ReggieHuntley0 at 09:42, 11 March 2026

2026-03-11T09:42:37Z

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{{Short description|Syro-Malabar Catholic eparchy in Gujarat, India}}
{{moresources|date=September 2019}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2019}}{{Use Indian English|date=September 2019}}
{{Infobox diocese
| jurisdiction = Eparchy
| name = Rajkot
| local = राजकोट के सूबा ''Hindi'' રાજકોટ ડાયોસિઝ ''Gujarati''
| image = Prem Mandir.jpg
| image_size = 230px
| image_alt =
| caption = [[Sacred Heart Syro-Malabar Cathedral, Rajkot]]

| country = {{flag|India}}
| territory = Saurashtra and Kutch
| metropolitan =
| province = [[Syro-Malabar Catholic Archeparchy of Kalyan|Archeparchy of Kalyan]]
| archdeaconries =
| deaneries =
| subdivisions =
| coordinates =
{{Coord|format=dms|display=it}}
| area_km2 = 109,950
| area_sqmi = 
| area_footnotes =
| population = 16,025,000
| population_as_of = 2010
| catholics = 13,000
| catholics_percent = 0.1
| parishes = 
| churches = 
| congregations = 
| schools = 
| members = 

| denomination = [[Syro-Malabar Catholic Church]]
| rite = [[East Syriac Rite]]
| established =
| cathedral = [[Sacred Heart Syro-Malabar Cathedral, Rajkot]]
| cocathedral =
| patron = [[Sacred Heart of Jesus]]
| patron_title = 
| priests = 

| pope = {{Incumbent pope}} 
| patriarch =
| major_archbishop = Mar [[Raphael Thattil]]
| bishop = Mar [[Jose Chittooparambil]] CMI
| bishop_title = 
| metro_archbishop = [[Sebastian Vaniyapurackal|Mar Sebastian Vaniyapurackal]]
| coadjutor =
| suffragans = 
| auxiliary_bishops = 
| apostolic_admin =
| vicar_general =
| episcopal_vicar =
| archdeacons = 
| emeritus_bishops = [[Mar Gregory Karotemprel]] Bishop Emeritus (1983-2010)

| map = Map of Syro-Malabar Catholic Eparchy of Rajkot.png
| map_size =
| map_alt =
| map_caption =

| website = [http://www.rajkotdiocese.org/ Website of the Diocese]
| footnotes =
|coat=Rajkot_diocese.png}}

The '''Eparchy of Rajkot''' is an [[Eastern Catholic]] [[eparchy]] in [[Gujarat]], [[India]], under the [[Syro-Malabar Catholic Church]]. It was created in 1977.<ref name=CSR />

The Eparchy was created by [[Pope Paul VI]]'s [[Papal bull|Bull]] "De recta fidelium" in 1977, separating it from the [[Diocese of Ahmedabad]]. Its [[cathedral]] is [[Sacred Heart Syro-Malabar Cathedral, Rajkot]]. From 28th of August 2025 decreed by the Major Archbishop of Syro-Malabar Church, it is a suffragan Eparchy of the Syro-Malabar Archeparchy of Kalyan.

==History==
On 16 July 2010, [[Pope Benedict XVI]] named Mar Jose Chittooparambil as the bishop of the Syro-Malabar Catholic eparchy of Rajkot. The bishop-elect was born in 1954 in Neeleswaram, India, was ordained to the priesthood in 1985, and is currently Prior General of St. Xavier's Province in Rajkot. He succeeds bishop Mar Gregory Karotemprel, whose resignation the Pope accepted upon having reached the age limit. (All bishops of local churches, or dioceses, whose wider churches are in communion with the Pope, must submit their resignation for possible acceptance at age 75, though the resignations are usually only accepted later.)

== Prelates ==
'''Eparch's of Rajkot'''
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Sl.no
! Name
! Designation
! Year of appointment
! Last year of service
|-
| align="center" | 1
| align="center" | Mar [[Jonas Thaliath]],C.M.I
| align="center" | [[Bishop]]
| align="center" | 1977
| align="center" | 1981
|-
| align="center" | 2
| align="center" | Mar [[Gregory Karotemprel]],C.M.I
| align="center" | [[Bishop]]
| align="center" | 1983
| align="center" | 2010
|-
| align="center" | 3
| align="center" | Mar [[José Chittooparambil]],C.M.I
| align="center" | [[Bishop]]
| align="center" | 2010 <ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.unionbetweenchristians.com/2025/07/catholic-eparchy-of-rajkot-2025.html |title= Catholic Eparchy of Rajkot |author= |date= |website= Union Between Christians |publisher= |access-date= 27 January 2026 |quote=}}</ref>
| align="center" | ''Present''
|}

== Schools ==

In early 2026, the Eparchy runs several teaching institutes, including 62 primary schools, 43 high schools and other facilities.<ref name=CSR>{{cite web |url= https://christschoolrajkot.in/about-us/our-legacy/ |title= Our Legacy |author= |date= |website= Christ School Rajkot |publisher= |access-date= 27 January 2026 |quote=}}</ref> The primary and high schools serve almost 37,000 students.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.ucanews.com/directory/activities/india-rajkot/166 |title= Diocese of Rajkot: Activities and Organizations |author= |date= |website= UCA News |publisher= |access-date= 27 January 2026 |quote=}}</ref>

* [[St. Xavier's High School, Bhuj]]
* Christ School Rajkot
* Saint Paul's School, Rajkot <ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.saintpaulsrajkot.org |title= Home page |author= |date= |website= Saint Paul's School, Rajkot |publisher= |access-date= 27 January 2026 |quote=}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/diocese/drasm.html Syro-Malabar Catholic Diocese of Rajkot Catholic-Hierarchy]

{{Syro-Malabar Catholic Church Hierarchy}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rajkot}}
[[Category:Syro-Malabar Catholic dioceses]]
[[Category:Eastern Catholic dioceses in India]]
[[Category:Christian organizations established in 1977]]
[[Category:Christianity in Gujarat]]
[[Category:1977 establishments in Gujarat]]

{{SyroMalabar-diocese-stub}}

Eparchy of Rajkot - Revision history

ReggieHuntley0 at 09:42, 11 March 2026