Diocese of

Kottar

India

Continent: South and East Asia

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Diocese Diocese

Name: Kottar / Kottaren(sis) (Latin)

Ecclesiastical Province: Madurai

Neighbouring Dioceses: Kuzhithurai (↖), Palayamkottai (↑), Tuticorin (↗)

Depends on: Dicastery for Evangelisation

Website:

Celebrations

Patron Saint: Saint Francis Xavier

Liturgical Calendar (National) 📅

History

1930.05.26: Established as Diocese of Kottar / Kottaren(sis) (Latin) (from Diocese of Quilon and became suffragan of Verapoly)
1953.09.19: Became suffragan of Madurai
1955.04.29: Lost territory to Diocese of Changanacherry
2014.12.22: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Kuzhithurai

Present Prelates

Bishop (2017.05.20 – ...):

Bishop Nazarene Soosai (62)

Ordinaries

Bishops of Kottar (Roman Rite)

Bishop Nazarene Soosai (62)
(2017.05.20 – ...)

Bishop of Kottar (India)

Born:	1963.04.13 (Rajakkalamngalamthurai, India)
Ordained Priest:	1989.04.02
Consecrated Bishop:	2017.06.29

Priest of Kottar (India) (1989.04.02 – 2017.05.20)

Bishop of Kottar (India) (2017.05.20 – ...)

Bishop Peter Remigius (86)
(2007.06.30 – 2017.05.20)

Bishop emeritus of Kottar (India)

Hope, Dare, Serve

Born:	1939.05.20 (Manakudy-Mel, India)
Ordained Priest:	1966.04.18
Consecrated Bishop:	1990.01.03

Bishop of Kumbakonam (India) (1989.11.10 – 2007.06.30)

Bishop of Kottar (India) (2007.06.30 – 2017.05.20)

Bishop Leon Augustine Tharmaraj
(1988.11.14 – 2007.01.16)

Born:	1941.04.11 (Kovalam, India)
Ordained Priest:	1965.03.29
Consecrated Bishop:	1989.01.06
Died:	2007.01.16 († 65)

Bishop of Kottar (India) (1988.11.14 – 2007.01.16)

Bishop Marianus Arokiasamy (later Archbishop)
(1970.11.23 – 1987.07.03)

Born:	1927.08.31 (Pudur Uthamanur, India)
Ordained Priest:	1954.12.07
Consecrated Bishop:	1971.02.17
Died:	2007.03.22 († 79)

Bishop of Kottar (India) (1970.11.23 – 1987.07.03)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Madurai (India) (1987.07.03 – 2003.03.22)

Vice-President of Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (1991 – 1993)

Vice-President of Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (1994 – 1996)

President of Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (1997 – 1999)

Bishop Thomas Roch Agniswami, S.J.
(1939.01.05 – 1970.11.23)

Born:	1891.03.26 (Trichinopoly, Mexico)
Ordained Priest:	1923.11.25
Consecrated Bishop:	1939.10.29
Died:	1974.05.07 (Dindigul, India † 83)

Bishop of Kottar (India) (1939.01.05 – 1970.11.23)

Bishop Lawrence Pereira
(1930.05.26 – 1938.01.07)

Born:	1876.01.01 (Kayankulam, India)
Ordained Priest:	1905.11.18
Consecrated Bishop:	1930.10.05
Died:	1938.01.07 († 62)

Bishop of Kottar (India) (1930.05.26 – 1938.01.07)

Special Churches

Cathedral: St. Francis Xavier’s Cathedral, Kottar, Tamil Nādu

Kuzhithurai (↖), Palayamkottai (↑), Tuticorin (↗)

Statistics (2022.12.31)

Area: 750 km²

Population: 273,122 Catholics (30.9% of 882,790 total)

Pastoral Centres: 95 parishes, 95 missions

Personnel: 210 priests (171 diocesan, 39 religious), 559 religious (56 brothers, 503 sisters), 34 seminarians

Pastoral Centres

Last updated on 2026.03.30

© 2026 GCatholic.org