NaomiLoftis490 at 05:05, 6 September 2025

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{{Short description|Roman Catholic diocese in Tamil Nadu, India}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2020}}
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2020}}
{{Infobox diocese
| jurisdiction = Diocese
| name = Kottar
| latin = Dioecesis Kottarensis
| local = கோட்டாறு மறைமாவட்டம்
| image = St._Xavier's_Church,_Kottar.JPG
| image_size =
| image_alt = St. Xavier's Church, The Mother Church of the Diocese
| caption = [[St. Xavier's Church, Kottar|Cathedral of St Francis Xavier]], The [[Mother Church]] of the Diocese

| country = {{flag|India}}
| metropolitan = [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Madurai|Madurai]]
| province = [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Madurai|Madurai]]
| archdeaconries =
| deaneries =
| subdivisions =
| coordinates = {{coord|8|11|00.9|N|77|24|42.7|E|display=title, inline}}

| area_sqmi = 
| area_km2 = 715
| population = 734,354
| population_as_of = 2011
| catholics = 307,174
| catholics_percent = 41.8
| parishes = 95
| churches = 
| congregations = 
| schools = 
| members = 

| denomination = [[Roman Catholic]]
| rite = [[Latin Church|Latin Rite]]
| established = 26 May 1930
| cathedral = [[St. Xavier's Church, Kottar|Cathedral of St Francis Xavier in Kottar]]
| cocathedral =
| patron = [[St. Francis Xavier]]
| priests =

| pope = {{Incumbent pope}}
| bishop = [[Nazarene Soosai]]
| bishop_title = Bishop
| metro_archbishop = [[Antony Pappusamy]]
| coadjutor =
| suffragans =
| vicar_general = Rev. Fr. Hillarius
| auxiliary_bishops =
| apostolic_admin =
| emeritus_bishops = Rev Peter Remigius

| map =
| map_alt =
| map_caption =

| website = {{Official website|http://www.kottardiocese.org/}}
| footnotes =
}}
The '''Roman Catholic Diocese of Kottar''' ({{langx|la| Kottaren(sis)}}, {{langx|ta|கோட்டாறு மறைமாவட்டம்}}) is a [[Latin Church|Latin Rite]] [[suffragan diocese]] in the [[ecclesiastical province]] of, Kottar, [[Christianity in Kanyakumari district|Kanyakumari District]], southern [[India]]<ref>{{cite web|last1=Cheney|first1=David M.|title=Madurai (Archdiocese) [Catholic-Hierarchy]|url=http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/diocese/dmadu.html|website=www.catholic-hierarchy.org|accessdate=16 September 2016}}</ref> yet depends on the missionary [[Roman Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples]]

Its episcopal see is [[St. Xavier's Church, Kottar|Cathedral of St. Francis Xavier]] at [[Kottar]] in the town of [[Nagercoil]], [[Tamil Nadu]]. It was built by [[St. Francis Xavier]] in 1544 AD, rebuilt in 1603 over the small chapel original chapel, expanded in both 1713 and 1806.<ref>{{cite news|title=St. Francis Xavier's footprints across the country|url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-tamilnadu/st-francis-xaviers-footprints-across-the-country/article3028960.ece|accessdate=24 September 2016|work=The Hindu|date=4 December 2006|language=en-IN}}</ref>

== Antecedents ==
The Kottar [[Parish (Catholic Church)|parish]] was a constituent of Malabar Vicariate since 1657 AD and came under [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Verapoly]].<ref name="DK1">{{cite web|title=Diocese of Kottar|url=http://www.kottardiocese.org/History.aspx|website=www.kottardiocese.org|accessdate=16 September 2016}}</ref> Again it became the southern center of [[Diocese of Quilon]] at its erection in 1853 AD.{{citation needed|date=July 2020}}

==Saints and causes for canonisation==
* [[Devasahayam Pillai]], a lay [[martyr]] of the [[Christianity|Christian]] faith, was born (1712 AD) and martyred (1752 AD) here. His remains are buried in the cathedral of the diocese.<ref>{{cite news|title=INDIA A gift for the Year of Faith: the beatification of the first Indian layman|url=http://www.asianews.it/news-en/A-gift-for-the-Year-of-Faith:-the-beatification-of-the-first-Indian-layman-26452.html|accessdate=16 September 2016|work=www.asianews.it}}</ref>

== History ==
* Established on 26 May 1930 as Diocese of Kottar / Kottaren(sis) (Latin), on territory split off from the [[Diocese of Quilon]].<ref name = "fx">{{cite web|title=History of St. Xavier's Cathedral, Kotta|url=http://www.francisxaviers.com/Web2015/history/Cathedral%20History.pdf|website=www.francisxaviers.com|accessdate=16 September 2016}}</ref>
* Due to linguistic reasons as per reorganization of States, Kottar diocese was formally detached from the Metropolitan [[Archdiocese of Verapoly]] (in [[Kerala]]) and made suffragan of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Madurai (Tamil Nadu) instead in 1963.<ref name="DK1"/>
* Lost territory on 2014.12.22 to establish the [[Diocese of Kuzhithurai]].{{citation needed|date=July 2020}}

==Episcopal ordinaries==
;''Suffragan Bishops of Kottar''
(all [[Roman Rite]] natives)

* ?Aloysius Benziger
* Lorenzo (Lawrence) Pereira (26 May 1930 – death 7 January 1938)
* Thomas Roch Agniswami, [[Society of Jesus]] (S.J.) (5 January 1939 – retired 23 November 1970), died 1974
* Marianus Arokiasamy (23 November 1970 – 3 July 1987), next Metropolitan Archbishop of [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Madurai|Madurai]] (India) (1987.07.03 – retired 2003.03.22), also vice-president of Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (1991 – 1993 & 1994 – 1996), President of Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (1997 – 1999), died 2007
* Leon Augustine Tharmaraj (14 November 1988 – death 16 January 2007)
* Peter Remigius (30 June 2007 – retired 20 May 2017.05.20), previously Bishop of [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Kumbakonam|Kumbakonam]] (Tamil Nadu, India) (1989.11.10 – 2007.06.30)
* Nazarene Soosai (2017.05.20 – ...), nor previous prelature
<ref name="DK">{{cite web|title=Diocese of Kottar|url=http://www.kottardiocese.org/Former%20Prelates.aspx|website=www.kottardiocese.org|accessdate=16 September 2016}}</ref>

== Statistics ==
As per 2017, it pastorally serves 307,104 Catholics on 750 km<sup>2</sup> in 95 parishes with 243 priests (208 diocesan, 35 religious), 480 lay religious (35 brothers, 445 sisters) and 42 seminarians.{{citation needed|date=July 2020}}

== See also ==
* [[List of Catholic dioceses in India]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== Sources and external links ==
* {{Official website|http://www.kottardiocese.org/}}
* [http://www.gcatholic.org/dioceses/diocese/kott1.htm GCatholic, with Google satellite photo - data for all sections]

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kottar, Roman Catholic Diocese}}
[[Category:Roman Catholic dioceses in India]]
[[Category:Christian organizations established in 1930|Religious organizations established in 1930]]
[[Category:Roman Catholic dioceses and prelatures established in the 20th century]]
[[Category:Christianity in Tamil Nadu|Christianity in Tamil Nadu]]

Diocese of Kottar - Revision history

NaomiLoftis490 at 05:05, 6 September 2025