Ahmedabadwebdesigning at 09:37, 11 March 2026

2026-03-11T09:37:14Z

New page

{{Short description|Indian Syro-Malabar Catholic bishop (born 1933)}}
{{Infobox Christian leader
| type = bishop
| honorific-prefix = Mar
| name = Gratian Mundadan
| honorific-suffix = CMI
| title = Bishop Emeritus of [[Eparchy of Bijnor]]
| church = [[Syro-Malabar Catholic Church]]
| diocese = [[Eparchy of Bijnor]]
| appointed = 26 February 1977
| term_end = 14 August 2009
| predecessor = ''See established''
| successor = [[John Vadakel]]
| ordination = 17 May 1964
| consecration = 6 November 1977
| consecrated_by = [[Joseph Parecattil]]
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1933|5|15|df=y}}
| birth_place = Puthenpally, [[Alangad]], [[Ernakulam district]], [[Kerala]], [[British Raj]]
| previous_post = Apostolic Exarch of Bijnor (1972–1977)
}}

Mar '''Gratian Mundadan''', CMI (born 15 May 1933) is an Indian [[Syro-Malabar Catholic Church|Syro-Malabar Catholic]] hierarch, who served as the first bishop of the [[Eparchy of Bijnor]] from 1977 to 2009. He previously served as the Apostolic Exarch of Bijnor from 1972 until the jurisdiction was elevated to a diocese in 1977.<ref name=CH>{{cite web |title=Bishop Gratian Mundadan, C.M.I. |url=https://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/bmundadan.html |publisher=[[Catholic-Hierarchy.org]] |access-date=11 March 2026}}</ref><ref name=Bijnor>{{cite web |title=Most Rev. Gratian Mundadan CMI |url=https://bijnordiocese.in/team/most-rev-gratian-mundadan-cmi/ |publisher=Diocese of Bijnor |access-date=11 March 2026}}</ref>

==Early life and education==
Gratian Mundadan was born on 15 May 1933 in Puthenpally, [[Alangad]], in present-day [[Ernakulam district]] of [[Kerala]], India.<ref name=CH/><ref name=Bijnor/> He joined the [[Carmelites of Mary Immaculate]] (CMI), a religious congregation of the Syro-Malabar Church, and was professed on 16 May 1958.<ref name=SM>{{cite web |title=Mar Gratian Mundadan CMI |url=https://www.syromalabarchurch.in/bishops/mar--gratian--mundadan--cmi |publisher=Syro-Malabar Church |access-date=11 March 2026}}</ref>

He was ordained a priest on 17 May 1964.<ref name=CH/> Before becoming a bishop, he served in pastoral ministry and in education, including as a lecturer in mathematics at [[Sacred Heart College, Thevara]].<ref name=Bijnor/>

==Episcopal ministry==
On 23 March 1972, Mundadan was appointed the first Apostolic Exarch of Bijnor, a missionary jurisdiction of the Syro-Malabar Church in northern India.<ref name=CH/>

When the Apostolic Exarchate was elevated to the [[Eparchy of Bijnor]] on 26 February 1977, he was appointed its first bishop.<ref name=CH/> He was consecrated a bishop on 6 November 1977; the principal consecrator was [[Joseph Parecattil]], Archbishop of [[Archdiocese of Ernakulam-Angamaly|Ernakulam]].<ref name=CH/>

He served as bishop of Bijnor for more than three decades and oversaw the development of the young mission diocese.<ref name=Bijnor/>

His resignation was accepted on 14 August 2009.<ref name=Vatican>{{cite web |title=Rinuncia del Vescovo di Bijnor (India) e nomina del successore |url=https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/it/bollettino/pubblico/2009/08/14/0511/01198.html |publisher=[[Holy See Press Office]] |access-date=11 March 2026}}</ref> He was succeeded by [[John Vadakel]].<ref name=Vatican/>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/bmundadan.html Bishop Gratian Mundadan, C.M.I.] at the Catholic-Hierarchy

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mundadan, Gratian}}
[[Category:1933 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:People from Ernakulam district]]
[[Category:Indian Eastern Catholic bishops]]
[[Category:Syro-Malabar bishops]]
[[Category:Carmelites of Mary Immaculate]]
[[Category:Bishops appointed by Pope Paul VI]]

Gratian Mundadan - Revision history

Ahmedabadwebdesigning at 09:37, 11 March 2026