Syro-Malabar Diocese of

Mananthavady

India

Continent: South and East Asia

Rite: Syro-Malabar

Type: Diocese Diocese

Name: Mananthavady / Manantoddien(sis) (Latin)

Ecclesiastical Province: Tellicherry

Neighbouring Dioceses: Tellicherry (←), Belthangady (↖), Mandya (↗), Thamarasserry (↓)

Depends on: Dicastery for the Eastern Churches

Website:

Celebrations

Patron Saint: Blessed Virgin Mary

History

1973.03.01: Established as Diocese of Mananthavady / Manantoddien(sis) (Latin) (from Diocese of Tellicherry and became suffragan of Ernakulam)
1975.12.04: Gained territory from Diocese of Tellicherry
1995.05.18: Became suffragan of Tellicherry
2007.08.29: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Bhadravathi
2010.01.15: Lost territory to Diocese of Bhadravathi
2010.01.18: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Mandya

Present Prelates

Bishop (2004.03.18 – ...):	Bishop José Porunnedom (70)
Auxiliary Bishop (2022.08.25 – ...):	Bishop Alex Tharamangalam (67) Titular Bishop of Numluli

Ordinaries

Bishops of Mananthavady (Syro-Malabar Rite)

Bishop José Porunnedom (70)
(2004.03.18 – ...)

Bishop of Mananthavady of the Syro-Malabars (India)

Not to be served but to serve

Born:	1956.03.13 (Anchiri, India)
Ordained Priest:	1982.12.22
Consecrated Bishop:	2004.05.15

Priest of Mananthavady of the Syro-Malabars (India) (1982.12.22 – 2004.03.18)

Bishop of Mananthavady of the Syro-Malabars (India) (2004.03.18 – ...)

Bishop Emmanuel Pothanamuzhy, C.M.I.
(1996.11.11 – 2003.04.06)

Born:	1932.08.05 (Nadukkara, India)
Ordained Priest:	1964.12.01
Consecrated Bishop:	1997.01.26
Died:	2003.04.06 († 70)

Bishop of Mananthavady of the Syro-Malabars (India) (1996.11.11 – 2003.04.06)

Bishop Jacob Thoomkuzhy (later Archbishop)
(1973.03.01 – 1995.05.18)

Until Christ is formed in you

Born:	1930.12.13 (Vilakumadam, India)
Ordained Priest:	1956.12.22
Consecrated Bishop:	1973.05.01
Died:	2025.09.17 (Thrissur, India † 94)

Priest of Tellicherry of the Syro-Malabars (India) (1956.12.22 – 1973.03.01)

Bishop of Mananthavady of the Syro-Malabars (India) (1973.03.01 – 1995.05.18)

Bishop of Thamarasserry of the Syro-Malabars (India) (1995.05.18 – 1996.11.11)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Trichur of the Syro-Malabars (India) (1996.11.11 – 2007.01.22)

Special Churches

Cathedral: St Joseph’s Cathedral, Mananthavady, Kerala

Tellicherry (←), Belthangady (↖), Mandya (↗), Thamarasserry (↓)

Statistics (2022.12.31)

Area: 13,036 km²

Population: 180,660 Catholics (10.9% of 1,655,390 total)

Pastoral Centres: 160 parishes

Personnel: 688 priests (306 diocesan, 382 religious), 1,806 religious (556 brothers, 1,250 sisters), 39 seminarians

Pastoral Centres

Last updated on 2026.03.30

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