preached the Gospel up to the [[Palar River]], south of [[Chennai|Madras]]. Members of various religious orders, looked after the spiritual needs of the European communities in their trading centres along the coastal areas, including [[Cuddalore]] and [[Parangipettai|Porto Novo]].

The French [[Order of Friars Minor Capuchin|Capuchins]] first settled in [[Puducherry (city)|Pondicherry]] in 1674 and the French Jesuits, expelled from [[Thailand|Siam]] also took refuge with the Capuchins in Pondicherry in 1688. In 1693, the Dutch chased away all the religious groups from Pondicherry, and they were only able to return in 1699. While the Capuchins were looking after the Europeans in Pondicherry, the French Jesuits organized the Carnatic Mission for the Indian people.

===The Boundaries Of the Carnatic Mission===
The boundaries of the Carnatic mission were as follows:
* To the south and west, the [[Pennaiyar River]], beyond which were the [[Madurai]] and [[Mysore]] missions
* To the east, the [[Bay of Bengal]]
* To the north, [[Kurnool]], including the [[Krishna River|Krishna]] and [[Godavari]] areas near the coast.

===Jesuits Replaced By Foreign Mission Fathers===
The continual wars in the 18th century, the ruin of [[Pondicherry (city)|Pondicherry]] town in 1761 and the suppression of the [[Society of Jesus]] in 1773, badly hit the vast Carnatic Mission.
In 1776, the French Jesuit fathers were replaced at the order of [[Holy See|Rome]] by the foreign Mission French Fathers. Although the Bishop of these new missionaries had all the power of jurisdiction, he was not given the title "Vicar Apostolic", but instead called the "Superior of the Mission of the Coromandel Coast". Rome successively gave him the jurisdiction over the [[Madurai]], [[Coimbatore]] and [[Mysore]] areas, affected by the suppression of the Society of Jesus. By 1800, the extent of the Carnatic Mission was immense, but the labourers were very few.

===The First Vicar Apostolic And The First Archbishop===
The Carnatic Mission was reorganized when new [[apostolic vicariates]] were created: [[Chennai|Madras]] in 1832, [[Madurai]] in 1836, and the vicariates of [[Visakhapatnam]], [[Mysore]] and [[Coimbatore]] in 1845.

[[Pondicherry (city)|Pondicherry]] became an apostolic vicariate of the Coromandel coast, on 1 September 1836, with Mgr. Bonnand as its first vicar apostolic. This apostolic vicariate was raised to an archbishopric on 1 September 1886.<ref name=CCBIFK>{{cite web |url= https://ccbi.in/bishop-francis-kalist-appointed-new-archbishop-of-pondicherry/ |title= Bishop Francis Kalist Appointed New Archbishop of Pondicherry |author= |date= 19 March 2022 |website= Conference of Catholic Bishops in India |publisher= |access-date= November 20, 2025 |quote=}}</ref> Mgr. Laouenan was the first archbishop.

Subsequently, subdivisions of the archdiocese took place, creating the new dioceses of [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Kumbakonam|Kumbakonam]] in 1899 and [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Salem|Salem]] in 1930. In 1928, a great part of the present diocese of [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Vellore|Vellore]] was separated from Pondicherry and attached to the archdiocese of [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Madras and Mylapore|Madras and Mylapore]]. On a reorganisation of the archdiocese by [[Holy See|Rome]] in 1969, the Madurantagam taluk of [[Kanchipuram district]] was transferred to Madras, and [[Tiruvannamalai taluk]] to Vellore.

===The Final Formation===
As the archdiocese of Pondicherry extended over the [[Puducherry (union territory)|Pondicherry]] union territory and the [[South Arcot]] district of [[Madras State]], on 7 August 1953 it was given a new title by [[Holy See|Rome]]: the "Archdiocese of Pondicherry and Cuddalore".

Originally, the archdiocese included the former French settlements of Pondicherry, [[Karaikal]], [[Chandannagar]], [[Mahé, India|Mahe]], and [[Yanam]]. Another ex-French settlement was also looked after by the [[Missionaries of St. Francis de Sales|MSFS]] Fathers in [[Visakhapatnam]]. Chandannagar was re-allocated to the archdiocese of [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Calcutta|Calcutta]], now [[Kolkata]], and Mahé to the [[Kerala]] diocese of [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Calicut|Calicut]], now [[Kozhikode]], in 1949.

