Archdiocese of Madras Mylapore
SanThome Church, officially known as the National Shrine of St. Thomas Cathedral Basilica, is a church of the Catholic Church in India, at the Santhome neighbourhood of Chennai, in Tamil Nadu. It is the cathedral of the Archdiocese of Madras-Mylapore, and a minor basilica dedicated to Saint Thomas the Apostle. The present structure dates back to 1523 AD, when it was built by the Portuguese over the tomb of Thomas. In 1896, it was renovated in the Madras province according to neo-Gothic designs, as was favoured by British architects in the late 19th century. On April 1, 1896, it was solemnly consecrated by Bishop Reed da Silva of Madras, assisted by the Bishop of Dhaka, Peter Joseph Hurth.
Archdiocese of Pondicherry – Cuddalore
Immaculate Conception Cathedral (French: Cathédrale de l’Immaculée-Conception de Pondichéry, Tamil: தூய அமலோற்பவ அன்னை பேராலயம்) is the cathedral mother church for the Roman Catholic archdiocese of Pondicherry and Cuddalore. It is located in the Union territory of Puducherry. The church is also known as Samba Kovil (Tamil: சம்பா கோயில்), which is a phonetic corruption of “Saint Paul’s Kovil” where “Kovil” means church.
Archdiocese of Madurai
St. Mary’s Cathedral or Church of Our Lady of Dolours is a Roman Catholic church situated in Madurai, Tamil Nadu in India. This church attained the status of a Cathedral in the year 1969. It is built with two bell towers each 42 m high.
Diocese of Coimbatore
In the statistics of 1855, we find the following interesting notes “Coimbatore is one of the 10 Districts (parish) of the Diocese: Fr. De Gelis is the Parish Priest of Coimbatore: 150 Catholics : Church in construction : decent presbytery a house to be soon occupied by seminarists.”
Out of the first five Indian priests to be ordained for our diocese, 2 were ordained at Karrumathampatty and other 3 were ordained in the temporary chapel in the procure! The successor of Bishop Goddle, was Bishop Claude Marie Depommier (1865-1873). Since the Cathedral was not yet ready, he was consecrated as Bishop at Pondicherry on 8-10-1865.
Diocese of Chengalpattu
The Cathedral of the Diocese of Chingleput is the Cathedral of St. Joseph, located in Chingleput (Chengalpattu), Tamil Nadu, India. Established in 2002, the diocese is a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Madras and Mylapore, serving the districts of Kancheepuram and Chengalpattu. The Cathedral serves as the primary church and bishop’s seat for the diocese.
Diocese of Vellore
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Vellore (Latin: Velloren(sis)) is a diocese located in the city of Vellore in the ecclesiastical province of Madras and Mylapore in India.
In 2017, the diocese had a population of 6.5 million people, with the main languages spoken being Tamil, Telugu, and Urdu.
Diocese of Ootacamund
Sacred Heart Cathedral is a Roman Catholic church located near the Botanical Gardens in Ooty (Udhagamandalam) in the Nilgiris district, in Tamil Nadu in south India. Built in 1897, it is the second oldest Roman Catholic church in Ooty, the oldest being St. Mary’s Church. It was designated a cathedral in 1955 when the Diocese of Ootacamund was created.
Diocese of Thanjavur
The Sacred Heart Cathedral in Thanjavur is the seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Tanjore (Thanjavur), built in 1867 and serving as the cathedral since 1953. Located near Mary’s Corner, Nanjikottai Road, it is a significant, centrally located church serving the Catholic community in the Tamil Nadu region.
Diocese of Kumbakonam
St. Mary’s Cathedral, located in John Selvaraj Nagar, Kumbakonam (Tamil Nadu), is the mother church of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Kumbakonam. Established in 1899, this historic, renovated cathedral serves as a prominent landmark and a center for education, featuring a tranquil, spacious interior for worship.
Diocese of Salem
The Cathedral of the Infant Jesus in Arisipalayam, Salem, is the principal cathedral of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Salem, consecrated on November 27, 1991. It serves as the seat of the Bishop of Salem and is a significant center for worship in the region. St. Mary’s Co-Cathedral in Shevapet also serves the diocese.
Diocese of Dharmapuri
The Sacred Heart Cathedral is the principal Roman Catholic church and seat of the Diocese of Dharmapuri, located in Dharmapuri, Tamil Nadu, India. It serves as a major pilgrim center, particularly noted for its Christmas and New Year celebrations. A new, larger Cathedral is currently under construction on Annasagaram Lake Road in Dharmapuri.
Diocese of Trichy
St. Mary’s Cathedral, located in Melapudur, Tiruchirappalli (Trichy), is the episcopal seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Tiruchirapalli. Built between 1839 and 1841 in a Gothic and Romanesque style, it is dedicated to “Mother of Good Health” (Arogia Matha). It serves as a historic “mother church” for the region.
Diocese of Dindigul
St. Joseph’s Cathedral, located on Palani Road near the Municipal Office in Dindigul, Tamil Nadu, serves as the headquarters for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Dindigul. Built between 1866 and 1872, this historic, architecturally notable church features extensive stained-glass work and is considered the mother church for the area.
Diocese of Tuticorin
On the 8th of July 1836, Pope Gregory XVI made Madurai an Apostolic Province. Pearl fishery coast which emerged as a new province was entrusted to the Jesuit Missionaries of Thulus Province in France. Since 1838 parish priests have been appointed in this parish. Those days Our Lady of Snows church was taken care of by the priests of Mylapore diocese which belonged to the Portuguese Mission. Thus the Jesuit Missionaries felt that they need a separate church to function from.
Diocese of Palayamkottai
The St. Francis Xavier’s Cathedral in Palayamkottai is the main cathedral of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Palayamkottai, Tamil Nadu, India. Located near the Bishop’s House, this historic parish was established in 1932. The cathedral was recently renovated, featuring a 12-pillar design. The diocese is led by the Bishop of Palayamkottai.
Diocese of Kottar
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Kottar (Latin: Kottaren(sis), Tamil: கோட்டாறு மறைமாவட்டம்) is a Latin Rite suffragan diocese in the ecclesiastical province of, Kottar, Kanyakumari District, southern India yet depends on the missionary Roman Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples
Its episcopal see is 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.
Diocese of Kuzhithurai
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Kuzhithura is a diocese located in Tamil Nadu. It was erected on 22 December 2014 by Pope Francis with territory taken from the Diocese of Kottar. He appointed Fr. Jerome Dhas Varuvel as the first bishop of the diocese.
Diocese of Sivagangai
The Diocese of Sivagangai is located at the southeast corner of Bay of Bengal, 45 km east of Madurai city, in Tamil Nadu, India.
It was established on July 25, 1987, bifurcated from the Archdiocese of Madurai. The Most Rev. S. Edward Francis was the First Bishop of the new Diocese and Bp. Jebamalai Susaimanickam succeeded him as the second bishop. On September 21, 2023, The Most Rev. Dr. Lourdu Anandam was announced as the third bishop of the diocese, and his episcopal consecration took place on November 26, 2023.