The present archdiocese of Pondicherry and Cuddalore extends over the [[Pondicherry district|Pondicherry]] and [[Karaikal district|Karaikal]] districts of [[Puducherry (union territory)|Puducherry]] and the [[Cuddalore district|Cuddalore]] (excluding [[Chidambaram]] and [[Kattumannarkoil]] taluks) and [[Viluppuram district|Viluppuram]] districts of [[Tamil Nadu]].

==21st century==
With a land area of 11,348 square kilometers, the Archdiocese of Pondicherry-Cuddalore extends over the [[Pondicherry district|Pondicherry]] and [[Karaikal district|Karaikal]] civil districts of [[Puducherry (union territory)|Puducherry]] union territory and the civil districts of [[Cuddalore district|Cuddalore]] and [[Viluppuram district|Viluppuram]] of [[Tamil Nadu]] state. In 2001, the total population of the area was 6,151,891. Ethnic groups in the territory include the [[Tamil people|Tamils]] and [[French people|French]].

In 2022, the diocese had 3,99,461 Catholic faithful across 105 parishes, as well as 187 diocesan clergy, 84 religious priests and 1,035 religious sisters; the church also ran 311 educational institutions.<ref name=CCBIFK />

==Leadership==
===Superior of Karnatic Mission / Pondicherry===
* [[Pierre Brigot]] (1776–1791)
* [[Nicolas Champenois]] (1791–1801)

===Vicars Apostolic===
* [[Louis-Charles-Auguste Hébert]] (1810–1835)
* [[Clément Bonnand]], M.E.P. (3 April 1850 – 21 March 1861)
* [[Joseph-Isidore Godelle]], M.E.P. (21 March 1861 – 15 July 1867)
* [[François-Jean-Marie Laouënan]], M.E.P. (24 July 1868 – 29 September 1892)

===Archbishops===
* [[Joseph-Adolphe Gandy]], M.E.P. (29 September 1892 – 25 March 1909)
* [[Elie-Jean-Joseph Morel]], M.E.P. (11 May 1909 – 16 August 1929)
* [[Auguste-Siméon Colas]], M.E.P. (24 June 1930 – 28 October 1955)
* [[Ambrose Rayappan]] (28 November 1955 – 17 March 1973)
* [[Venmani S. Selvanather]] (17 March 1973 - 18 February 1992)
* [[Michael Augustine (bishop)|Michael Augustine]] (18 February 1992 – 10 June 2004 )
* [[Antony Anandarayar]] (10 June 2004 – 27 January 2021)
* [[Francis Kalist]] (19 March 2022 – Incumbent) <ref name=CCBIFK />

===Apostolic Administrator===

* Bishop [[Peter Abir Antonisamy]] (27 January 2021 - 19 March 2022). Upon the resignation of Archbishop Antony Anandarayar, for the first time in the history of Archdiocese, an Apostolic Administrator was appointed by Pope Francis. Bishop [[Peter Abir Antonisamy]] (Bishop of Sulthanpet) was appointed as the Apostolic Administrator of the Archdiocese. He ceased to be the Apostolic Administrator by the appointment of Most. Rev. Francis Kalist as Archbishop of Pondicherry and Cuddalore.

==Bishops and Cardinals from this Archdiocese==

===Bishops===
The following bishops were ordained to priesthood for Archdiocese of Pondicherry and Cuddalore and later were appointed as Bishops of various dioceses.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.archdiocesepondicherry.com/History_%20Archdiocese_1.html |title=Archdiocese Official Website |access-date=30 January 2011 |archive-date=7 July 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110707155219/http://www.archdiocesepondicherry.com/History_%20Archdiocese_1.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> They are:
* [[Ubagarasamy Bernadeth]], Bishop of [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Coimbatore|Coimbatore]] (1940)
* [[Joseph Mark Gopu]], Auxiliary Bishop of Pondicherry (1948), Archbishop of [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Hyderabad|Hyderabad]] (1953)
* [[Joseph S. Thumma]], Bishop of [[Diocese of Vijayawada|Vijayawada]] (1970)
* [[Michael Duraisamy]], Bishop of [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Salem|Salem]] (1974)
* [[Michael Augustine (bishop)|Archbishop Michael Augustine]], Auxiliary Bishop of [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Madras and Mylapore|Madras-Mylapore]] (1978), Bishop of [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Vellore|Vellore]] (1981) and Archbishop of Pondicherry (1992)
* [[Antony Anandarayar]], Bishop of Ooty (1997) and Archbishop of Pondicherry (2004)
* [[Yvon Ambrose]], Bishop of [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Tuticorin|Tuticorin]] (2005)
* [[Peter Abir Antonisamy]], Bishop of [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Sultanpet|Sultanpet]] (2013) <ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.rvasia.org/asian-news/indian-diocese-pondicherry-cuddalore-gets-new-archbishop |title= Indian Diocese of Pondicherry-Cuddalore gets new archbishop |author= |date= 21 March 2022 |website= Radio Veritas India |publisher= |access-date= November 20, 2025 |quote=}}</ref>
* [[Arulselvam Rayappan]], Bishop of [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Salem|Salem]] (2021)

The following are the bishops who are native of the Archdiocese of Pondicherry but were ordained as priests in another diocese or religious order:
*Archbishop [[Malayappan Chinnappa]], S.D.B., Bishop of [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Vellore|Vellore]] (1992), Archbishop of [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Madras and Mylapore|Madras-Mylapore]] (2005).
*Bishop Anthonysamy Neethinathan, (Clergy of [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Madras and Mylapore|Madras-Mylapore]]) Bishop of [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Chingleput|Chinglepet]] (2002)

===Cardinal===
* [[Duraisamy Simon Lourdusamy]] (1985–2014)

==Suffragan dioceses==
[[Suffragan diocese]]s of this archdiocese are:<ref name=CCBIFK />

* [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Dharmapuri|Dharmapuri]]
* [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Kumbakonam|Kumbakonam]]
* [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Salem|Salem]]
* [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Tanjore|Tanjore]]

==Saints and causes for canonisation==
* Servant of God Fr. Louis Savinien Dupuis, MEP<ref name="CCBI">{{Cite web|url=http://ccbi.in/saints-blessed/|title=Saints & Blessed - CCBI|accessdate=Oct 17, 2019}}</ref>
* Servant of God Fr. Michael [Michele] Ansaldo<ref>{{Cite web |title=1805 |url=http://newsaints.faithweb.com/year/1805.htm |access-date=2023-04-19 |website=newsaints.faithweb.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title= Michael Ansaldo - Servant of God Michael Ansaldo |url=https://michaelansaldo.org/ |access-date=2023-04-19 |language=en-US}}</ref>

==See also==
* {{anli|Apostolic Prefecture of French Colonies in India}}
* {{anli|Catholic Bishops' Conference of India}}
* {{anli|Catholic Church in India}}
* {{anli|List of Catholic dioceses in India}}
* {{anli|Syro-Malabar Church}}
* {{anli|Syro-Malankara Catholic Church}}

== Notes ==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{Reflist|refs=

<ref name="catholic-hierarchy.dpocu">{{Cite encyclopedia |url=https://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/diocese/dpocu.html |title=Archdiocese of Pondicherry and Cuddalore |encyclopedia=[[Catholic-Hierarchy.org]] |date=19 February 2024 |publisher=David M. Cheney |access-date=25 March 2024}}</ref>

}}

==External links==
* {{Official website|http://pondicherryarchdiocese.org/}}
* [http://www.gcatholic.org/dioceses/diocese/pond0.htm Metropolitan Archdiocese of Pondicherry and Cuddalore, India profile] at [http://gcatholic.org GCatholic]
* [http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/diocese/dpocu.html Archdiocese of Pondicherry and Cuddalore profile] at [[Catholic-Hierarchy.org]] [[Wikipedia:Verifiability#Reliable sources|{{sup|{{small|[''self-published'']}}}}]]
{{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080309110745/http://pondyarchdiocese.org/ |date=9 March 2008 }}

{{Geographic location
|title = '''Adjacent Dioceses'''
|Centre = Archdiocese of Pondicherry and Cuddalore
|N = [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Chingleput|Diocese of Chingleput]]
|NE = [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Madras and Mylapore|Archdiocese of Madras and Mylapore]]
|E = [[Bay of Bengal]]
|SE =
|S = [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Tanjore|Diocese of Tanjore]]
|SW = [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Kumbakonam|Diocese of Kumbakonam]]
|W = [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Salem|Diocese of Salem]]
|NW = [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Vellore|Diocese of Vellore]]
}}

{{RC Archdiocese of Pondicherry and Cuddalore}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pondicherry And Cuddalore}}
[[Category:Archdiocese of Pondicherry and Cuddalore| ]]
[[Category:Roman Catholic dioceses in India|Pondicherry]]
[[Category:Christianity in Tamil Nadu]]
[[Category:1776 establishments in India]]
[[Category:Roman Catholic dioceses and prelatures established in the 18th century]]
[[Category:Religious organizations established in 1776]]

Archdiocese of Pondicherry and Cuddalore - Revision history

ElmoPedder14 at 05:23, 26 January 2026